The Stars Gather To Celebrate Mavis Staples' Diamond Birthday [UPDATE]

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 1, 2014 3:40PM

Mavis Staples, shown at the 2013 A.V. Fest/Hideout Block Party. (Photo credit: Chuck Sudo/Chicagoist)

Update 7:40 a.m. Oct. 29: Since we first published this article Jeff and Spencer Tweedy, Bonnie Raitt and Otis Clay have been added to the lineup. Tickets are still available.

Mavis Staples turned 75 July 10 with few signs of slowing down. The musical legend continues her late career renaissance and fruitful partnership with Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, and has maintained a solid touring schedule even as she had knee replacement surgery last year. So one can see why there hasn’t been a public celebration to honor Staples … until now.

Tickets went on sale Monday for “I’ll Take You There - Celebrating 75 Years of Mavis Staples” Nov. 19 at the Auditorium Theatre. Producer Don Was has gathered an all-star lineup of singers and musicians to celebrate Staples, and the concert will be recorded.

The list of announced performers are wide-ranging across myriad musical genres including Gregg Allman, Ryan Bingham, Eric Church, Patty Griffin, Glen Hansard, Taj Mahal, Michael McDonald, Buddy Miller, Aaron Neville, Widespread Panic, Grace Potter, and Marty Stuart. More will be announced closer to the concert date, and Staples will perform numbers with many of them. So those of you hoping for a Staples/Tweedy duet could get your wish.

Tickets to “I’ll Take You There—Celebrating 75 Years of Mavis Staples” are available at ticketmaster.com or by calling the Auditorium Theatre box office at 800-745-3000.