Hello, Chicago! From W be easy Chicago and PRX this is sound opinions. I'm Greg Kot and I'm Jim

De Regattis. Today we talk with living legend Mavis Staples. We talk about

our start in gospel music and a role on the front line of the civil

rights movement. The songs inspire you. The songs motivate you. Keep on marching.

Music is a strong weapon.

Plus we'll review relatives in descent, the new album from Detroit Art Rockers

Proto Martin.

And we'll remember soul singer Charles Bradley. That's all coming up on sound opinions.

This is sound opinions. I'm Jim Deregattis. My partner is Greg Kot and coming up we've got a review of new music from one of our favorite bands of recent years, Proto Martyr. Now about my own ham.

Automatic writing by Phantom Moon.

Now with my own forests.

Pluracy made thean on to us.

But first, the inimitable Mavis Staples.

Paul and Silas, down in jail, had no money for to go their bail.

We spoke with the gospel and soul legend earlier this year and the interview is one of our

favorites ever. No holds barred. We talked so long we had to make two

episodes out of it Greg and part of this I think is because of your relationship

with her. You of course wrote a fantastic biography of Mavis. The first conversation focused on

her upbringing here in Chicago and the Staple Singer's Music, the emergence later on as a solo act, you can hear that conversation at sound opinions

dot org. Today we're still talking music with Mavis, but we're looking specifically at the social engagement of her with the staple singers and her as a solo artist.

Something that continues now and it's very inspiring and you can hear it on her new record coming out soon if all I was

was black.

...