An evening of deep soul and heart-wrenching gospel passion featuring the legendary Mavis Staples and Grammy-nominated husband and wife duo Michael Trotter, Jr. and Tanya Trotter
Courtesy photo.
SUMMARY
- Tue, Oct 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Arlington Theatre
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- Chart-topping soul/gospel/R&B pioneer, civil rights icon and Kennedy Center honoree Mavis Staples
- Country, gospel and soul sensations The War and Treaty
- Two separate headlining sets
- $52 – $132 / UCSB students $24 (Current student ID required)
- Tickets & Info: www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu or (805) 893-3535; or The Arlington Theatre, AXS Ticketing (805) 963-4408
“If we had the ability to assess who is the most beloved figure in music – not in overall numbers, but sheer adoration, per capita and per peer – it likely wouldn’t be Taylor or Beyoncé but Mavis Staples, who has been taking us there since the late ’60s.” Variety
“The colossally talented pair continue their commando, no-limits journey to the top of the music world.” Associated Press on The War and Treaty
SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Mavis Staples and The War and Treaty on Tuesday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre. A chart-topping soul/gospel/R&B pioneer, civil rights icon, National Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement recipient and Kennedy Center honoree, Mavis Staples delivers roof-raising performances with youthful vigor and commanding maturity. Called “one of America’s defining voices of freedom and peace” by NPR, she marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., performed at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration and sang in Barack Obama’s White House. Combining traditional folk, country, R&B and spirituals into a dynamic blend that’s all their own, The War and Treaty (Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter) were the first Black artists ever nominated for Duo of the Year by the Country Music Association. Taking the stage separately, Staples and The War and Treaty promise an unforgettable evening of deep soul and heart-wrenching gospel passion.
Mavis Staples, “Love and Trust” (Live)
The War and Treaty, “That’s How Love Is Made” (Official Music Video)
ABOUT MAVIS STAPLES
“I’m the messenger. That’s my job — it has been for my whole life — and I can’t just give up while the struggle’s still alive. We’ve got more work to do, so I’m going to keep on getting stronger and keep on delivering my message every single day.” – Mavis Staples on the eve of her 80th Birthday
Hailed by NPR as “one of America’s defining voices of freedom and peace,” Mavis Staples is the kind of once-in-a-generation artist whose impact on music and culture would be difficult to overstate. She’s both a Blues and a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer; a civil rights icon; a Grammy Award-winner, a chart-topping soul/gospel/R&B pioneer, a National Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement recipient and a Kennedy Center honoree. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., performed at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration and sang in Barack Obama’s White House. She’s collaborated with everyone from Prince and Bob Dylan to Arcade Fire and Hozier, blown away countless festival goers from Newport Folk and Glastonbury to Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, performed with The Band at The Last Waltz. She graced the airwaves on Fallon, Colbert, Ellen, Austin City Limits, Jools Holland, the Grammys and more. At a time when most artists begin to wind down, Staples ramped things up, releasing a trio of critically acclaimed albums in her 70’s with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy that prompted Pitchfork to rave that “her voice has only gained texture and power over the years” and People to proclaim that she “provides the comfort of a higher power.”
In between records with Tweedy, Staples teamed up with a slew of other younger artists – Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Nick Cave, Valerie June, tUnE-yArDs, and M. Ward among others – for Livin’ On A High Note, an album The Boston Globe called “stunningly fresh and cutting edge” and which first introduced her to Harper. “Ben wrote a song for that album called “Love and Trust,’” explains Staples. “When he said he that he wanted to produce me, I told him, ‘Well shucks, if you write another song like that, count me in.’”
Harper did more than write just another song, instead penning We Get By(2020), an entire album of emotionally riveting and spiritually uplifting tracks that hit Staples directly in the heart. The tunes fit her like a glove – due in no small part to the decades Harper spent listening to Staples’s music, both with The Staple Singers and as a solo artist – and Staples found herself fighting back tears as she fell in love with the beauty and sincerity of those early stripped down demos.
“I come from a family of Mavis fans,” explains Harper, “so her music has been woven into the fabric of my life from the very start. When I got the call for this gig, it felt like my entire career, everything I’d ever written, had been pre-production for this.” Leading up to the recording sessions, Harper sat in the audience for several of Staples’ concerts, approaching her performances now as a student more than a fan. As brilliant as Staples’ studio output was over the years, Harper came to understand the stage as her home and her touring band as her family, and capturing as much of that spirit as possible seemed like the obvious approach for We Get By.
It’s impossible to listen to a voice like Staples’ without contemplating all she’s been through in her life – the album cover features a heartrending Gordon Parks photo that speaks to the casual cruelty of racial segregation in 1950’s Alabama – but it only serves to make her optimism and resilience that much more inspiring and contagious. “I sing because I want to leave people feeling better than I found them,” Staples concludes. “I want them to walk away with a positive message in their hearts, feeling stronger than they felt before. I’m singing to myself for those same reasons, too.” Even the messenger needs a reminder every now and then.
ABOUT THE WAR AND TREATY
Their name alone conjures images of struggle. Of epic conflict, sacrifice and the eventual birth of a lasting peace. For UMG Nashville’s The War And Treaty, that struggle is found within love itself.
Since forming in 2014, The War And Treaty have amassed a following as eclectic as their sound, a bluesy but joyful fusion of Southern soul, gospel, country and rock-and-roll. Known for a live show nearly revival-like in intensity, the husband-and-wife team of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount-Trotter endlessly create an exhilarating exchange of energy with their audience.
The duo has dominated stages across the globe, headlining their own shows and opening for a diverse group of living legends; Al Green, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, John Legend, Lauren Daigle and Van Morrison among them.
Earning respect, they’ve gone on to appear as top-flight collaborators. They’ve also been recognized by the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry and the Americana Music Association (who named The War And Treaty its 2022 Duo/Group of the Year). Most recently, they have been recognized by the Grammy Awards and were nominated for Best New Artist and Best American Roots Song.
ABOUT UCSB ARTS & LECTURES
Founded in 1959, UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) is the largest and most influential arts and lectures organization between Los Angeles and San Francisco. A&L annually presents more than a hundred public events, from critically acclaimed concerts and dance performances by world-renowned artists to talks by groundbreaking authors and film series at UCSB and Santa Barbara-area venues. With a mission to “educate, entertain and inspire,” A&L also oversees an outreach program that brings visiting artists and speakers into local classrooms and other venues for master classes, open rehearsals, discussions and more, serving K-12 students, college students and the general public.
Mavis Staples and The War and Treaty is presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures.
Roots Series Sponsor: Laura & Geof Wyatt
Tickets are $52 – $132 / UCSB students $24 (Current student ID required)
For tickets or more information, call UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535 or purchase online at www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu; or The Arlington Theatre, AXS Ticketing (805) 963-4408
Special thanks to KCRW and the VoiceSB.
UCSB Arts & Lectures gratefully acknowledges 2024-2025 Season Sponsor Sara Miller McCune.
UCSB Arts & Lectures gratefully acknowledges our Community Partners the Natalie Orfalea Foundation & Lou Buglioli for their generous support of the 2024-2025 season.