Description
Iconic singer Mavis Staples is an alchemist of American music, and during her 70+ year career one of her most beloved musical moments was her riveting performance in Martin Scorseses film The Last Waltz, performing The Weight with The Band, a moment that forged a life-long friendship between her and Levon Helm. Staples came to Woodstock, NY to perform as part of Helms renowned Midnight Ramble series, and the ensuing concert would mark a personal high watermark for both live in the summer of 2011, Carry Me Home showcases two of the past centurys most iconic voices coming together in love and joy, tracing their shared roots and celebrating the enduring power of faith and music. The setlist was righteous that night, mixing vintage gospel and soul with timeless folk and blues, and the performances were loose and playful, fueled by an ecstatic atmosphere that was equal parts family reunion and tent revival. Read between the lines, though, and theres an even more poignant story at play here. Neither Staples nor Helm knew that this would be their last performance togetherthe collection marks one of Helms final recordings before his deathand listening back now, a little more than a decade later, tunes like This May Be The Last Time and Farther Along take on new, bittersweet result is an album thats at once a time capsule and a memorial, a blissful homecoming and a fond farewell, a once-in-a-lifetime concertand friendshippreserved for the ages. Staples and the nights soulful crew of backup singers handle the vast majority of the vocal work here, but its perhaps album closer The Weight, which features Helm chiming in with lead vocals for the first time, that stands as the concerts most emotional moment. “It never crossed my mind that it might be the last time wed see each other, says Staples. He was so full of life and so happy that week. He was the same old Levon Id always known, just a beautiful spirit inside and out.
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