Grim days call for fierce love. And Mavis Staples, one of the most enduring figures in Americanmusic, is laying it down. Sad and Beautiful World is the fifteenth solo album from a nationaltreasure and multigenerational talent. On her new record, Mavis stands side by side with us in the face of dangers she knows all too well, at a time when more and more people have reason to wonder who and what could be lost.

Sad and Beautiful World was produced by Brad Cook, known for his work with Bon Iver, Waxahatchee, and Iron and Wine, among other artists. The record spans seven decades of the American songbook — a range nearly as vast as Mavis’ career — and includes reinventions of timeless songs as well as original music. 

Now 86, Mavis has been performing since the age of eight. After starting out with her fatherRoebuck “Pops” Staples, sisters Cleotha and Yvonne, and brother Pervis in the Staple Singersmore than seventy years ago, she’s the lone surviving member of the group, still carrying her family’s gifts and knowledge with her as a living heritage.

Inducted into several halls of fame (blues, rock, and gospel), a Kennedy Center Honoree, a winner of multiple Grammys (including a Lifetime Achievement award), Mavis is our musicalhistory. She’s collaborated with nearly every major figure of her era(s), from Dylan to Prince, Aretha, and Willie — not to mention countless stars from subsequent generations.

Mavis Staples LIVE at the Ellis Theater on Thursday, October 15, 2026.

Doors: 6:30 PM, Show: 7:30 PM | The Ellis Theater, Philadelphia, MS

All ages

Tickets are $28.00 - $128.00 + fees

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