FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2025
Contact: kelly@epitaph.com

MAVIS STAPLES SHARES TITLE TRACK OF UPCOMING ALBUM “SAD AND BEAUTIFUL WORLD”

ALBUM OUT NOVEMBER 7

Photo Credit: Elizabeth De La Piedra

2026 TOUR DATES INCLUDE CHICAGO THEATRE,
RYMAN AUDITORIUM AND BEACON THEATRE

More than seventy years after a high-school a cappella teacher tried and failed to change her singing style, Mavis Staples has one of the most recognizable voices in the world. Her new album ‘Sad And Beautiful World’, out November 7, is the latest solo album from a national treasure and multigenerational talent with vocals so warm and textured they feel like a physical presence. A collection of hopeful songs for tough times, the title track was written by Mark Linkous a.k.a. Sparklehorse. With its funeral-march rhythm and spare lyrics, “Sad And Beautiful World” finds beauty even amid the grief over everything that’s been lost. Listen to Mavis’s rendition below.

Listen to “Sad And Beautiful World”: https://youtu.be/HAZGQG3yHNo

‘Sad and Beautiful World’ was produced by Brad Cook, known for his work with Bon Iver, Waxahatchee, and Nathaniel Rateliff, among others. 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. Cook tells stories about growing up listening to the Staple Singers. About seeing Mavis perform live, he said, “I remember being utterly floored by the conviction and power she had in her voice.”

To capture Mavis’ resonant phrasing and textured vocals, Cook tried to build every song around that voice. He began with spare skeleton recordings, just drum and piano, and focused on recording her vocals. Then he expanded the song from there, trying never to overshadow or undermine the framework she’d established. He imagined a record in the tradition of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s ‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken’, a group of artists coming together to celebrate community—in this case, one centered on Mavis.

‘Sad And Beautiful World’ includes cameos by artists who have become part of Mavis’ world, many of whom are legends in their own right: Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Tweedy, Derek Trucks, Katie Crutchfield, MJ Lenderman, Justin Vernon, and others shine a light on her, while Mavis does what only she can do. Embracing vulnerability, she sings close and deep here, drawing the listener into a circle filled with her unforgettable presence.

Never slowing down, Mavis will be on tour throughout the fall with her next show in Wisconsin on October 1 and upcoming 2026 dates at three legendary venues: Chicago’s Chicago Theatre, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and New York’s Beacon Theatre. All upcoming dates are listed below.



TOUR DATES
October 1 - Stoughton, WI @ Stoughton Opera House
October 2 - Stoughton, WI @ Stoughton Opera House SOLD OUT
October 4 - Memphis, TN @ Mempho Fest
October 9 - Tucson, AZ @ Fox Theatre
October 11 - Prescott, AZ @ Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center
October 12 - Chandler, AZ @ Chandler Center for the Arts
Nov 8 – Portsmouth, NH @ Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club
January 10 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre (w/ support from Nathaniel Rateliff solo)
January 24 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
February 28 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre (w/ support from Allison Russell)
March 12 – Medford, OR @ Holly Theatre

Pre-Save ‘Sad And Beautiful World’
1. Chicago
2. Beautiful Strangers
3. Sad And Beautiful World
4. Human Mind
5. Hard Times
6. Godspeed
7. We Got To Have Peace
8. Anthem
9. Satisfied Mind
10. Everybody Needs Love

https://mavisstaples.com/
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For More Info on Mavis Staples, Contact:
Kelly Kettering | ANTI- Records Publicity | kelly@epitaph.com