Lucinda Williams on Working with Mavis Staples

Why It Matters

Uniting a contemporary songwriter with an iconic soul veteran amplifies the album’s cultural relevance and market appeal, showcasing the enduring power of legacy collaborations.

Key Takeaways

• Lucinda Williams collaborated with legendary soul icon Mavis Staples.
• Staples contributed to Bob Marley cover “So Much Trouble in the World.”
• Their friendship grew from shared festival stages over years.
• Recording session in Nashville kept Staples’ involvement limited to preserve stamina.
• Staples’ effortless vocal power adds unmatched depth to the track.

Summary

Lucinda Williams sat down to discuss her latest album’s standout collaboration with soul legend Mavis Staples, highlighting the Bob Marley cover “So Much Trouble in the World.”

The two artists have crossed paths at festivals for years, building a warm, familial rapport. In a Nashville studio with producer Ray Kennedy, Williams invited Staples—now in her 80s—to lend her voice to the track, deliberately limiting her studio time to avoid overtaxing her.

Williams praised Staples’ effortless presence, noting, “You don’t have to tell her what to do… just turn her on the mic and let her wail.” She described Staples’ voice as “unparalleled” for the song’s reggae‑infused soul, punctuated by audience laughter about her age.

The partnership underscores the commercial and artistic value of cross‑generational collaborations, adding depth to the album while honoring a music icon’s legacy, potentially expanding the record’s reach to both new listeners and longtime fans.

Original Description

Watch Lucinda Williams talk about how she came to work with Mavis Staples

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One of the many collaborators that Lucinda Williams and producer Ray Kennedy worked with on Williams’ latest album, “World’s Gone Wrong,” is the great Mavis Staples. In an interview with The Current’s Zach McCormick, Lucinda Williams describes how she came to work with Mavis Staples on the album.

Watch the full set here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CB8kmcAt1o

Credits

Guest – @LucindaWilliamsOfficial

Host – Zach McCormick

Producers – Derrick Stevens, Tom Campbell

Audio – Derek Ramirez

Video – Eric Xu Romani

Camera Operators – Evan Clark, Maurizio D’Errico

Graphics – Natalia Toledo

Digital Producers – Reed Fischer, Luke Taylor

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