Reggae legends Toots and the Maytals and gospel great Mavis Staples are featured during this week’s MV Concert Series.
By Diane Alter
On Monday, August 13, some rhythmic vibes are sure to resonate throughout Oak Bluffs when Toots and the Maytals take the stage at 8 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Art Center.
Formed in the early 1960s, the Maytals were instrumental in popularizing reggae music. The group’s 1968 single, Do the Reggay, was the first song to use “reggae,” putting a name on the genre and introducing it to the masses.
Frontman Toots Hibbert’s soulful vocals have been compared to Otis Redding. Rolling Stone named him one of the 100 Greatest Singers.
The group’s last LP, Unplugged on Strawberry Hill, was released in 2012. The band has since recorded more than two albums’ worth of new material. Some they plan to soon release.
“We have a lot of new material and our new song “Talkin’ About Marley” is the talk of the town,” Toots told This Week on MV. “Bob and I were good friends. We shared a lot of good times and we shared a lot of words together. This is a great song. I wrote it about eight years ago, but it is a new song. A tribute. People are going to love it.”
Toots said his aim at every show is to make people happy and let them leave with good memories. Toots has some good memories of his own about the island. “I am excited to come back to Martha’s Vineyard and meet the people,” the legendary singer added.
The musical tone shifts on Tuesday, August 14, when American rhythm and blues, gospel singer, actress, and civil rights activist Mavis Staples takes the stage at 8 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center in Oak Bluff.
Staples is widely known for her extensive gospel singing career with her family The Staple Singers.
The troupe toured the county in the 1950s, amassing an impressive grassroots and national following. Their hit, This May Be the Last Time, was later adapted by the Rolling Stones.
In 1969, Staples went out on her own and began an impressive solo career. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and earned a spot in the Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.
Additional information and tickets for both performances is available at www.mvconcertseries.com
