Before the legendary Pops Staples (Staples Family) passed in 2000, he left to his daughter, the great Mavis Staples, a collection of incomplete songs he’d written.  After all these years, the result of Mavis’s curation of that collection is the new album Don’t Lose This, which will come out sometime this year.  Finally!  We can’t imagine a better celebration of what would have been Pops’ centennial birthday this past December.  Today, Mavis (with the help of Jeff Tweedy) has released the first sample (which will undoubtedly become a music staple, if you will).  Check out below the comforting track, Friendship. We love this song’s encouragement of lifetime friendships. It’s quintessential Pops, with wise, calming vocals burnished with Al Green-esque flourishes.  Ms. Mavis, together with her sisters Yvonne and Cleotha Staples, add perfect harmonies on the song.  Jeff Tweedy plays bass and his son Spencer plays the drums.  It’s a beauty:  simple but heartfelt, and powerful beyond Pops’ nonchalant inflections.   Bodes incredibly well for the entire album.  We can’t wait!