'Get Ready' for a Curtis Mayfield tribute

Courtesy of Curtis Mayfield Estate Credit: Curtis Mayfield (Courtesy of Curtis Mayfield Estate)

By HAL BIENSTOCKJuly 16, 2012

One of America's greatest soul singers, Curtis Mayfield, would have turned 70 last month had he not died in 1999.

Mayfield was among the first soul singers to write about political and social issues, with songs like "People Get Ready" and "Keep on Pushing" becoming part of the soundtrack to the civil rights movement.

This Friday, artists including Mavis Staples, Sinead O'Connor and The Roots will join Mayfield's old band The Impressions to pay tribute to him.

amNewYork spoke with his Impressions bandmate Fred Cash.

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