Legendary soul singer Mavis Staples recollects Dr. King march in Carmel debut.

"March for freedom's highway/ March each and every day," Mavis Staples belted out.

Staples' performance of "Freedom Highway" marked the most powerful segment of the Grammy Award-winning singer's 90-minute, two-set sell-out show yesterday afternoon at Carmel's Sunset Center, made more powerful by it coming the day before Martin Luther King Day.

The 73-year-old R&B icon broke away from the tune midway to address the audience as her five-piece band continued playing softly in the background.

"Pops Staples [her father and Staple Singers' leader] was inspired to write this song in 1965 after the march," Staples began. "The big march, from Selma to Montgomery."

"I was also there," she said as if she was delivering a sermon at her childhood church on the South Side of Chicago. "And I'm still here. I'm still fighting."

"I'm soldier," she continued. "I'm a soldier! I'm a solider of love, y'all! I'm fighting for hope! I'm fighting for all of us to come together, y'all!"

Staples also delivered a gospel-coated cover of Buffalo Springfield's theme/era-appropriate ’60s anthem "For What it's Worth" and a funky good time rendition of Funkadelic's Maggot Brain classic "Can You Get To That." 

Then there was a entrancing 20-minute "I'll Take You There" that took up most of the second set. Staples scatted, danced across the stage, testified to the crowd and to her band, flirted with an audience member and had a smile on her face the entire time.

"I want you to leave here feeling good," she said. "I want you to leave here full of joy, happiness and positive vibrations!"

Staples reiterated several times how much she dug Carmel.

"Why haven't I been [to Carmel] before?" she asked the audience. "What took you so long?"