Singles by carla thomas were licensed to atlantic records until 1965 and are included. Originally known as satellite 2, the memphis company was founded in 1959 by jim stewart and his sister, estelle axton, and took its new name in 1961 from the first two letters of their last names. With its house rhythm section, better known as booker t. Only ben cauley, the trumpeter, survived and he reformed the band later. Stax was originally named satellite records, and was founded by jim stewart. Stax hired string players from the memphis symphony orchestra. Stax records and the civil rights movement in memphis, tennessee. Royal studios, home of hi records and the hi rhythm section, grew from a. Jones on organ, al jackson on drums and donald duck dunn on bass was the rhythm section for almost every hit to come out of the memphis staxvolt records era. Stax grows by chance wo clear business plansoulsville, usa inhouse producers incl. The stax museum of american soul music is dedicated to preserving the memphis sound.
The stax rhythm section would become famous as booker t. All of their lps are worth owning, at least the ones from the 6268 classic period just buy anything you can find. Youre doing yourself a disservice by ignoring stax 45s. Johnnie taylor i could never be president by vintageblackmusicpd. If he goes to bothsidesnow and finds the stax story or history, the discography for stax will include albums after 1968 and albums on enterprise, volt and other sub labels. Top 100 staxvolt hits 19611969 sittin onthe dock of the bay otis redding 1968 soul man sam and dave 1967 green onions booker t.
Invest in these now while you can still get good quality copies at reasonable prices. They began as a favourite soul studio sessions group backing major artists at stax records, chosen in 1967 by otis redding to play as his touring backup band. Rhythm house studios recording studio and multimedia event. July 18, 1999 the second label was yellow with black printing, to the left of the center hole is a white box with red stax at the top, under this is a drawing of a hand with fingers snapping, background of the drawing is blue. Stax records impact on soul music soul of america memphis. William bell i forgot to be your lover by ken shane. Only available through bluescentric, fans of soul music will find official stax records t shirts, mugs and merchandise, memphis horns shirts, memphis soul shirts, soul music mugs, gifts and merch. Though the formerly released version is far from lacking in the realm of energy, the tumbling, tambourineaccented exuberance of the allen brothers take on the song is drenched in a spirit that borders on. One observation i made in memphis certain kinds of players seemed to generally fall into certain age groups. Learn more about the history of stax at the stax museum of american soul music. Stax records instant reload 1968 steve hoffman music. Louis, new orleans, detroit, chicago, nyc and philadelphia to meet innovative record. Here the legacy of passionate stax music artists like otis. Booker t, wilson pickett, sam and dave, otis redding.
Explore releases from the rhythm section recordings label. Stax was primarily a singles label, and dozens of great sides by great artists were never committed to long players. After the 60s we have selected the outstanding album or the live set which shows the best of the artists talents. The legacy of stax records is a unique one that spans nearly half a century. What band marked the resurgence of southern rock in the midsixties despite the domination of black soul artists. What house rhythm section created the memphis soul sound for stax records. Before the 60s, most blues records sold as singles, so most of the selections here are compilation albums. His style is immediately distinguishable from all other blues guitarists and hes one of the most important blues guitarists to ever pick up the electric guitar. The label name was formed from the first two letters of the founders surnames.
In the first few years at stax, the house band varied, although. Twelve years older than jim, estelle was brought up in the county of middleton, tennessee. Sep 24, 2015 stax was primarily a singles label, and dozens of great sides by great artists were never committed to long players. Rhythm house studios offers a unique experience for artists that want to record. Founded in 1957 as satellite records, the label changed its name to stax records in 1961 and shared its operations with volt records, a sister label created to avoid the impression of favoritism among radio stations playing their records. Discover whats missing in your discography and shop for rhythm section recordings releases. Our soul music tshirts come in a variety of colors, and sizes up to 5xl and 3xlt. Melissa etheridge salutes legendary stax records on new. Soul music tshirts, stax records tshirts, otis redding tshirts. Stax was influential in the creation of southern soul and memphis soul music. This label was used on all monaural records in the 700 series. The atlantic years by david edwards and mike callahan last update. The barkays house band for stax and otis redding russ. We are a vibrant neighborhood campus at the birthplace of american soul music.
Memphis soul, also known as the memphis sound, was the most prominent strain of southern. So, if youre a completist, you may end up with over 50 records in this set. Our list covers all ages of the blues, from the early country music styles through to the electric blues of the city. Stax also released gospel, funk, and blues recordings. Probably in five parts, it tells the story of two white folk, jim stewart and estelle axton, who mortgage their house in order to open a recording studio for country and. Discover whats missing in your discography and shop for stax releases. Stax records was founded in memphis by white country fiddler james stewart and his sister estelle axton. The stax records story synopsis sam moore, bono, elvis costello and others reflect on the influence of the stax record label. Founded in 1957 as satellite records, the label changed its name to stax records in 1961 and shared its operations with volt records, a sister label created to avoid the impression of favoritism among radio stations playing their records stax was influential in the creation of southern soul and memphis soul music. Noted for its impeccable rhythm and horn section, stax initially featured a pareddown live quality on its recordings. At nine discs and 244 tracks, the complete staxvolt singles. The stax records story documents the history of the influential music label responsible for some of the best and most memorable soul music of its time. Stax records is synonymous with southern soul music.
Twenty greatest hits various artists on allmusic 1988 the opening gun in this series collects 20 of the. When you hear a stax record, you know its a stax record. Stax in black above the center hole, above the logo is a stack of records. This list is comprised of songs released on the satellite, stax, volt and enterprise labels which made up the stax volt family of labels during the 1960s. Rhythm house studios recording studio and multimedia. Wendy rene reap what you sow stax label soul by opknolletoeren. Stax r1 624997, stax r1 624999,volt r1 625008,volt r1 625007, stax cr00273, stax cr00274, stax cr00276, stax cr00275, stax 081227908560, stax 081227908553,volt 081227908492,volt 081227908508 series. Probably in five parts, it tells the story of two white folk, jim stewart and estelle axton, who mortgage their house in order to open a. The first few were in a darker blue with later repressings if any in the lighter, more authentic stax blue. The label had a huge impact on the creation of the southern soul and memphis soul music styles, as well as releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and blues records. The story of stax records 2020, 180g, vinyl discogs. The asyetuntitled project the singersongwriter and activists first musical concept album.
Mar 15, 2016 melissa etheridge will honor pioneering label stax records on a new album for concord music group. Jackson, jim stewart, estelle axton, deanie parker. Classics from the staxvolt label 1 hour 51mins of soul as it would sound at a large venue. Among the many artists who scored hits on stax and its volt subsidiary during the sixties.
The gospel according to jazz chapter 4 musically explores the convergence of jazz and gospel infused with rhythm and blues, through a documusic concert dvd and liverecorded double cd with musical messages of tribute, tragedy and triumph musically illustrating gods radical hospitality. Stax records instant reload 1968 steve hoffman music forums. The one for stax singles is the one i was thinking of. Stax records soared on sublime songs and racial harmony before it was dragged down by corruption and financial excess neil spencer mon 20. Among the many artists who scored hits on stax and its volt subsidiary during the sixties were rufus thomas and his daughter carla thomas. Stax records is an american record label, originally based in memphis, tennessee. Stax records memphis or southern soul style used the mgs memphis group, a rhythm section, and the memphis horns, a horn section, on recordings for otis redding, wilson pickett, isaac hayes, rufus thomas, sam and dave, and others.
Soul music tshirts, stax records tshirts, otis redding t. From the early 1960s, this racially integrated studio produced music that drew upon gospel, blues, and country. The 50th anniversary of the legendary soul label stax records will kick off with the release of a deluxe edition 50song, 2cd box set titled stax 50. Stax records also boasted a heavily integrated sound which would take the. Theres gonna be a showdown, a clever retooling of a 1968 rhythm and blues single by. Stax quickly became a hitmaking machine, producing a massive catalog of top 100 records that defined the memphis sound. They all except one died in a plane crash with otis on december 10, 1967. Stax records was the creation of brother and sister, jim stewart and estelle axton. October 20, 1999 the first stax label was light blue with black printing. More from the other side of the trax staxvolt 45rpm rarities 19601968 mp3 60s soul. Stax records is critical in american music history as its one of the most popul. This is a soul band from the late sixties, that was basically the house band for stax and otis reddings band. Hi records, in turn, was highly influential to stax records as well. Melissa etheridge will honor pioneering label stax records on a new album for concord music group.
Featuring every aside the label released during those nine years, as well as several bsides, the set is a definitive portrait of gritty, deep southern soul. The stax museum and soulsville get a shoutout on the memphis episode. Rankings are based on the popularity of each song during the period of 1961 through 1969. Blues challenge, and was thrilled to discover that part of their winnings included. Soulsvillefoundation perpetuating the soul of stax records by. Among those famous musicians, a few names stand out otis redding, isaac hayes, staples singers, rufus thomas and al bell. Stax records was founded in 1957 and originally based in memphis, tennessee. The band included the three hodges brothers, charles hodges organ, leroy hodges bass, and mabon teenie hodges guitar, together with drummer howard grimes or stax records drummer al jackson jr. Redding and the band bring it home with all the fury they can summon.
Sweet soul music states that mitchells band were a virtual whos who of memphis jazz playersphineas newborn, jr. March 7th new arrivals i dropped a couple of fresh boxes in the bins on saturday. Our event center is a relaxed setting with a lively atmosphere. The rhythm section players were the youngest and wildest, frequently the horn players were just slightly older, the string players were older than everybody. Stax records impact on soul music was incalculable. Isaac hayes, david porterlive, spontaneous sessions. The entire rhythm section of the stax house band had received early playing experience in willie mitchells band. The hi rhythm section was the house band for hit soul albums by several artists, including al green and ann peebles, on willie mitchells hi records label in the 1970s.
The stax sound was more gospel and blues influenced than motown. July 18, 1999 the second label was yellow with black printing, to the left of the center hole is a white box with red stax at the top, under this is a drawing of a hand with fingers. In 1957, a banker by the name of jim stewart formed satellite records using country music recordings hed made in the basement of a house in memphis, tn owned by his wifes uncle. In 1961, having moved the label to the old capitol theater in memphis, he changed the name to stax records, the name consisting of the first two letters of his last name and the first two letters of his sisters last. The rhythm section players were the youngest and wildest, frequently the horn players were just. Always strongly interested in music, as a teenager, she had been a fan of pop music, played the organ and sung soprano in the family gospel quartet. Stax album discography, part 2 19681972 by david edwards and mike callahan last update. The stax records facade on the home page is a photo of the stax museum of american soul music in memphis, tn.
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