Stax Records

Stax Records Soulsville, U.S.A. Stax Records is part of BMG. (Est. 1959, includes Volt Records) Stax Records is synonymous with Southern soul music.

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YouTube: youtube.com/user/Staxrecords Originally known as Satellite, 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. Among the many artists who scored hits on Stax and its Volt subsidiary during the Sixties were Rufus and Carla Thomas, Booker T. & the MGs (an in*******al instrumental quartet that also served as the company’s rhythm section), Sam and Dave, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, and Otis Redding. Redding’s death in 1967 signaled the end of the first Stax era (to which Atlantic retains distribution rights). Subsequently, the company spawned a new crop of hit-makers, among them Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers, and the Dramatics. In June 1977, a year-and-a-half after Stax went bankrupt, the company’s masters were purchased by Fantasy, Inc., which revived the Stax and Volt logos for new recordings, in addition to reissuing older material. Stax Records is critical in American music history as it’s one of the most popular soul music record labels of all time – second only to Motown in sales and influence, but first in gritty, raw, stripped-down soul music. In 15 years, Stax placed more than 167 hit songs in the Top 100 on the pop charts, and a staggering 243 hits in the Top 100 R&B charts. It launched the careers of such legendary artists as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Rufus & Carla Thomas, Booker T, & the MGs, and numerous others. Current Stax recording artists include Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, William Bell, and others.

54 years ago today, Stax took over the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.On August 20, 1972, more than 100,000 people filled...
08/20/2026

54 years ago today, Stax took over the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

On August 20, 1972, more than 100,000 people filled the stadium for Wattstax, with contemporary accounts putting the turnstile count at more than 112,000. The seven-hour benefit concert was created with the Watts Summer Festival to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the 1965 Watts Rebellion and celebrate Black music, community and culture.

And the price of admission? One dollar. The idea was to make Wattstax accessible to the community it was created to serve, with proceeds benefiting local and Black community organizations.

The day opened with Rev. Jesse Jackson leading the Coliseum in his “I Am Somebody” call-and-response, followed by Kim Weston singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” From there, Wattstax became a full-scale Stax family reunion: The Staple Singers, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Albert King, The Bar-Kays (pictured here), Eddie Floyd, The Soul Children, Rance Allen Group and more, with Isaac Hayes closing out the show on his 30th birthday.

The concert became the centerpiece of the 1973 film WATTSTAX, directed by Mel Stuart, with Richard Pryor’s commentary and interviews with residents of Watts broadening the story beyond the stage. The film later received a Golden Globe nomination and, in 2020, was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry.

The original WATTSTAX: THE LIVING WORD album was a hit of its own, selling more than half a million copies within weeks of release.

To mark the anniversary, the Wattstax Collection is on sale for a limited time:

20% OFF MUSIC
30% OFF MERCHANDISE

From the historic recordings to apparel and a replica Wattstax poster, revisit the music, spirit and legacy of that day in Los Angeles.

No code necessary. The offer runs August 20 at 6:00 AM PT through August 24 at 11:59 PM PT.

Were you there? If not, which Wattstax performance makes you wish you had been?

Happy birthday to Isaac Hayes, born August 20, 1942, in Covington, Tennessee.Hayes first came into Stax as a session mus...
08/20/2026

Happy birthday to Isaac Hayes, born August 20, 1942, in Covington, Tennessee.

Hayes first came into Stax as a session musician, playing piano and keyboards on recordings by artists including Otis Redding. He eventually partnered with David Porter, and together they became one of the most important songwriting teams of the 1960s. The pair wrote more than 200 songs, including Sam & Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” “When Something Is Wrong With My Baby,” “Soul Man” and “I Thank You,” Carla Thomas’ “B-A-B-Y,” and Johnnie Taylor’s “I Got to Love Somebody’s Baby.”

Then Hayes stepped out front.

His 1969 breakthrough HOT BUTTERED SOUL contained only four tracks, including an almost 19-minute version of “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” and a 12-minute “Walk On By.” The album became the first Stax LP to go gold, eventually went platinum, topped Billboard’s R&B albums chart and reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200.

By 1971, BLACK MOSES was sitting atop the R&B albums chart for nearly two months, and Hayes was about to make another leap with SHAFT. The soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while “Theme from Shaft” went all the way to No. 1 on the Hot 100. The song earned Hayes the Academy Award for Best Original Song, making him the first Black artist to win an Oscar in a non-acting category.

Hollywood soon came calling in another way.

Hayes starred in 1974’s TRUCK TURNER and THREE TOUGH GUYS, composing music for both films, and later appeared in ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS, THE ROCKFORD FILES, THE A-TEAM and MIAMI VICE. A whole new generation would eventually know that unmistakable voice as Chef on SOUTH PARK.

Hayes could sing, write, produce, arrange, score films, act and play keyboards, vibes and alto sax. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, entered the Songwriters Hall of Fame alongside David Porter in 2005 and received the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.

Happy birthday, Black Moses.

What Isaac Hayes track goes at the very top of your playlist?

08/17/2026

Soulsville is officially open 24 hours a day.

Stax now has its own 24/7 YouTube station, streaming around the clock. So whether you need some soul with your morning coffee, something playing while you work, or a little late-night Memphis groove, we’ve got you covered.

Hit play, leave it running and let Stax soundtrack your day.

And because we know somebody’s going to have an opinion: what’s the ONE Stax record you hope comes on every time you tune in?

Watch the new 24/7 Stax station at the link in the comments.

08/15/2026

Happy birthday to Frederick Knight, born August 15, 1944, in Bessemer, Alabama.

Knight’s road to Stax took a few turns. He sang in his high-school chorus, played with local bands and earned a music scholarship to Alabama A&M before trying his luck in New York. After returning home, a demo sent to Elijah Walker eventually led to a deal with Stax.

His first Stax single was “I’ve Been Lonely for So Long,” recorded in Birmingham rather than Memphis. Knight had spent years sending songs to Stax publishing executive Tim Whitsett, who kept challenging him to come back with something that would stand apart. This was the one. Whitsett persuaded Jim Stewart to release it in 1972, backed with “Lean on Me.”

The record’s fluttering falsetto, country-flavored guitar and slow Southern soul pull carried it to No. 8 on Billboard’s R&B chart and No. 27 on the Hot 100. Across the Atlantic, it climbed to No. 22 in the UK and remained on the chart for ten weeks. It also became Knight’s first gold single.

In 1979, he wrote and produced Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell,” adapting a song he had initially intended for the much younger Stacy Lattisaw. Ward’s recording went all the way to No. 1 in both the United States and the UK, giving Knight another enormous hit from behind the scenes.

From “I’ve Been Lonely for So Long” and “I Betcha Didn’t Know That” to the songs he created for other artists, Frederick Knight built a career proving that one unforgettable record can open plenty of doors.

Which song from his Stax years keeps you coming back?

This week marks 61 years since the beginning of the Watts Rebellion, also known as the Watts Riots, which unfolded acros...
08/13/2026

This week marks 61 years since the beginning of the Watts Rebellion, also known as the Watts Riots, which unfolded across South Los Angeles from August 11 through August 16, 1965.

The uprising began after 22-year-old Marquette Frye was stopped by the California Highway Patrol and arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. A crowd gathered as the confrontation escalated, igniting six days of unrest rooted in decades of racial discrimination, economic inequality, inadequate housing and schools, limited employment opportunities, political isolation and deep mistrust between Black residents and law enforcement.

The events also became part of the Stax story.

Just before the rebellion began, the Stax R***e had played two packed nights at the 5-4 Ballroom in Watts. The artists and musicians had no idea how much tension was building around them. Some members of the Stax party became stranded in Los Angeles, while others saw smoke rising from the city as their plane returned to Memphis.

Seven years later, Stax returned to Los Angeles to help commemorate the rebellion through Wattstax. Held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on August 20, 1972, the seven-hour benefit concert brought together more than 100,000 people for performances by Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, The Bar-Kays, Rance Allen and many more.

Today, we remember the lives lost, the community forever changed and the history that gave Wattstax its deeper purpose.

Concord has announced it will continue the Stax Scholarship program for an additional year beyond its original five-year...
08/10/2026

Concord has announced it will continue the Stax Scholarship program for an additional year beyond its original five-year commitment.

The program began in 2021 with Concord exceeding its initial $1 million pledge, eventually pledging more than $1.3 million designed to provide full tuition for at least 20 Stax Music Academy students each school year. Scholarships are awarded based on financial need and merit and carry the names of artists and figures from Stax history, including Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, The Staple Singers, Booker T. & The M.G.’s, Bettye Crutcher, Jim Stewart, Estelle Axton and others.

With that initial five-year period coming to a close, Concord is extending its support of the program for an additional year, continuing a partnership that helps students access the Academy’s music education and career-development programs.

Since opening in 2000, Stax Music Academy has provided young people in Memphis with training in instrumental and vocal performance, music theory, songwriting, production and the music business, all rooted in the history and legacy of Stax Records.

And the program continues to grow. This summer, Stax Music Academy welcomed 118 students, the largest Summer Music Experience class in its history, with more than 50 attending the Academy for the first time.

The Stax story has always been about more than the records. It’s also about what gets passed along to the next generation.

Learn more about Stax Music Academy and its programs at .

Friday crate-digger check.You get one Stax 45 for the entire weekend. No second pick, no changing your answer once someb...
08/07/2026

Friday crate-digger check.

You get one Stax 45 for the entire weekend. No second pick, no changing your answer once somebody else makes a better argument...!

“Green Onions” by Booker T. & the M.G.’s started as an improvised studio jam and was originally released as the B-side to “Behave Yourself.” Memphis radio listeners quickly decided the wrong side was getting top billing. The instrumental spent four weeks at No. 1 on the R&B chart, reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and gave Stax its first chart-topper.

“Who’s Making Love” arrived in 1968, when Stax was rebuilding after its separation from Atlantic Records. Johnnie Taylor delivered the We Three composition like a warning from somebody who had learned the lesson the hard way. It reached No. 1 R&B and No. 5 on the Hot 100, earned Taylor his first gold record, and became Stax’s best-selling single up to that point.

Then there is Frederick Knight’s “I’ve Been Lonely for So Long." Knight spent years sending songs to Stax publishing executive Tim Whitsett before finally delivering the one that could not be ignored. The 1972 single reached No. 8 on the R&B chart and No. 27 on the Hot 100.

You only get one:

“Green Onions”
“Who’s Making Love”
“I’ve Been Lonely for So Long”

State your case!

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