In a small record store on McLemore Avenue, the soulful sound of Stax Records was born. This former movie theater in the South Memphis neighborhood might not have seemed the likeliest spot to launch a musical revolution. But in the 1960s, under the leadership of siblings Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton, this unassuming storefront became the epicenter of a new genre—Southern soul.
With artists like Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, and The Bar-Kays laying down tracks in the studio upstairs, Stax developed a raw, funky sound unlike anything coming out of Motown up north. Male-female duos like Sam & Dave brought the noise with rousing call-and-response songs, while the house band Booker T. & the MGs laid down some of the tightest grooves in popular music. It was soul music perfected for the church and the dance hall.
This documentary series, directed by Jamila Wignot, shines a light on the glory days and struggles of Stax across four hour-long episodes. Through interviews with founding members and legendary artists, alongside rare archival footage, it transports viewers back to 1960s Memphis to experience the magic happening within those walls.
But it also shows how creative brilliance alone couldn’t protect this pioneering Black-owned label from the storms of the civil rights era and the greed of the music industry. Over 45 years since its demise, the legacy and lessons of Stax still resonate loud and clear.
Souls Born in Memphis
In the late 1950s, a country fiddle player named Jim Stewart had an idea—he wanted to start a record store in Memphis that also featured a small recording studio. Together with his sister Estelle Axton, they found an old movie theater building on McLemore Avenue in South Memphis. Though the neighborhood was considered rougher at the time, the rent was affordable. After getting a second mortgage on her home, Estelle helped her brother launch Satellite Records.
Initially, Jim focused on country music, cutting early sessions with local artists. But it didn’t take long before a new sound started emerging within those walls. Rufus and Carla Thomas were regular customers at the store, and one day Carla came in requesting to record a song. Released in 1957, “Gee Whiz: Look At His Eyes” took off, becoming the label’s first hit single. Soon more R&B and soul tracks followed from artists like The Memphis Quartet.
As the music evolved, so did the name—”Satellite”” became Stax,” p playing on parts of Jim and Estelle’s last ames. With Carla delivering success after success, Stax gained attention from bigger labels. In 1960, they formed a partnership with Atlantic Records. The deal provided funds and promotion, as well as distribution through Atlantic’s channels. At last, Stax’s soulful sound could be heard nationwide.
Hits poured out of the studio, especially after Jerry Wexler was appointed as Atlantic’s liaison. The house band, Booker T. & the MGs, laid down infectious grooves that fueled smashes for Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and others. Against the odds, a small Memphis label had risen to the top, helping define soul music. Little did they know the challenges that still lay ahead…
Soulsville Sound
If you’ve ever heard the opening notes of “Green Onions” or lost yourself in Otis Redding’s gospel-tinged blues, you know the power of the Stax sound. Emerging from an unassuming studio in Memphis’ Soulsville neighborhood, this incomparable style helped shape popular music worldwide.
At the heart of Stax’s signature sound was their tight-knit house band, Booker T. & the MGs. With guitarist Steve Cropper, organist Booker T. Jones, and the rhythm section, they created deep grooves that blended blues, gospel, and funk into something wholly original. Tracks like “Green Onions” showcased their instrumental chops while leaving space for vocals to soar. Beyond technical skill, the band brought a special feel to every recording. “It was all about the vibe in the studio,” recalls Jones.
Then there was Otis Redding, who truly embodied the Stax aural experience. His raw, passionate vocals conjured the raw emotion of the blues while retaining Gospel’s message of hope. “Try a Little Tenderness” finds Redding pleading through every gritty measure until he’s pouring his soul into the fade out. No other label allowed artists such freedom to layer rawness with refined pop craft.
This confluence of elements—Booker T.’s funkadelic organ grooves, Cropper’s jangling guitar lines, and singers bearing their deepest truths—made for a viscerally uplifting experience. While mainstream soul could seem polished and polite, the Stax approach felt real, pointed, and profound. As musicologist Rob Bowman notes, “It’s Black culture through and through, but an interracial sound.”
Fully embracing local musical styles, Stax captured the true spirit of Memphis. Their records have endured because they matched technical skill with true feeling, creating a legacy as profound and genre-defining as any label in history. In the immersive soul of Soulsville, a small community found its voice to inspire the world.
Soulsville’s Success Story
In the 1960s, a little studio in Memphis was about to take the world by storm. Founded by Jim Stewart as a tiny country label, Stax Records soon found its stride in a new genre called soul. Before long, hits were pouring out of their Soulsville studio with artists like Sam & Dave, William Bell, and, most notably, the raw talent of Otis Redding.
You have to remember—at the time, Detroit’s Motown reigned supreme in the music industry. They had the polished pop sound on lockdown. But Stax brought something different to the table—a grittier, gospel-infused Southern soul that pulled from the streets outside their doors. Songs like “When Something is Wrong With My Baby” and “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” are just bursting with passion.
Word started spreading fast about this little label making bigger waves than anyone expected. Pretty soon, they were scoring major chart success and finding fans coast to coast. Things really started cooking when they signed a distribution deal with Atlantic Records in 1963. Now the whole country could hear what all the talk was about.
By the mid-60s, Stax had well and truly challenged Motown’s dominance. They were rolling out one hit after another and packing houses everywhere they played. I’m telling you, you haven’t lived until you’ve heard footage of Otis slaying crowds at Monterey Pop in 1967. The man had more soul in his pinky finger than most have in their whole bodies.
Their European tours were off the charts too—audiences across the pond went nuts for the Stax sound. Songs that brought people together at a time when the world was feeling pretty divided. By the end of the decade, Stax’s stars were shining just as brightly as Motown’s. They’d done the impossible and become a force to rival the biggest name in music. Sure was a long way from those country’s beginnings. Soulsville was now firmly on the map.
Facing the Music
Just when things seemed to be going Stax’s way, fate dealt the label some crushing blows. First came the tragic plane crash in 1967 that took Otis Redding’s life just as he was touching new creative heights. Losing their biggest star was bad enough, but others like members of the Bar-Kays were lost too. It was a dark time for the Stax family.
If that wasn’t blow enough, trouble was brewing away from the studio as well. For years Stax had partnered with Atlantic Records, who handled pressing and distributing their records. It proved mutually beneficial at first. But then Atlantic was sold to Warner Bros, changing everything. The new owners decided to play hardball, exercising a clause in the contract letting them claim ownership of Stax’s entire pre-existing catalog!
Just like that, the fruits of Stax’s labors were stripped away. All those classic songs that made them famous were suddenly the property of someone else. You can only imagine Jim Stewart’s fury when he realized he’d been duped. The company was forced to start from scratch, rebuilding what they lost. Talk about kicking a man while he’s down!
But kickstarted they were. Out of the ashes came a renewed focus and ferocious new direction. With Al Bell steering the ship, Stax recommitted to their mission and rose higher than ever. The 1968 release of Hot Buttered Soul announced Isaac Hayes as a star. And they kept the hits flowing through artists like The Staple Singers and Eddie Floyd. Even in hard times, the soul couldn’t be contained in Soulsville.
Those early setbacks could have sunk a lesser label. But there was a fire in Stax’s belly, a passion for the music that drove them to overcome any obstacle in their path. Though the road was rocky, they refused to let anything stand between them, bringing the world that singular sound. It’s what made Stax more than just a hit factory—it was a home.
Rising from the Ashes
Just when it looked like Stax’s flame had been extinguished, along came a man to breathe new life into the label—Al Bell. Hired as promotions director in the late 1960s, Bell got to work resuscitating the company in the wake of tragedy. With Otis gone and Atlantic stealing away their catalog, morale was low.
But Bell had a vision. He saw untapped potential in appealing to black audiences that big labels ignored. If Stax focused on speaking to their experience, greater success would follow. And what better voice than Isaac Hayes to carry that message? Hayes’ blaxploitation classic “Theme from Shaft” showed the world just how powerful black art could be. Winning an Oscar put Stax back on the map in a huge way.
Bell rode the Black Power wave to its crest, lifting Stax to new commercial heights. Artists like The Staple Singers gave voice to the movement, spreading messages of pride and unity. Bell even staged the mighty Wattstax concert in ’72. Drawing over 100,000 people, it celebrated African American identity with unforgettable performances. Though held in the shadow of angry protests, the show was a joyous expression of the soul stewing in Soulsville.
For a time, it seemed Bell’s plan had permanently rebooted Stax. But shadowy business deals would again darken their future. While remembered more for his failures than successes, Bell’s role in Stax’s second act cannot be understated. In resuscitating the label during turbulent times, he ensured their music continued providing the soundtrack to a movement that changed America.
The Slow Fade of a Soul Powerhouse
Things were really cooking for Stax Records in the early 70s. Al Bell had the label riding high on a wave of Black pride after Isaac Hayes’ Oscar triumph. The Wattstax concert in ‘1972 was proof of Stax’s ability to motivate the community. But tensions were bubbling under the surface.
Bell pushed hard to distribute Stax Records himself. But striking a deal with CBS didn’t pan out as hoped. On top of pressure from racist elements in Memphis, this new partnership weighed on the company. Resources began drying up. Before long, losses piled up and debts loomed large.
Bell fought valiantly to keep the operation afloat. Yet shadowy dealings at a Memphis bank destabilized Stax’s finances for good. While cleared of wrongdoing, the damage stuck. By 1975, the label was done. It’s sad to think racism likely played a role in the systematic efforts to undermine Stax’s black leadership.
Of course, no one can erase the profound mark Stax left. Otis Redding gave voice to the soul of a generation. Isaac Hayes showed how far black talent and vision could soar. This was a company where artists and executives embraced full integration, delivering music that brought all humans together as one.
Though the company is gone, its legacy lives on in every note its stars ever laid down. Stax proved that when given a chance to shine, Black creative expression could change the world. Its songs will keep inspiring for ages to come.
A Soulful Look Back, With Room to Grow
Man, this Stax documentary really delivers when it comes to the raw material. Those interviews and performances are something else! You really feel yourself back in time, soaking up all the passion and energy. And they found some great folks to chat with, getting views from all sides of the operation.
It’s obvious a ton of care went into picking the perfect archival cuts too. You get a real sense of what made Stax such a special scene. But things do start to slacken later on. By the end, they’re missing counterpoints to balance some accounts. A few outside opinions could’ve offered new angles on what led to Stax’s downfall.
Still, this is an amazing primer for anyone wanting the behind-the-scenes story on an iconic record label. It honors Stax’s role in shaping American music history during turbulent times. I’d recommend it highly to all you music buffs out there. Even with some rough patches, the soulful spots make it plenty worth your time. Who wouldn’t want to relive the Stax magic after watching?
The Review
Stax: Soulsville U.S.A.
Stax: Soulsville USA tells a moving yet incomplete story of the renowned record label's rise from humble roots to a cultural phenomenon amidst racial strife and its tragic downfall. While featuring stellar archival material and eyewitness talent, the documentary fails to bring sufficient analytical context to its examination of systemic forces. Overall, it offers an affectionate look at Stax's musical glory days but leaves the story half told.
PROS
- In-depth interviews with key figures like founders and artists
- Extensive archive footage of performances and life at Stax
- Captures the musical innovation and cultural impact of Stax's soul sound.
- Engaging multi-episode format to explore the label's history
CONS
- Fails to adequately address systemic racism in Stax's downfall
- Lacks analytical perspectives in latter episodes
- Narrative becomes less focused on music as it moves into the 70s.
