SOUL'S LEGACY STAX UP FAMED RECORD LABEL CELEBRATES 50 YEARS WITH FULL SLATE.Byline: Fred Shuster Music Writer The familiar finger-snapping logo of Stax Records Stax Records is an American record label, originally based out of Memphis, Tennessee. The label was founded in 1957 by Jim Stewart as Satellite Records. In 1961, upon realizing that there was another record company named Satellite, the label changed its name to in the '60s signified not only a sweet soul label, but one of the first fully integrated studios, where black and white musicians, songwriters and executives worked together to create a uniquely American sound. In readily identifiable hits like "Soul Man," "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect Yourself" and "Theme From Shaft," Stax mirrored the country's racial hurdles with a one-of-a-kind brand that offered a grittier sound than Motown and boasted one of the greatest house bands in pop history -- Booker T. & the MGs. Naming names Memphis-based Stax released hit after gritty, gospel-tinged hit from Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding, Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an influential American deep soul singer, best known for his passionate delivery and posthumous hit single, "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay. , the Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave, the Staple Singers, Eddie Floyd, Johnnie Taylor For a similarly named blues and soul singer, see Little Johnny Taylor; for other people called John Taylor, see John Taylor. Johnnie Harrison Taylor (born May 5, 1937, Crawfordsville, Arkansas; died May 31, 2000, Dallas, Texas) was an American vocalist in a wide variety of , William Bell William Bell may refer to:
"Stax was a product of the working-class South," said Rob Bowman, a Grammy Award-winning ethnomusicologist and music professor who authored the definitive "Soulsville U.S.A.: The Story of Stax Records" (Schirmer; $19.95). "It was a label that approached music in a communal, collective way; an integrated company at the height of Jim Crow Jim Crow Negro stereotype popularized by 19th-century minstrel shows. [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 138] See : Bigotry . It was an organized manifestation of Dr. Martin Luther King's dream of people of both races coming together in a very natural, organic way to make music." In honor of the 50th anniversary of Stax, the legendary logo has been reactivated by the Concord Music Group Concord Music Group is a record company formed in 2004 by the merger of Concord Records and Fantasy Records. In 2005, the company acquired the classics and jazz label Telarc International. with a slate of new signings, a series of deluxe reissues, a TV documentary and a special tribute concert Wednesday at the Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheatre at 2301 North Highland Avenue in Hollywood, California, USA, that is used primarily for music performances. The "bowl" in this context is the natural cavity in the earth into which the amphitheater is built, rather than the shape of the starring Hayes, Mable John Mable John (born November 3, 1930) is an American blues vocalist who was the first female signed by Berry Gordy to Motown's Tamla label. Biography John was born in Bastrop, Louisiana, and moved from the south to Detroit to find employment. , Lalah Hathaway Lalah Hathaway (born Eulaulah Hathaway)[1] is a contemporary R&B/Jazz singer. She is the daughter of soul singer Donny Hathaway. Career After studying at Berklee College of Music,[2] , Angie Stone and more. Randy Jackson hosts. "What's important is how we put the music together," said Mable John, who began her career as Motown's first female singer in 1959 (with the Supremes on background vocals) before jumping to Stax and cutting three-dozen songs and the 1966 million-seller "Your Good Thing (Is About to End)." Stax gave respect As John remembers, Stax was not like other companies. "When I went there, I was assigned to (the writing and producing team of) Isaac Hayes and David Porter. They'd never met me and didn't know what I looked or sounded like. ... When I sat down with them, they said, 'Let's get acquainted first.' They asked what kind of life I had, what was on my mind. They turned their attention to whatever emotion I was feeling. Stax wanted you to be you." Now at age 76, John -- who was Ray Charles' lead Raelette from 1968 to 1977 -- is stepping back into the spotlight. An ordained or·dain tr.v. or·dained, or·dain·ing, or·dains 1. a. To invest with ministerial or priestly authority; confer holy orders on. b. To authorize as a rabbi. 2. minister at the Joy of Jesus Ministries in Los Angeles, and with a doctorate in counseling, John is the co-author of three semi-autobiographical books featuring her character Albertina Merci, an r&b singer who is equal parts detective and evangelist. With her hallowed Stax album "Stay Out of the Kitchen" readily available, John (who will appear Wednesday at the Bowl) will be seen later this year playing a blues singer in John Sayles' "Honeydripper," in which Danny Glover stars as a down-on-his-luck juke joint owner. Along with the Hollywood Bowl tribute, soul aficionados can look forward to the Aug. 1 premiere of "Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story," a PBS PBS in full Public Broadcasting Service Private, nonprofit U.S. corporation of public television stations. PBS provides its member stations, which are supported by public funds and private contributions rather than by commercials, with educational, cultural, "Great Performances" documentary that details the story of the enduring label. As part of the Universal-distributed Concord's reactivation reactivation to become active after a period of quiescence or, as in bacterial and viral infections, latency. cross reactivation of the finger-popping logo (the first release was the two-disc, 50-track "Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration" anthology), recent signings include soul luminary and label patriarch Hayes, along with neo-soul artists Stone, Hathaway, N'dambi, Soulive and Leon Ware. "Here we are 50 years later and people still love this music," said Hayes, the former voice of Chef in TV's "South Park," whose ingenious, endlessly recycled "Theme From Shaft" topped the pop charts in 1971. "It wasn't bubble gum. We made this music for adults." Hayes, who turns 65 next month and is appearing Wednesday despite suffering a stroke several months ago, mused that he first thought the Stax label would have a five-year life span at most. "If someone had said back then it would be 50 years, I would have said they were dreaming," Hayes said in his velvet-toned voice. "But it's given me an incredible life. I've been all over, traveled the world. And now I think we're gonna have hits all over again." Fred Shuster, (818) 713-3676 fred.shuster@dailynews.com 50 YEARS OF STAX What: Featuring Isaac Hayes, Mable John, Booker T. Jones, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Lalah Hathaway, Angie Stone. With host Randy Jackson. Where: Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. When: 8 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets: $1 to $122. (213) 480-3232. www.ticketmaster.com. CAPTION(S): 3 photos, box Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) Mabel John and Isaac Hayes are part of the "50 Years of Stax" tribute concert Wednesday at the Hollywood Bowl. (3) Ryan Adams performs Thursday night at the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills. Getty Images Box: GOING LIVE |
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