The Stax Story....Part Two!

Stax Records was founded basically by two white folks who loved black music and decided to market black oriented product. They had no idea as to just how big the company would become.

They started with broken equipment and very little operating capital and took their tiny company into the mega-rich world of the international music business.

In the beginning, their tiny company was named Satellite Records. After a couple of successful records, Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton were sued by a company claiming infringement and changed the name of the company to Stax. STewart and AXton. From that point on, every record they touched turned to gold. And when that happens....situations always change.

Stax changed from a "mom and pop" operation in 1965 when Al Bell was brought into the fold. Bell was a highly educated and talented black man who came from a music background as he had been a very popular DJ and knew the ins and outs of the music business. Though Bell brought many positive ideas to the Stax label; he also created a type of discension and it wasn't long before there were lines drawn between the white players and black producers and writers.

Part Three will deal with the greed which is inherent when any company finally breaks out of the small time into the big world of high finance.

John Rhys-Eddins
BluePower.com

Here's the music for Part Two....

1)...."Green Onions"....Booker T. and The MG's
2)...."Shake"....Otis Redding (live in Europe)
3)...."Born Under A Bad Sign"....Albert King
4)...."Soul Man"....Sam and Dave
5)...."Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay"....Otis Redding
6)...."Who's Makin' Love With Your Old Lady"....Johnny Taylor
7)...."Time Is Tight"....Booker T. and The MG's
8)...."Do The Funky Chicken"....Rufus Thomas
9)...."Mr. Big Stuff"....Jean Knight
10)..."Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get"....The Dramatics
11)..."Green Onions"....Booker T. and The MG's

Click here to listen to....The Stax Story....Part Two!

Go directly to The Stax Museum in Memphis!

The Stax Story....Part One!

In 1961, I had the good fortune of working for a great gentleman and famous record promotion man, Joe Galkin.

We were traveling through the deep south, promoting along the way when we came to Memphis, Tennessee. Joe said the first stop we were going make was at some friends of his who had just started a small record label named Satellite.

We pulled into the black section of Memphis and turned onto McLemore Street and stopped in front of an old theatre; The Capitol. Inside The Capitol was a small record store. I was introduced a white lady whose name was Estelle Axton. She was selling records to a couple of young folks while the music blared through the small store.

Little did I know at the time that this was the humble beginning of what would become one of the most powerful music driven companies in the world....Stax Records.

There is no one in the world who has not heard a Stax record. This company also became one of the most important driving agencies for political change in the USA. Certainly a great deal more than Motown until Marvin Gaye was allowed to release his famous What's Goin' On LP.

Tune in as John plays the most famous of the important Stax single records in order of their release.

Tune in to Part One of this educational and entertaining show.

John Rhys-Eddins/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Green Onions"....Booker T. and the MG's
2)...."Gee Whiz"....Carla Thomas
3)...."Last Night"....The Mar-Keys
4)...."Walkin' The Dog"....Rufus Thomas
5)...."Respect"....Otis Redding
6)...."Hold On I'm Coming"....Sam and Dave
7)...."B-A-B-Y"....Carla Thomas
8)...."Knock On Wood"....Eddie Floyd
9)...."Soul Finger"....The Barkays
10)..."Tramp"....Otis and Carla
11)..."Green Onions"....Booker T. and The Mg's

Click here to listen....The Stax Story....Part One!

Click here to go directly to Stax Records website!