Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.

Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and blues recordings. While Stax is renowned for its output of African-American music, the label was founded by two white businesspeople, Jim Stewart and his sister Estelle Axton, and featured several popular ethnically-integrated bands, including the label's house band, Booker T. & the MG's.

Following the death of Stax's biggest star, Otis Redding, in 1967 and the severance of the label's distribution deal with Atlantic Records in 1968, Stax continued primarily under the supervision of a new co-owner, Al Bell. Over the next five years, Bell expanded the label's operations significantly, in order to compete with Stax's main rival, Motown Records in Detroit. During the mid-1970s, a number of factors, including a problematic distribution deal with CBS Records, caused the label to slide into insolvency, resulting in its forced closure in late 1975.

In 1977, Fantasy Records acquired the post-1968 Stax catalog, as well as selected pre-1968 recordings. Beginning in 1978, Stax (now owned by Fantasy) began signing new acts and issuing new material, as well as re-issuing previously recorded Stax material. However, by the early 1980s no new material was being issued on the label, and for the next two decades, Stax was strictly a re-issue label.

After Concord Records acquired Fantasy in 2004, the Stax label was reactivated, and is today used to issue both the 1968–1975 catalog material and new recordings by current R&B;/soul performers. Atlantic Records continues to hold the rights to the vast majority of the 1959–1968 Stax material.

History

Early years as Satellite Records (1957–1960)

Stax Records, originally named Satellite Records, was founded in Memphis in 1957 by Jim Stewart, initially operating in a garage. Satellite's early releases were country music records or straight pop numbers, reflecting the tastes of Stewart (a white country fiddle player) at the time.

In 1958, Stewart's sister Estelle Axton began her financial interest in the company.

For a time in 1959, the company moved to Brunswick, Tennessee. Around this time, Stewart was introduced to rhythm and blues music by staff producer Chips Moman. Satellite's first release by a black rhythm and blues act occurred in September 1959, with the Veltones' "Fool For Love" (which was soon picked up for national distribution by Mercury Records.) However, Satellite remained primarily a country and pop label for the next year or so.

While promoting "Fool For Love," Stewart met with Memphis disc jockey and R&B; singer Rufus Thomas, and both parties were impressed by the other. Around the same time, and at the urging of Chips Moman, Stewart moved his company back to Memphis and into an old movie theater, the former Capitol Theatre, at 926 East McLemore Avenue in South Memphis. In the summer of 1960, Rufus Thomas and his daughter Carla would be the first artists to make a recording in this new facility; the record, "Cause I Love You" (credited to Rufus & Carla) would be a substantial regional hit, and would be picked up for national distribution by Atlantic Records on their Atco subsidiary. It would go on to sell between thirty and forty thousand copies, becoming Satellite's biggest hit to that time.

Name change to Stax, and partnership with Atlantic begins (1961)

With the success of "Cause I Love You," Stewart made a distribution deal giving Atlantic first choice on releasing Satellite recordings. From this point on, Stewart focused more and more on recording and promoting rhythm and blues acts. Not having really known anything about the R&B; genre prior to having recorded acts such as The Veltones and Rufus & Carla, Stewart likened the situation to that of "a blind man who suddenly gained his sight." From 1961 on, virtually all of the output of Satellite Records (and successor labels Stax and Volt) would be in the R&B;/southern soul style.

As part of the deal with Atlantic, Satellite agreed to continue recording Carla Thomas, but to allow her releases to come out on Atlantic. Carla Thomas' first hit, "Gee Whiz," was originally issued on Satellite 104, but was quickly re-issued on Atlantic 2086, becoming a hit in early 1961. Carla Thomas would continue to have material issued on Atlantic through mid-1965, though all of it was recorded in the studios at Satellite (later Stax). (Some of Thomas' Atlantic records were recorded in Nashville.)

In June 1961, Satellite signed a local instrumental band known as The Royal Spades. Changing their name to The Mar-Keys, the band recorded and issued the single "Last Night," which shot to #3 on the US pop charts, and #2 on the R&B; charts.

"Last Night" was the first single to be nationally distributed on the Satellite label—previous Atlantic issues of Satellite material were issued nationally on the Atlantic or Atco labels. This led to a complaint from another "Satellite Records," a company that had been in operation in California for some years but who were previously unaware of the Memphis-based Satellite label. Accordingly, in September 1961, Satellite permanently changed its name to "Stax Records," a portmanteau of the names of the two owners of the company: Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton.

Stax and Volt in ascendancy (1962–1964)

By 1962, the pieces were in place that allowed Stax to turn from a successful regional label into (alongside Motown and Atlantic) a national R&B; powerhouse. Throughout the rest of the 1960s, the label's operations would be greatly aided by several unique factors, including the label's record store and studio, and its A&R; department and house band.

Record Store: While Stewart ran the recording studio where the auditorium was, Axton ran the Satellite record shop where the refreshment stand had been. (The store was later moved next door to a vacated barber shop.) The record shop sold records from a wide variety of labels, which gave the Stax staff first-hand knowledge of what kind of music was selling—and was subsequently reflected in the music that Stax recorded. The store was also used to 'test-market' potential future Stax singles, as acetates of recently recorded Stax music were played to gauge customers' reactions.

A&R;: Original A&R; director Chips Moman left the company at the end of 1961 after a royalty dispute with Stewart; he soon opened his own studio across town. Mar-Keys member Steve Cropper replaced Moman as Stewart's assistant and official A&R; director. Cropper would quickly become a writer, producer and session guitarist on scores of Stax singles.

House band: Through the first few years of Stax, the 'house band' varied, although Cropper, bassist Lewie Steinberg, drummer Curtis Green, and horn players Floyd Newman, Gene "Bowlegs" Mille, and Gilbert Caple were relative constants.

:By 1962, pianist/multi-instrumentalist Booker T. Jones was also a regular session musician at Stax (he actually played sax on "Cause I Love You"), as was bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn. Jones, Steinberg and Cropper would be joined in mid-1962 by drummer Al Jackson, Jr. to form Booker T. & the M.G.'s, an instrumental combo that would record numerous hit singles in their own right, as well as serving as members of the ''de facto'' house band for virtually every recording made at Stax from 1962 through about 1970. Dunn would slowly become the house band's primary bassist, and officially replace Steinberg as an MG in 1964.

:Other members of the house band included horn players Andrew Love and Wayne Jackson. Also auditioning for Stax in 1962 was Isaac Hayes; though he was not successful at the time, by 1964 he would be a vital part of the Stax house band, along with his songwriting partner David Porter. The sextet of Cropper, Dunn, Hayes, Jackson, Jones and Porter were collectively known as the "Big Six" within the halls of Stax, and were (either as a group, or working in various combinations) responsible for producing almost all of the label's output from about 1963 through 1969.

The Studio: Another important factor in Stax's success was the actual Stax studio itself. The Stax recording studio in the converted movie theater still had the sloped floor where the seats had once been. Because the room was imbalanced, it created an acoustic anomaly that translated into the recordings, often giving them a big, deep yet raw sound. Soul music historian Rob Bowman notes that because of the distinctive sound, soul music fans can tell often within the first few notes if a song was recorded at Stax.

The label's biggest early star, soul singer Otis Redding, also arrived in 1962. Redding, however, technically wasn't on Stax, but on their sister label Volt. In that era, many radio stations, anxious to avoid even the hint of payola, often refused to play more than one or two new songs from any single record label at one time, so as to not appear to be offering favoritism to any particular label. To circumvent this, Stax, like many other record companies, created a number of subsidiary labels. Volt was founded in late 1961, and was the label home to Otis Redding, the Bar-Kays, and a handful of other artists. Volt releases were initially issued by Atlantic through their Atco Records subsidiary. Other Stax subsidiaries over the years included Enterprise, Chalice (a gospel label), Hip, and Safice.

Redding's first single, "These Arms Of Mine," issued in October 1962, hit both the R&B; and the pop charts. Though the label had enjoyed some early hits with The Mar-Keys and Booker T. & The M.G.'s, Redding became the first Stax/Volt artist to consistently hit the charts with each release—in fact, each of Redding's 17 singles issued during his lifetime charted. (Carla Thomas also charted with reasonable consistency, but her pre-1965 releases were on Atlantic, not Stax or Volt.)

Between January 1962 and December 1964, Stax and Volt released several chart hits each by Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, and Booker T. and the M.G.'s. However, despite dozens of other releases, only three other Stax/Volt artists charted during this time, and all just barely: William Bell's "You Don't Miss Your Water" hit #95 in early 1962; The Mar-Keys' "Pop-Eye Stroll" hit #94 in mid-1962 (although it was a big hit in Canada, hitting #1 on Toronto's CHUM Chart), and Barbara & The Browns' "Big Party" made it to #97 in mid-1964.

Beginning in 1965, Stax/Volt artists would make the charts much more frequently.

Stax/Volt's continued success (1965–1967)

By 1965, Stax had signed a formal national distribution deal with Atlantic Records. Carla Thomas also formally rejoined the Stax label in 1965. Perhaps more importantly for the label's fortunes, the songwriting team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter began to establish themselves as Stax's new team of hit writer/producers. Hayes would also permanently join the Stax house band, often subbing for Booker T. Jones, who was studying music full-time at Indiana University during the mid-1960s.

In addition to hits by stalwarts Redding, Booker T. & The M.G.'s, and Carla Thomas, 1965 saw the chart debuts of Stax artists The Astors and Sam & Dave plus Volt artist The Mad Lads. Sam & Dave were technically a duo act on the Atlantic roster, but were "leased" to Stax by Atlantic—Stax oversaw their music and put it out on the Stax label. Virtually all of Sam & Dave's Stax material was written and produced by Hayes and Porter.

Atlantic's Jerry Wexler also brought Wilson Pickett to record at Stax, though these songs were released on Atlantic. Pickett's 1965-66 hits "In The Midnight Hour," "Don't Fight It." "634-5789" and "Ninety-Nine and A Half (Won't Do)" were Stax songs in all-but-name, as they were all co-written by Steve Cropper, recorded at Stax, and backed by the Stax house band. In early 1966, perhaps tiring of another label capitalizing on the Stax sound, Jim Stewart banned all non-Stax productions at the Stax studios. One of the Atlantic artists who wasn't allowed to record at Stax was the then-newly-signed Aretha Franklin (who instead was sent to Rick Hall's FAME studios in Alabama, which had a sound that was similar to Stax's). Pickett's subsequent hits were recorded elsewhere, including at FAME and at American Group Productions, Chips Moman's Memphis studio.

By 1966 and 1967, Stax and its subsidiaries had hit their stride, regularly scoring hits with artists such as Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Booker T. & the MG's, Eddie Floyd, The Bar-Kays, Albert King, and The Mad Lads.

Unlike Motown, which frequently packaged its artists on review tours, Stax only infrequently sought to promote its acts through label-sponsored live concerts. The first of these was in the summer of 1965, in Los Angeles rather than in Memphis. While the show was a success, the Watts riots began the day afterward, and several Stax artists were trapped in Watts during the violence. Stax also sponsored a Christmas concert in Memphis for several years, the most notorious of which was held in 1968, when special guest Janis Joplin performed drunk and was booed off of the stage. The most successful Stax package revue was a tour of England and France in 1967. Playing to sold-out crowds across western Europe, Stax released several live albums from the tour recordings, including the best-selling ''Otis Live In Europe'."

The break from Atlantic Records (1968)

In 1967, Atlantic Records was sold to Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, which activated a clause in the Stax/Atlantic distribution contract calling for renegotiation of the distribution deal. At this point, it was pointed out to Stewart that he had unknowingly signed away the rights to the original master recordings for all of Stax's Atlantic-distributed recordings. The executives at Warner refused to return ownership of the Stax masters to Stewart. As a result, Stewart did not renew his distribution deal with Atlantic, and instead sold Stax a week later to Paramount Pictures (who also owned Dot Records), a unit of Gulf+Western, in May 1968. As a result, Stax was forced to move forward without the most desirable portion of its back catalogue and without Sam and Dave, who remained at Atlantic after the split. To make matters worse, Stax's biggest artist, Otis Redding, as well as all but two of the members of the Bar-Kays, died in a plane crash on December 10, 1967.

Stewart remained at the company, and former Stax marketing executive Al Bell became the company's vice-president, taking on a more active role as Stewart became less active in Stax's day-to-day operations. Estelle Axton, who disagreed with Bell's visions for the company, left Stax after the sale.

After the Atlantic distribution deal expired in May 1968, Atlantic briefly marketed Stax/Volt recordings made after the split. These recordings feature the alternate Stax/Volt logos used on the album covers on their labels, as opposed to the original Atlantic-era logos, such as the "Stax-o-wax" logo. Stax label recordings were reissued on the Atlantic label, and Volt label material on the Atco label. Gulf+Western-owned Stax/Volt releases used new label designs, new logos (including the recognizable finger snapping logo) and new catalogue numbering systems to avoid confusion among the record distributors.

Stax as an independent label (1968–1972)

Although Stax had also lost their most valuable artists, they recovered quickly. Johnnie Taylor gave Stax its first big post-Atlantic hit with "Who's Making Love" in 1968. To build up a catalog to replace the catalog lost to Atlantic/Atco Records, Stax/Volt/Enterprise released a whopping 27 albums and 30 singles in 1969. Producer and songwriter Isaac Hayes stepped into the spotlight with ''Hot Buttered Soul'' , which sold over three million copies in 1969. By 1971, Hayes was established as the label's biggest star, and was particularly noted for his best-selling soundtrack to the 1971 blaxploitation film ''Shaft''. Hayes' recordings were among the releases on a third major Stax label, Enterprise, which had been founded in 1967.

The label also enjoyed great success when it had the Staple Singers shift from Gospel music to mainstream R&B.; Even Rufus Thomas, one of the first artists signed to the label, enjoyed a popular resurgence with a string of hits. However, Stax's record sales were down overall, under Gulf+Western/Paramount/Dot's poor management. In 1970, Stewart and Bell purchased the label back, and Stax subsisted on its own for the next two years.

By this time, the Stax recording studio was accepting outside work again. In 1973, Elvis Presley recorded three albums at Stax in July and December. They were: Raised On Rock, Good Times, and Promised Land which produced four top 20 hits.

As co-owner, Bell undertook an ambitious program to make Stax not only a major recording company, but also a prominent player in the black community. The Stax logo was slightly altered with the finger-snapping hand recolored brown. He began signing many more artists to the label, Frederick Knight and The Soul Children among them. For the first time, many of the label's acts began frequently recording at outside studios (such as Ardent Studios in Memphis and at recording studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama) and working with outside producers, signaling an end of the signature Stax sound. Bell even created a comedy subsidiary label, Partee Records, which released albums from the likes of Richard Pryor and Moms Mabley; and he made a bid for the white pop market by signing Big Star and licensing albums by Terry Manning, the UK progressive rock band Skin Alley, and Lena Zavaroni. In addition, Bell also became heavily involved with various causes in the African-American community, and was a close friend of the Reverend Jesse Jackson and a financial supporter of his Operation PUSH.

On August 20, 1972, the Stax label presented a major concert, ''Wattstax'', featured performances by Stax recording artists and humor from rising young comedian Richard Pryor. Known as the "Black Woodstock," Wattstax was hosted by Reverend Jesse Jackson and drew a crowd of over 100,000 people, most of them African-American. ''Wattstax'' was filmed by motion picture director Mel Stuart (''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory''), and a concert film of the event was released to theaters by Columbia Pictures in February 1973.

Decline and bankruptcy (1972–1975)

Despite the success of Wattstax, the future of Stax was unstable. In 1972, Bell bought out Stewart's remaining interest in the company, and established a distribution deal with CBS Records. CBS Records President Clive Davis saw Stax as a means for CBS to fully break into the African-American market and successfully compete with Motown. Bell had originally proposed that CBS buy 50% of the company, but Davis discussed it with CBS's corporate attorneys, who saw anti-trust problems, so a national distribution deal was worked out instead. However, Davis was fired by the company shortly after signing the Stax distribution deal. Without Davis at the helm, CBS very quickly lost interest in Stax.

The Stax labels' profits were cut severely, particularly since the CBS distribution agents bypassed the traditional small mom-and-pop record sellers in the black community which had been the backbone of Stax's distribution, and weren't pushing the Stax product to the larger retailers for fear of undercutting rack space for CBS R&B; artists such as Earth Wind and Fire, The Isley Brothers, and Sly & the Family Stone. Reports came in to Stax of stores in cities such as Chicago and Detroit being unable to get new Stax records despite consumer demands, and the company attempted to annul its distribution deal with CBS. However, although CBS was uninterested in fully promoting Stax, it refused to release the label from its contract, for fear that Stax would land a more productive deal with another company and then become CBS's direct competitor.

The last big chart hit for Stax was "Woman to Woman" from Shirley Brown in 1974, and the single's success helped delay the inevitable demise of the company for several months. By 1975, all of the secondary Stax labels had folded, with only the main Stax label remaining. Al Bell attempted to stave off bankruptcy with bank loans from Memphis' Union Planters Bank. Jim Stewart, unwilling to see the company die, returned to active participation in Stax and mortgaged his Memphis mansion to provide the label with short-term working capital. However, the Union Planters bank officers soon got cold feet, and foreclosed on the loans, costing Stewart his home and fortune.

Stax/Volt Records was forced into involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 19, 1975.

Stax in limbo (1976–1977)

Al Bell was arrested and indicted for bank fraud during the Stax bankruptcy proceedings, but was acquitted of those charges in August 1976. In early 1977, Union Planters sold Stax, its master tapes, and its publishing arms for about four million dollars to a holding corporation. This corporation then sold the Stax-owned master recordings, as well as the name "Stax Records," to Fantasy Records later that same year.

Effectively, that meant that Fantasy owned and controlled the following:

All Stax material recorded after May 1968.

The handful of pre-May 1968 Stax singles and albums Atlantic initially declined to distribute nationally in the 1960s (none of which were hits).

All unreleased tracks and alternate takes of Stax recordings, including those recorded before May 1968.

Fantasy also had the right to issue new recordings under the Stax Records banner.

Note that Stax's one-time McLemore Ave. headquarters was not sold until 1981, when Union Planters deeded it to the Southside Church of God in Christ for ten dollars.

Stax resumes operations (1978–1981)

In November 1977, Fantasy appointed long-time Stax writer/producer David Porter to head up a revived version of the Stax label which was relaunched in January 1978. Porter signed several new acts to Stax, including Fat Larry's Band, Rick Dees and Sho Nuff, as well as re-signing former mid-70s Stax acts Rance Allen, Soul Children and Shirley Brown. As well, Porter was responsible for overseeing compilations of previously unissued material by Isaac Hayes, Randy Brown, The Bar-Kays, Albert King and The Emotions.

This iteration of Stax released over two dozen singles, including nine that made the US R&B; charts. By far the biggest hit of this era was The Bar-Kays' "Holy Ghost", a #9 R&B; hit in 1978; it was a remixed and over-dubbed version of a track the band recorded for Stax in 1975. (By 1978, The Bar-Kays were long-gone from Stax, and were enjoying a string of hits on Mercury Records.)

Porter left Stax in 1979, and the label's new releases slowed to a trickle. By late 1981, Stax was strictly in the business of reissuing material recorded between 1968 through 1975, or issuing previously-unreleased archival material from the sixties and seventies.

Stax as a reissue label (1982–2003)

Through much of the 1980s and 1990s, Stax activities focused exclusively on re-issues. Because Atlantic owned (and still owns) most of the Atlantic-era Stax master recordings released up to May 1968, the Atlantic-controlled material has been reissued by co-owned Rhino Records or licensed to Collectables Records.

Fantasy, meanwhile, also repackaged and re-released the Stax catalogue it controlled, on the Stax label. Because Fantasy owned the non-master recordings of all Stax material, for several of its Stax compilations, Fantasy issued alternate takes of the Stax hit recordings in place of the master recordings owned by Atlantic.

In 1988, Fantasy issued the various artists album ''Top of the Stax, Vol. 1: Twenty Greatest Hits''. This marked the first time an album was issued with both Atlantic-owned and Fantasy-owned Stax material; it was issued by arrangement with Atlantic Records. A second volume was released by Fantasy in 1991.

In 1991, Atlantic issued ''The Complete Stax/Volt Singles 1959–1968'', a nine-disc compact disc boxed set containing all of the Atlantic-era Stax a-sides. This release earned Grammy Award nominations for boxed-set producer Steve Greenberg in the Best Historical Album category and for writer Rob Bowman in the Best Album Notes category. The boxed-set was certified gold in 2001, the largest collection of CDs ever to have earned that certification. Fantasy followed their lead and issued volumes two and three of the ''Complete Stax/Volt Soul Singles'' series in 1993 and 1994, respectively. Volume Two compiles the Stax/Volt singles from 1968 to 1971, while Volume Three completes the collection with the singles issued from 1972 to 1975. Volume Three earned a Best Album Notes Grammy Award for Rob Bowman. In 2000, Fantasy issued a boxed set titled ''The Stax Story'', which includes pre-1968 material by arrangement with Atlantic.

Stax Museum, and label revival (2003–present)

After a decade of neglect, the Southside Church of God in Christ tore down the original Stax studio in 1989. Over a decade later the Stax Museum of American Soul Music was constructed at the site and opened in 2003. A replica of the original building, the Stax Museum features exhibits on the history of Stax and soul music in general, and hosts various music-related community programs and events.

Concord Records purchased the Fantasy Label Group in 2004, and in December 2006 announced the reactivation of the Stax label as a forum for newly-recorded music. The firstacts signed to the new Stax included Isaac Hayes, Angie Stone, and Soulive.

The formal relaunch came with the release on March 13, 2007 of ''Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration'', a 2-CD box set containing 50 tracks from the entire history of Stax Records. The first Concord-distributed Stax album of all-new material was a various artists CD which was released on March 27, 2007 and titled ''Interpretations: Celebrating The Music of Earth, Wind & Fire''. Soulive was the first artist on revived label to release an album of all-new material with ''No Place Like Soul'' released July 10, 2007.

On August 28, 2007, a 3 CD Deluxe Edition box set of the 1972 music event Wattstax was released, simply titled "WATTSTAX". For the first time in over 30 years almost half of the 25-plus performers at that event were finally heard for the first time, released in remastered stereo. The 3 CD set still only covers about one-third of the entire Wattstax concert, which lasted 10+ hours; Concord has not issued any statement as to the possibility of preparing future releases that would cover the remaining Wattstax material.

Stax artists

{| cellpadding="0" style="width:100%; margin:auto;" |- | style="width:50%; vertical-align:top;"|

Atlantic Records era (1957–1968)

Rufus Thomas

Carla Thomas (Satellite, Atlantic, then Stax)

The Mar-Keys (Satellite, then Stax)

William Bell

The Astors

Booker T. & the MGs (Volt, then Stax)

Eddie Floyd

Wendy Rene

Otis Redding (Volt)

The Mad Lads (Volt)

Ollie & the Nightingales

Wilson Pickett (signed to Atlantic, recorded at Stax)

Don Covay (signed to Atlantic, recorded at Stax)

Sam and Dave (signed to Atlantic, recorded at Stax, recordings issued by Stax by arrangement with Atlantic until 1968)

The Charmels

The Goodees (Hip)

Mable John

Albert King

Johnnie Taylor

The Bar-Kays (Volt)

Ruby Johnson (Volt)

Isaac Hayes (Enterprise)

Christian Harmonizers (Chalice)

Johnny Daye

Judy Clay

Arthur Conley (signed to Fame/Atco, recorded at Stax)

Gus Cannon

| style="width:50%; vertical-align:top;"|

Post-Atlantic years (1968–1975)

Isaac Hayes (Enterprise)

Albert King

O.B. McClinton

Johnnie Taylor

Eddie Floyd

William Bell

The Soul Children

Little Milton

The Emotions (Volt)

The MGs

The Bar-Kays (Volt)

David Porter

The Epsilons featuring Lloyd Parks -McFadden & Whitehead

Richard Pryor (Partee)

Bill Cosby (Partee)

The Staple Singers

The Ross Singers

The Rance Allen Group

Kim Weston

The Leaders (Volt)

The Dramatics (Volt)

The Temprees (We Produce)

Jean Knight

Rev. Jesse Jackson (Respect)

Mel and Tim

Moms Mabley (Partee)

Luther Ingram (Koko)

Terry Manning (Enterprise)

Tommy Tate (Koko)

The Nightingales

Frederick Knight

Shirley Brown

Lena Zavaroni

Inez Foxx

Linda Lyndell (Volt)

Stefan Anderson

Round Robin Monopoly (Truth)

Larry Raspberry & The High Steppers (Enterprise)

Eric Mercury (Enterprise)

The Sweet Inspirations

Concord years (2006-present)

Angie Stone

Lalah Hathaway

Leela James

Leon Ware

N'dambi

Nikka Costa

Soulive

Teena Marie

|}

See also

List of record labels

Stax Museum

Memphis Soul Music

Notes

References

External links

Official sites

Stax 50th Anniversary official site

Stax Museum

Informational sites

History of Stax

The Stax Site - includes full Stax album and singles discographies

Stax/Volt albums discographies by Both Sides Now Publications

Stax/Satellite Discography by Global Dog Productions

Documentaries and interviews

P.O.V. Wattstax companion website (featuring streaming audio of performances and a podcast interview with director Mel Stuart)

''Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story'' - PBS documentary on Stax and 2008 Grammy Award nominee for Best Long Form Video

The Otis Redding French site

MP3 audio interview with Stax Records expert Rob Bowman on the radio program ''The Sound of Young America''

Category:American record labels Category:Record labels established in 1957 Category:Companies based in Memphis, Tennessee Category:Soul music record labels Category:Concord Music Group

simple:Stax Records da:Stax Records de:Stax Records es:Stax Records fr:Stax Records it:Stax Records nl:Stax Records ja:スタックス・レコード no:Stax Records pt:Stax Records sv:Stax Records

Coordinates	47°41′34″N116°46′48″N
name	Carla Thomas
background	solo_singer
born	December 21, 1942Memphis, Tennessee, United States
instrument	Vocals
genre	Memphis soulSouthern soulSoul
occupation	Vocalist
label	Stax
associated acts	Rufus Thomas, Otis Redding
website	}}

Carla Thomas (born December 21, 1942, Memphis, Tennessee) is an American singer, who is often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul. She is the daughter of Rufus Thomas.

Biography

Childhood

Carla Thomas was born on December 21, 1942, in the Foote Homes Housing Project in Memphis, Tennessee. Her parents, Rufus and Lorene Thomas, brought three musically gifted children into this world: Carla, Marvell and Vaneese. Despite growing up in the projects, the Thomas family lived in close proximity to the locally celebrated Palace Theater on world-famous Beale Street, as Rufus was the theater’s emcee for their amateur shows. This access not only gave Thomas her first taste of the music world but it also provided a springboard for her transformation into the Queen of the Memphis Sound.

Teen Town Singers

In Memphis, the African American centered WDIA radio station sponsored a rotating musical group of high school students called the Teen Town Singers; notable alumni include Anita Louis and Isaac Hayes. Although the requirements to join the Teen Town Singers stated that the person should be of high school age, Thomas became a member in 1952 at the age of 10. She was able to sneak into their ranks thanks to the fact that her father Rufus was an on-air personality for the radio station. This opportunity with the Teen Town Singers did not come without its drawbacks though. As a 10 year old student, Thomas was responsible for not only attending classes and completing her schoolwork, but she also had to attend rehearsals on Wednesdays and Fridays after school and then perform at the station on Saturday. However, despite this grueling schedule, Thomas thoroughly enjoyed the experience. According to her, “It was a lot of fun, it really was.” She remained with the Teen Town Singers up until the end of her senior year.

1960s

Although Thomas would release albums in the 1990s and in the 2000s, she is best known for the work she completed for both Atlantic Records and most notably, Stax Records in the 1960s. Her first record, ''Cause I Love You'' was a duet with her father, with brother Marvell on keyboards, that was released by Satellite Records, which eventually became Stax Records. Recorded when Thomas was still attending Hamilton High School in Memphis, the record drew enough local attention to catch the interest of Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records. He signed a deal with the owners of Satellite Records, Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton, to distribute ''Cause I Love You'' and thus paved the way for Thomas’ most famous single, ''Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)''. During this time Carla also released what is now considered to be one of the finest "Northern Soul" records of all time, "I'll Never Stop Loving You". Still packing out the dance floors in the UK in 2010! The combination of Carla's stunning voice and the beautifully crafted lyrics make this record something special. Now available on the "Hidden Gems" CD.

''Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)''

Although this iconic single would eventually chart within the Top 10 on the pop chart and within the Top 5 on the R&B; chart, it had an inauspicious beginning. Initially recorded at the Thomas family home, Rufus shopped the song to Vee-Jay Records in Chicago. Despite their interest, Vee-Jay never followed through or actively pursued securing the distribution rights. Because of his belief in the song's potential, Rufus returned to Memphis and in the summer of 1960, Thomas would cut the teen love song that she penned when she was only 15 years old. The song was released in October, 1960, to not much fanfare. However, by February 1961, the song was being distributed nationally through Atlantic Records just as Thomas was in the midst of her first year at Tennessee A&I; University in Nashville. The overwhelming success of the single also propelled Thomas into the visual spotlight as she performed on American Bandstand. Despite its success, Thomas was still amazed at the song’s popularity. According to Thomas, “The record was young-sounding, romantic and it expressed what a lot of people wanted to say at that age, but still, I was surprised at how well it did”. Not only did this song provide a launching pad to Thomas' first album, but it also gave Stax Records national exposure and label recognition.

1970s - present

After her last Stax recording in 1971, ''Love Means'', Thomas slipped into relative obscurity when compared to her 1960s musical heyday. However, she was featured in a number of modern-day projects, notably including a 1994 compilation of her greatest hits, a 2002 live recording of a Memphis performance and the 2007 release ''Live at the Bohemian Caverns'' in Washington, D.C., a long lost live recording of Thomas in 1967. She would also occasionally tour during the 1980s and became heavily involved in the “Artists in the Schools” program that provided Memphis schoolchildren with access to successful artists. These workshops were organized to talk to teenagers about music, performing arts and drug abuse. In 1993, Thomas was awarded the prestigious Pioneer Award, along with such musical heavyweights as James Brown and Solomon Burke, from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in honor of her career achievements. She was also featured in the 2003 documentary, ''Only the Strong Will Survive'' that was shown at the Cannes Film Festival and showcased important Stax recording artists.

Influences

Understandably, probably Carla’s biggest influence was her father, Rufus. Besides accompanying him during his emcee days at the Palace Theater, Rufus also encouraged and believed in his daughter’s ability. According to Carla, “My dad probably discovered I could sing before I did”. He was also instrumental and setting the stage for her Teen Town Singers gig and for actively pursuing and promoting her breakthrough single, ''Gee Whiz''.

Musically, Carla was inspired by Jackie Wilson and legendary country singer, Brenda Lee.

Discography

Albums

1961: ''Gee Whiz'' (Atlantic)

1966: ''Carla'' (Stax) - US #130, R&B; #7

1966: ''Comfort Me'' (Stax) - US #134, R&B; #11

1967: ''King & Queen'' (with Otis Redding) (Stax) - US #36, R&B; #5

1967: ''The Queen Alone'' (Stax) - US #133, R&B; #16

1969: ''Memphis Queen'' (Stax) - US #151, R&B; #26

1969: ''The Best of Carla Thomas'' (Stax) - US #190

1971: ''Love Means...'' (Stax) - US #213, R&B; #42

1994: ''Carla Thomas'' (Castle)

1994: ''Gee Whiz: The Best of Carla Thomas'' (Rhino)

2002: ''Live in Memphis'' (Memphis Int'l)

2007: ''Bohemian Cavern'' (Stax)

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
		! width="40"	! width="40"
		10	5
	56	20
1962		41	9
1963		93	28
		92	*
	94	*
	67	*
	71	*
			39
	92	30
		62	11
	14	3
		74	29
	99
	26	2
	85	11
	30	8
	68	16
		60	21
	114
	86	38
		117	36
	49	9
	109
	106
	115
1970		107	41
1972			49

no RnB charts printed during these chart runs

External links

Stax Records fansite with Carla Thomas discography

Carla Thomas biography at Oldies.com

[ Carla Thomas] at Allmusic website

See also

Rufus and Carla

References

Category:American female singers Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:People from Memphis, Tennessee Category:Atlantic Records artists

de:Carla Thomas es:Carla Thomas fr:Carla Thomas nl:Carla Thomas sq:Carla Thomas sv:Carla Thomas

Coordinates	47°41′34″N116°46′48″N
Name	Ike Turner
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Ike Wister Turner
Born	November 05, 1931Clarksdale, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	December 12, 2007San Marcos, California, U.S.
Spouse	FARY Taylor (?)Anna Mae Bullock (1962-78)Margaret Ann Thomas (1981-?)Jeanette Bazzell (1995-2007)Audrey Madison (?)
Instrument	Guitar, piano, vocals
Voice type	Bass
Genre	R&B;, funk, soul-blues, Memphis blues, rock and roll
Occupation	Musician
Years active	1951–2007
Associated acts	Tina Turner, The Ikettes, The Kings of Rhythm
Notable instruments	Fender Stratocaster }}

Ike Wister Turner (November 5, 1931 – December 12, 2007) was an American musician, bandleader, talent scout, and record producer. Considered to be one of the fathers of rock and roll, his first recording, "Rocket 88" by "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats," in 1951, is considered by some to be the "first rock and roll song" ever. However, he is best known for his work with his then wife Tina Turner as one half of the Ike & Tina Turner revue. Spanning a career that lasted half a century, Ike's repertoire included blues, soul, rock, and funk. Alongside his former wife, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and in 2001 was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Turner won two Grammy Awards. On August 5, 2010, Ike Turner was posthumously recognized by his Mississippi hometown. Clarksdale officials and music fans gathered to unveil two markers honoring Turner and his musical legacy. The unveilings coincided with the 23rd annual Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival, dedicated that year to "Rocket 88".

Biography

Turner was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on November 5, 1931, to Beatrice Cushenberry (1909–1991), a seamstress, and Izear Luster Turner, a Baptist minister. Ike was the younger of two siblings, he had an elder sister, named Ethel May. Ike got his first taste of pleasing an audience at the age of eight working at the local Clarksdale radio station, WROX, located in the Alcazar Hotel in downtown Clarksdale. A man in charge of the station put Turner to work as he watched the record turntables. Said Turner:

Turner was soon carrying amplifiers for blues singer Robert Nighthawk, who often played live on WROX. Ike was mesmerized by Nighthawk's playing, but nothing could equal the experience of hearing Pinetop Perkins on piano for the first time. Growing up, his idol Pinetop Perkins helped teach the young Ike to play boogie-woogie on the piano. Ike soon was enamored of other blues artists such as Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller), Charley Booker, Elmore James, Muddy Waters and Little Walter

Many sources state Turner's real name to be "Izear Luster Turner, Jr." however, in his autobiography ''Takin' Back My Name'', it is stated as "Ike Wister Turner." In the book, Turner explains about this confusion. His father, Izear Luster Turner, was a minister for the local church. Turner had thought he was named Izear Luster Turner, Jr. after his father, until he found out that his name was registered as Ike Wister Turner while applying for his first passport. He never got to discover the origin of his name, as by the time he discovered it, his parents were both dead.

Music career

Ike Turner's actual music career began in earnest in the late 1940s when he formed a group he christened ''The Kings of Rhythm''. In 1951, the band recorded what some historians have called "the first rock and roll record", "Rocket 88", credited to "Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats". Brenston was both the band's saxophonist and the lead vocalist on the song, and on the original Chess release was listed as its writer. "Rocket 88" was produced at Sun Studio in Memphis by Sam Phillips. The record contained one of the first examples of guitar distortion, which happened by accident as a result of one of the amplifiers being dropped before the recording. The amplifier was sitting on top of a car which was occupied by a band member; when the band member got out and closed the door, the amplifier slid off and the speaker was punctured. The amplifier was brought inside and was fixed with a piece of paper and tape, which ended up creating the distortion. The amplifier stands in Sun Records in Memphis Tennessee today.

Ike and the Kings of Rhythm settled into local fame in St. Louis where the band locally recorded for a St. Louis label and even appeared on local television shows. Throughout this early period, Turner became a recording scout and A&R; man for independent record companies including Sun Records - where "Rocket 88" was recorded, helping the likes of Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elmore James and Otis Rush get signed. He also became a sideman playing guitar for these blues acts and more. Musically, Turner was known for his hard-hitting guitar style. He was known to put the whammy bar of his Fender Stratocaster to frequent use.

Turner's "Risin; With the Blues" was nominated for the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards for Blues Album of the year.

Tina Turner

Turner's music career changed drastically after meeting a teenage singer from Nutbush, Tennessee, named Anna Mae Bullock, who demandingly grabbed a microphone during a singing session at one of St. Louis' nightspots and sang a B. B. King song in her throaty, raspy voice. Bullock's performance impressed Ike so much he allowed her to join his band as a background singer. However within a year, Ike's plans for Bullock changed after she recorded what he originally stated was a demo for a song that was to be sung by a male vocalist. After hearing her vocals, he let it be released under an independent label and in the process changed the name of the singer from Anna Mae Bullock to Tina Turner - naming her after ''Sheena'' - and the name of the band to the ''Ike & Tina Turner Revue''. "A Fool in Love" became a national hit in early 1960, reaching the top three in the R&B; charts and becoming a top thirty pop hit in the process. From then until 1976, Ike and Tina Turner became one of the most explosive duos in rock and soul music. During this time Ike often wore conservative suits and had a large afro. The creation of the revue also led to the soul revues of the 1960s. Inspired by Ray Charles, Turner employed a trio of background singers, The Ikettes, who often had their moves choreographed by Ike and Tina. The Turners eventually scored several hit singles including Rose Marie McCoy's "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", the Phil Spector produced "River Deep - Mountain High", scorching covers of Sly & the Family Stone's "I Want To Take You Higher", Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary", and the Tina Turner-penned "Nutbush City Limits" over thirteen years.

The success the duo contributed eventually led to the creation of the Los Angeles-based Bolic Sounds studio, founded by Ike. However, after Tina abruptly left Ike after a violent incident in 1976, Ike lost ground in the national music market. As a solo artist he struggled to find success without Tina, and later, found himself facing drug and weapons charges, of which he was convicted in 1989. He was released from prison in 1993. Ike was met at the prison gate by Jeanette Bazzell who later became his wife. With Jeanette's support, Ike enjoyed a long period of sobriety. Jeanette was instrumental in helping Ike rebuild his career. She replaced Tina as Ike's lead singer and eventually they toured the world playing many blues festivals. Ike received intense negative publicity due to his portrayal as a wife abuser in Tina's 1993 autobiographical movie ''What's Love Got to Do with It''. During this time he recorded two solo albums in his own studio, and he wrote his autobiography called ''Taking Back My Name''. He also re-recorded "I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)" in a duet style with Singer, Billy Rogers. The Ike Turner & Billy Rogers remake of the song "I'm Blue" as produced by Billy Rogers received very strong reviews from Billboard Magazine, Larry Flick, Singles Reviews published January 14, 1995.

In 2001, Ike released the Grammy-nominated ''Here & Now'' album. Three years later, he was awarded with a Heroes Award from the Memphis charter of NARAS. In 2005, he appeared on the Gorillaz' album, ''Demon Days'', playing piano on the track, "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead". In 2007, Ike won his first solo Grammy in the Best Traditional Blues Album category for the album, ''Risin' With the Blues'' which was mixed at Future Sound Studios by Rene Van Verseveld. Before his death, a collaboration between Turner and the rock band, The Black Keys, by Gorillaz' producer Danger Mouse was expected in 2008.

Personal life

Turner was married at least five times. He sometimes claimed to have been married thirteen times. Turner's first known marriage was to Lorraine Taylor, who had two sons with Ike. The facts surrounding his second known marriage, to Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock), have been hotly debated, along with the accusations of abuse. Their divorce was finalized in 1978. Ike married former Ikette Ann Thomas in the early 1980s. In 1995, he married blues singer Jeanette Bazzell after years of courtship. Ike and Jeanette divorced in 2001 but remained friends. Their relationship lasted longer than the Ike and Tina union. Ike still trusted Jeanette and relied on her. In 2006, he married long-time music collaborator Audrey Madison. Ike has six known children: sons Ike Jr. and Michael (with Lorraine Taylor) and Ronald (with Tina Turner), and daughter Mia (with Ann Thomas). Mia Turner was conceived and born during Ike's marriage to Tina in the late 1960s. Tina's son Craig (fathered by legendary saxophonist Raymond Hill) carries the Turner name. Ike also has two other daughters: Linda Trippeter, who is the eldest; and Twanna Turner Melby, who took him in after he was released from prison.

In the mid-1980s, Turner was convicted of drug-related charges and sentenced to several years in a California state prison. Ike and Tina were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, which Phil Spector accepted on their behalf.

In 2001, Turner's autobiography, ''Takin' Back My Name'', was published. In Tina Turner's 1986 autobiography, ''I, Tina'', later filmed as ''What's Love Got to Do with It?'' starring Laurence Fishburne as Ike and Angela Bassett as Tina, Tina accused Ike of violent spousal abuse, which Ike repeatedly denied for many years. However, in his 2001 autobiography Ike admitted, "Sure, I've slapped Tina... There have been times when I punched her to the ground without thinking. But I have never beat her."

During his interview with NPR's Terry Gross on ''Fresh Air'', Ike claimed that he and Tina Turner were never married, and that she took his name in order to discourage a former lover from returning to her. On October 17, 2007, in an interview conducted by radio personality Howard Stern, Ike reiterated his claim that he and Tina Turner were never actually married.

Death

Turner died on December 12, 2007, at 76 years of age, at his home in San Marcos, California, near San Diego. He was found by his ex-wife Ann Thomas. Little Richard was asked by the family to speak at the funeral. On January 16, 2008 it was reported by the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office that Turner had died from a cocaine overdose. "The cause of death for Ike Turner is cocaine toxicity with other significant conditions, such as hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema," Supervising Medical Examiner Investigator Paul Parker told CNN.

Discography

1951: Rocket "88", recorded at Sam Phillips' studio in Memphis, Tennessee, on 3 or 5 March 1951 (Ike Turner and his band, the Kings of Rhythm; with Jackie Brenston, saxophonist and occasional singer, credited as writer)

1969: ''Ike Turner & the Kings of Rhythm: A Black Man's Soul''

1972: ''Ike Turner & the Family Vibes: Strange Fruit''

1994: ''I'm Blue (Gong Gong Song REMAKE (Ike Turner & Billy Rogers CD)''

1996: ''My Blues Country''

2001: ''Here and Now''

2007: ''Rising with the Blues''

Ike & Tina Turner

References

External links

Obituary (14 December 2007) at timesonline.co.uk

Category:1931 births Category:2007 deaths Category:African American musicians Category:American bandleaders Category:Memphis blues musicians Category:American blues pianists Category:American funk musicians Category:American record producers Category:American rhythm and blues guitarists Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters Category:American rock guitarists Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American soul musicians Category:American baritones Category:Blues Hall of Fame inductees Category:Blues musicians from Mississippi Category:Chess Records artists Category:Cocaine-related deaths in California Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Ike & Tina Turner members Category:Musicians from Mississippi Category:People from Clarksdale, Mississippi Category:People from Memphis, Tennessee Category:Rhythm and blues pianists Category:Soul-blues musicians Category:Sun Records artists Category:RPM Records artists Category:Flair Records artists Category:Sue Records artists Category:Tina Turner

bg:Айк Търнър cs:Ike Turner cy:Ike Turner da:Ike Turner de:Ike Turner es:Ike Turner eo:Ike Turner fr:Ike Turner ga:Ike Turner gl:Ike Turner id:Ike Turner it:Ike Turner lb:Ike Turner nl:Ike Turner ja:アイク・ターナー no:Ike Turner nn:Ike Turner oc:Ike Turner pl:Ike Turner pt:Ike Turner ru:Тёрнер, Айк sk:Ike Turner sr:Ајк Тарнер fi:Ike Turner sv:Ike Turner uk:Айк Тернер

Coordinates	47°41′34″N116°46′48″N
Name	Rufus Thomas
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Rufus Thomas, Jr.
Born	March 27, 1917 Cayce, Mississippi, United States
Died	Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Instrument	Vocals
Genre	R&B;, Memphis soul, southern soul, blues, funk
Occupation	Singer, comedian, television host, disc jockey
Years active	1936–2001
Label	Sun, Stax
Associated acts	Carla Thomas, Marvell Thomas
Website	}}

Rufus Thomas, Jr. (March 27, 1917 – December 15, 2001) was an American rhythm and blues, funk and soul singer and comedian from Memphis, Tennessee, who recorded on Sun Records in the 1950s and on Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s. He was the father of soul singer Carla Thomas and keyboard player Marvell Thomas. A third child, Vaneese, a former French teacher, has a recording studio in upstate New York and sings for television commercials.

Early life and education

Born a sharecropper's son in the rural community of Cayce, Mississippi, Thomas moved to Memphis with his family at age 2. His mother was “a church woman.” Thomas made his artistic debut at the age of 6 playing a frog in a school theatrical production. Much later in life, he would impersonate all kinds of animals: screeching cats, funky chickens and penguins, and mournful dogs. By age 10, he was a tap dancer, performing in amateur productions at Memphis' Booker T. Washington High School.

Thomas attended one semester at Tennessee A&I; University, but due to economic conditions left to pursue a career as a professional entertainer, joining up in 1936 with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, an all-black revue that toured the South. He then worked for twenty-two years at a textile plant and didn't leave that job until about 1963, around the time of his “Dog” hits. He started at WDIA in 1951 (despite biographies placing his start a year earlier). At WDIA, he hosted an afternoon show called Hoot and Holler. WDIA, featuring an African-American format, was known as "the mother station of the Negroes" and became an important source of blues and R&B; music for a generation, its audience consisting of white as well as black listeners. Thomas's mentor was Nat D. Williams, a pioneer black deejay at WDIA as well as Thomas's high school history teacher, columnist for black newspapers, and host of an amateur show at Memphis's Palace Theater. For years Thomas himself took hosting duties for the amateur show and, in that capacity, is credited with the discovery of B.B. King.

Professional singing career

He made his professional singing debut at the Elks Club on Beale Street in Memphis, filling in for another singer at the last minute. He made his first 78 rpm record in 1943 for the Star Talent label in Texas, "I'll Be a Good Boy", backed with "I'm So Worried."

He also became a long-standing on-air personality with WDIA, one of the first radio stations in the US to feature an all-black staff and programming geared toward blacks. His celebrity was such that in 1953 he recorded an "answer record" to Big Mama Thornton's hit, "Hound Dog" called "Bear Cat" released on Sun Records. Although the song was the label's first hit, a copyright-infringement suit ensued and nearly bankrupted Sam Phillips' record label. Later, Rufus was one of the African American artists released by Sam Phillips as he oriented his label more toward white audiences and signed the likes of Elvis Presley.

The prime of Rufus' recording career came in the 1960s and early 1970s, when he was on the roster of Memphis label, Stax, having one of the first hit sides at the historic soul and blues label, "Walking the Dog", (#5 R&B;, #10 Pop) in 1963. Rufus is thus the first, and still the only, father to debut in the Hot 100's top 10 after his daughter debuted there. Rufus' daughter Carla also reached #10, with "Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes)" on 27 March 1961.

At Stax, Rufus recorded songs when he had something to record. He was often backed by Booker T. and the MG's or the Bar-Kays.

The early 1970s brought him three major hits, including "(Do The) Push and Pull" in 1970, his only number one R&B; hit (#25 Pop). Earlier that year, "Do the Funky Chicken" had reached #5 R&B; and #28 Pop. A third dance-oriented release in 1971, "The Breakdown" climbed to #2 R&B; and #31 Pop. He had several more less successful hits until Stax closed its doors in the mid-70s.

Late in his career, for years, Rufus performed at the Porretta Soul Festival in Porretta Terme, Italy. The outdoor amphitheater in which he performed has been re-named "Rufus Thomas Park." In 1996, Rufus and William Bell headlined at the Olympics in Atlanta. Highlights of his career included calming an unruly crowd at the Wattstax Festival in 1972 and performing with James Brown's band.

He played an important part in the Stax reunion of 1988, and had a small role in the 1989 Jim Jarmusch film Mystery Train. Rufus released an album of straight-ahead blues, That Woman is Poison!, with Alligator Records in 1990. In 1997, Rufus released an album, "Rufus Live!," with Ecko Records.

Thomas was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001. He was interviewed by the public radio program American Routes (aired in February 2002). His last appearance was in the D.A. Pennebaker-directed documentary ''Only the Strong Survive'' (2003) in which he co-stars with his daughter Carla.

Death

He died of heart failure in 2001, at the age of 84, at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis. A street is named in his honor, just off Beale Street in Memphis. He is buried next to his wife at the New Park Cemetery in Memphis.

Discography

Albums

1963 ''Walking The Dog'' (Stax704)

1969 ''May I Have Your Ticket Please'' (Stax STS-2022) ''Unreleased''

1970 ''Do The Funky Chicken'' (Stax STS-2028)

1971 ''Doing The Push and Pull at PJ's'' (Stax STS-2039)

1972 ''Did You Heard Me?'' (Stax STS-3004)

1972 ''Crown Prince of Dance'' (Stax STS-30048)

Singles

1962 Can’t Ever Let You Go / It’s Aw’right (Stax126)

1963 The Dog / Did You Ever Love A Woman (Stax130)

1963 Walking The Dog / Fine And Mellow (Stax140)

1963 Walking The Dog / You Said (Stax140) mkII

1964 Can Your Monkey Do The Dog / I Wanna Get Married (Stax144)

1964 Somebody Stole My Dog / I Want To Be Loved (Stax149)

1964 Jump Back / All Night Worker (Stax157)

1965 Little Sally Walker / Baby Walk (Stax167)

1965 Willy Nilly / Sho’gonna Mess Him Up (Stax173)

1965 The World Is Round / Chicken Scratch (Stax178)

1966 Sister’s Got A Boyfriend / Talking ‘Bout True Love (Stax200)

1967 Sophisticated Sissy / Greasy Spoon (Stax221)

1967 Down Ta’ My House / Steady Holding On (Stax240)

1967 The Memphis Train / I Think I Made A Boo Boo (Stax250)

1968 Funky Mississippi / Hard To Get Along With (Stax0010)

1968 Funky Way / I Want To Hold You (Stax0022)

1969 Do The Funky Chicken / Turn Your Damper Down (Stax0059)

1970 The Preacher And The Bear / 60 Minute Man (Stax0071)

1970 (Do The) Push And Pull Part 1 / Part 2 (Stax0079)

1971 The World Is Round / I Love You For Sentimental Reasons (Stax0090)

1971 The Breakdown Part 1 / Part 2 (Stax0098)

1972 Do The Funky Penguin Part 1 / Part 2 (Stax0112)

1972 6-3-8 (That’s The Number To Play) / Love Trap (Stax0129)

1972 Itch And Scratch Part 1 / Part 2 (Stax0140)

1973 Funky Robot Part 1 / Part 2 (Stax0153)

1973 You Don’t Me No More / I’m Still In Love With You (Stax0177)

1973 I’ll Be Your Santa Baby / That Makes Christmas Day (Stax0187)

1973 The Funky Bird / Steal A Little (Stax0192)

1974 Boogie Ain’t Nttin’ Part 1 / Part 2 (Stax0219)

1975 Do The Double Bump Part 1 / Part 2 (Stax0236)

1976 DJump Back ’75 Part 1 / Part 2 (Stax0254)

See also

Rufus and Carla

References

Greenberg, Steve. ''Do the Funky Somethin': The Best of Rufus Thomas'' (liner notes), Rhino Records, 1996.

Unterberger, Richie. [ Rufus Thomas Biography] at Allmusic.com. Retrieved December 26, 2005.

External links

Rufus Thomas Biography at Yahoo.com

Rufus Thomas Biography at Alligator Records

http://www.shs.starkville.k12.ms.us/mswm/MSWritersAndMusicians/musicians/ThomasR.html

http://www.cascadeblues.org/History/RufusThomas.htm

http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Rufus%20Thomas.html

http://www.highbridgeaudio.com/americanroutes.html His ''American Routes'' interview.

Porretta Soul Festival

Category:1917 births Category:2001 deaths Category:People from Marshall County, Mississippi Category:Tennessee State University alumni Category:American blues singers Category:American blues musicians Category:Blues musicians from Mississippi Category:American male singers Category:African American singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American rhythm and blues musicians Category:American funk singers Category:American funk musicians Category:American soul singers Category:American soul musicians Category:Blues Hall of Fame inductees Category:Sun Records artists Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:Chess Records artists Category:Deaths from heart failure

de:Rufus Thomas fr:Rufus Thomas it:Rufus Thomas nl:Rufus Thomas sv:Rufus Thomas

Coordinates	47°41′34″N116°46′48″N
name	Sam Moore
background	solo_singer
birth name	Samuel David Hicks
born	October 12, 1935Miami, FloridaUnited States
genre	R&B;
instrument	Vocals
occupation	Songwriter, Musician, Performer
years active	1961–present
associated acts	Sam & Dave }}

:''For other people of that name, see Samuel Moore''

Samuel David Moore (born October 12, 1935) is an American Southern Soul and Rhythm & Blues (R&B;) singer who was the tenor vocalist for the soul vocal duo Sam & Dave from 1961 through 1981. Sam Moore is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame (for "Soul Man", The Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and a Grammy Award and a multi-Gold Record award winning recording artist. Sam & Dave were the most successful and critically acclaimed duo in Soul Music history. Moore has also achieved a distinguished 25 year career as a solo performing and recording artist. In 2008, based on a poll of other musicians, Rolling Stone Magazine named Sam Moore one of the 100 greatest singers of the rock era (1950s-2008).

Overview

Moore is best known for his work as Sam of the soul music duo Sam & Dave, where he was the higher tenor voice. Moore has performed in concerts, ranging from the Atlantic Records 40th anniversary party in 1988, to the New Orleans Jazz Festival and the SXSW Music Industry conference in 2006. Moore has also performed in various venues ranging from the tribute for Elvis Presley in 1994, to the Grammy Awards 2006 tribute to Wilson Pickett, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006 for Smokey Robinson. Moore has also partnered with other famous recording artists, including Conway Twitty, Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Elton John, Phil Collins, Lou Reed and others, on various live and recorded performances.

Music critic, close friend of Moore's and the editor and co-writer of Moore's book, Dave Marsh, in 2002 called Sam Moore "The Greatest Living Soul Singer." In 2006, Moore received a MOBO (Music of Black Origin) lifetime achievement award in the UK.

Sam & Dave years

Sam Moore and Dave Prater were both experienced gospel music singers, having performed individually with groups the Sensational Hummingbirds and The Melionaires. They met in The King of Hearts Club in Miami in 1961, where they were discovered by regional producer Henry Stone, who signed them to Roulette Records. After modest success at Roulette,they were signed by Jerry Wexler to Atlantic Records in 1964, then being 'loaned' out to Stax Records to produce, record and release their records.

The duo's November 1965 single, "You Don't Know Like I Know," started a series of ten straight top twenty Billboard R&B; hits that included "Hold On! I'm Comin'" (1966), "You Got Me Hummin' (1966), "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby" (1967), "Soul Man" (1967), and "I Thank You" (1968). Most of their hits were penned by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. In most recordings, they were also backed by Hayes on piano with Booker T and the MGs and The Memphis Horns. The ending of their association with the Stax record label and their frequently volatile relationship contributed to their first break-up in 1970.

Sam & Dave performed throughout most of the 1970s through 1981, and enjoyed a brief resurgence in popularity due to The Blues Brothers's 1979 recording of "Soul Man". Their last performance together was on December 31, 1981, at the Old Waldorf in San Francisco. On 9 April 1988, Prater died in a car crash in Sycamore, Georgia.

Solo career

Moore began his solo career after breaking up with Prater in June 1970, and was offered to record several singles with Atlantic Records in 1970 and 1971. These singles, along with other recordings made during that period, were to be released on an album produced by King Curtis. However, in August 1971, King Curtis was murdered, and the album was shelved. Moore got back together with Prater in August 1971 and the two performed and recorded together over the next decade.

Moore toured with other soul artists including Wilson Pickett in Europe in the spring of 1982, where he married his wife Joyce McRae. She helped Moore overcome a lengthy battle with drug addiction during this period, which the couple later discussed in detail in Moore's book "Sam & Dave - An Oral History" co-written with Dave Marsh and published in 1997. Moore not only went public with his addiction in 1983, but also became a strong anti-drug advocate and worked as a volunteer for anti-drug programs. McRae also became and is presently his business manager, and has worked together with Sam to advocate for artist's rights, royalties and pension payments.

Moore later claimed it was difficult for him to find steady performing work during much of the 1980s, because bookers wanted "Sam & Dave" and Moore wanted to be a solo artist. Additionally, Prater hired Sam Daniels in 1982 to perform the "Sam" part for the Sam & Dave act and thus, according to Moore, limited his opportunities to play as a solo artist. Moore pursued Prater legally to stop performing using his name, and was successful in getting an injunction against them performing in a few individual cities and counties. However, there is no national law prohibiting bands from disclosing whether they were original performers or not. Moore formed an organization "Artists and Others Against Imposters", and testified before Congress on the topic in 1989.

In 1984, Moore performed on the Don Henley album, ''Building the Perfect Beast'' on a song called "You Must Not Be Drinkin' Enough". In 1986, Moore re-recorded "Soul Man" with Lou Reed for the film of the same name. The song reached #30 on the UK Singles Chart. In April 1988, Moore joined the Elwood Blues Revue, which featured Dan Aykroyd and The Blues Brothers Band.

Moore appeared with Junior Walker in the 1988 film ''Tapeheads'', which featured Moore and Walker as the legendary soul duo "The Swanky Modes". Sam appeared on David Letterman with Junior Walker later that year and performed the song "Ordinary Man" from the film. Their pairing was notable, as it was one of the few instances where performers from the Motown & Stax camps performed or recorded together.

In 1989, Moore performed at the George Bush inaugural, and also at the Smithsonian Rhythm & Blues Museum opening honoring Hayes and Porter. In 1990, Moore toured in Europe with Booker T. & The MG's, Carla Thomas and Eddie Floyd. One of these performances, from the Monacco Soul Festival, was captured on film and broadcast in France. In 1991, Moore recorded several songs on ''Red, Hot & Blues'' with Republican Party official and avid bluesman, Lee Atwater. Moore also was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in 1991 to acknowledge his lifetime contributions.

Moore and Prater (posthumously) were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on January 15, 1992 and Moore brought Hayes and Porter onstage with him at the ceremony to recognize his former songwriting and producing partners' contributions. He also brought David Prater, Jr. (Dave's eldest son) to the ceremony to acknowledge his former singing partner. Shortly after the induction, Moore announced plans to record a solo LP, featuring duets with Springsteen, Phil Collins and others. In 1992, Moore recorded several songs with Bruce Springsteen for his ''Human Touch'' album. He also had a hit in 1994 with the Conway Twitty duet "Rainy Night In Georgia".

Moore continued to tour through the 1990s. He released "I'm a Dole Man" in 1996, with the "Soul Man" lyrics rewritten, for Presidential candidate Bob Dole to play at voter rallies. The owners of "Soul Man"'s publishing rights did not agree with the claim it was fair use of the song as a parody, and forced the campaign to stop using the song.

In 1998, Moore appeared in the movie, ''Blues Brothers 2000'', as the Reverend Morris, fulfilling a childhood dream of being a preacher, and sang "John the Revelator". In 1999, "Soul Man" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame to recognize timeless classics.

In 2002 Moore's solo album, recorded in 1971 but never released, finally hit the record stores. ''Plenty Good Lovin' '', produced by King Curtis and featuring Aretha Franklin on piano, garnered a four star review from USA Today.

In 2002, Moore starred in the D.A. Pennebaker directed documentary, ''Only the Strong Survive'' (Miramax). The film was a selection of both the Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals in 2002. In the film, Moore chronicles his previous drug use.

In 2003, the Stax Museum opened in Memphis, Tennessee, and Sam & Dave are featured prominently in the film made for the Museum "Soulsville", and are honored with a permanent wall display and video display.

In December 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine named "Soul Man" as one of the 500 greatest songs of all time, and Moore was a featured guest performer at Bruce Springsteen's 2003 Asbury Park Christmas shows.

On August 29, 2006 Moore released his first solo album "Overnight Sensational," produced by Randy Jackson and features Sting, Mariah Carey, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Fantasia and 20 other guest stars. Produced with and available on Rhino Records. The album received some positive critical reviews, most notably for the song "You Are So Beautiful", which featured Moore, Billy Preston and Eric Clapton that received a Grammy nomination.

In 2008, Moore sent a cease and desist letter to the Barack Obama campaign to stop the use of his material at rallies for Obama's presidential campaign. In January 2009, Moore performed with Sting and Elvis Costello at the Creative Coalition's Presidential Inaugural Ball for Barack Obama. In December 2008, Sam & Dave, the Original Soul Men DVD was released in the US, featuring video performances of Sam & Dave from 1966-1980.

In February 2009, Moore filed suit against Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the producers of Soul Men, a comedy starring Bernie Mac, claiming the film was based on the careers of Sam & Dave.

At the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary concert held at Madison Square Garden on October 29 & 30 2009, Hall of Fame inductee(1992) Sam Moore performed the Sam & Dave hits "Soul Man" & "Hold On, I'm Comin' with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Details	Peak positions
		! width="50"
''Overnight Sensational''		* Release date: August 29, 2006	* Label: Rhino Records	Compact disc>CD, music download	90

Holiday albums

Title	Details
''Papa Soul's Christmas''		* Release date: July 7, 1998	* Label: MSH Music	Compact cassette>cassette
''This Christmas''		* Release date: July 7, 1998	* Label: MSH Music	* Formats: CD, cassette

Singles

! Year	Single	! Album
2006	"I Can't Stand the Rain"

Featured singles

Year	Single	Artist	Peak positions	Album
			! width="50"
1994	"Rainy Night in Georgia"	Conway Twitty	33

Music videos

! Year	! Video	! Director
1994	"Rainy Night in Georgia" (with Conway Twitty)	Tom Grubbs

References

External links

Sam Moore's website, with videos, bio, tour schedule, press and news

Rhino's Sam Moore page with streams of album's songs, streaming video and other items.

about Sam & Dave's career and their dvd featuring career spanning live performances.

Category:1935 births Category:Living people Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American soul musicians Category:American male singers Category:People from Miami, Florida

fr:Samuel David Moore pt:Sam Moore ru:Мур, Самюэль