![]() ![]() They drifted in and we got locked in on the rhythm and blues field." In the summer of 1960, Rufus Thomas and his daughter Carla were the first artists to make a recording in this new facility the record, "Cause I Love You" (credited to Rufus & Carla), became a substantial regional hit and was picked up for national distribution by Atlantic Records on its Atco subsidiary. Around the same time, and at the urging of Chips Moman, Stewart moved the company back to Memphis and into an old movie theater, the former Capitol Theatre, at 926 East McLemore Avenue in South Memphis Stewart recalled that he chose the building because "it was in the area close to where Rufus Thomas (WDIA Radio disk jockey) lived several of the other musicians and writers that are still working with the studio today. While promoting "Fool in Love", Stewart met with Memphis disc jockey and R&B singer Rufus Thomas, and both parties were impressed by the other. However, Satellite remained primarily a country and pop label for the next year or so. In the summer of that year, Satellite released its first record by a rhythm and blues act, "Fool in Love", by the Veltones, which was soon picked up for national distribution by Mercury Records. We didn’t have any sound equipment or anything else but a small building and a lot of desire." Īround this time, Stewart was introduced to rhythm and blues music by staff producer Chips Moman. In 1970, Stewart recalled this portion of the label's origins, and remarked, "I don't even remember the address. The company set up a small recording studio in a converted garage near National Cemetery in Brunswick, Tennessee, in 1959. Taking a considerable financial risk, she mortgaged her family home to invest $2500 (US$25,358 in 2022 dollars ) in the company, enabling Satellite to purchase an Ampex 350 mono console tape recorder. In 1958, Stewart's sister Estelle Axton began her financial interest in the company. Satellite's early releases were country music, rockabilly records or straight pop numbers, reflecting the tastes of Stewart (a country fiddle player) at the time. Stax Records, originally named Satellite Records, was founded in Memphis in 1957 by Jim Stewart, initially operating in a garage. The "Stax-o-Wax" logo used during the Atlantic distribution years History 1957–1960: Early years as Satellite Records Atlantic Records continues to hold the rights to the vast majority of the 1959–1968 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 reissue label.Īfter 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 and soul performers. Beginning in 1978, Stax (now owned by Fantasy) began signing new acts and issuing new material, as well as reissuing previously recorded Stax material. In 1977, Fantasy Records acquired the post-1968 Stax catalogue and selected pre-1968 recordings. 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. ![]() 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. ![]() It became known as southern soul music." įollowing 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. It was a sound based in black gospel, blues, country, and earlier forms of rhythm and blues (R&B). According to ethnomusicologist Rob Bowman, the label's use of "one studio, one equipment set-up, the same set of musicians and a small group of songwriters led to a readily identifiable sound. & the M.G.'s) and a racially integrated team of staff and artists unprecedented in that time of racial strife and tension in Memphis and the South. It featured several popular ethnically integrated bands (including the label's house band, Booker T. Renowned for its output of blues music, the label was founded by two siblings and business partners, Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton (STewart/AXton = Stax). Stax also released gospel, funk, and blues recordings. Stax was influential in the creation of Southern soul and Memphis soul music. It also shared its operations with sister label Volt Records. Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the label changed its name to Stax Records in 1961. Stax Records is an American record company, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee. ![]()
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