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The Stax Renaissance: Soul Music's Phoenix From The Flames - Episode 1

Beverley Knight tells the story of the fall and the rise and the fall of the legendary Memphis soul label

Beverley Knight tells the story of the fall and the rise and the fall of the legendary Memphis soul label

In December 1967 the great soul singer Otis Redding was killed in a plane accident, depriving the musical world of one of its great singers, and costing his record label, Stax, their leading light, both artistically and commercially.

A matter of weeks later, the company also discovered that - due to a catastrophic business error - they no longer owned the rights to their back catalogue. The label that brought us Otis, Booker T & The MGs, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd, Rufus & Carla Thomas and many , many more was on its knees with no prospect of survival ahead.

But within three years, Stax was one of the most successful African American companies in the world, boasting an entirely new roster of stars such as Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers and William Bell, and expanding into concert promotion, film production, Broadway musicals and the world of rock music. They released 30 albums and 28 singles in a three month period, and rebuilt form the ground up.

Their 1972 Wattstax festival in Los Angeles boasted the largest bill of soul artists ever assembled performing to the biggest audience of African Americans ever seen paying the lowest admission fee in history thanks to an innovative use of sponsors. And that was before the multi-album, multi-platinum record releases from the show hit the shops, and the huge grossing feature documentary hit the cinemas. And then Isaac Hayes won an Oscar for "Shaft".

But at the same time there were other forces at play. Stax - always an informally integrated company in the deep South of the Civil Rights movement - was hit hard by the assassination of Martin Luther King in Memphis in April 1968 and struggled to adjust to a new & intimidating era of prejudice and violence.

In 1974, an ambitious expansion into mainstream rock music came badly undone for the company, and amidst accusations of racism and fraudulent financial chicanery involving millions of dollars, Stax was wound up in January 1976.

40 years after its doors shut for the last time, the Stax alumni came together to tell the story of this great label with all its ups & downs, the triumphs and the disasters.

57 minutes

Last on

Sat 17 Oct 2020 03:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2

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Music Played

  • Beverley Knight & Jamie Cullum

    PRIVATE NUMBER

    • Soulsville.
    • East West Records.
    • 0190295962654.

  • Otis Redding

    FA FA FA FA FA (SAD SONG)

    • THE OTIS REDDING STORY.
    • ATLANTIC.
    • 781762-2.

  • Otis Redding

    (SITTIN' ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY

    • THE VERY BEST OF OTIS REDDING.
    • ATCO.
    • 9548-380872.

  • Johnnie Taylor

    Who's Making Love

    • Stax Profiles: Johnnie Taylor.
    • STAX.
    • STAX 9.

  • Booker T. & The M.G.'s

    SOUL LIMBO

    • THE BEST OF BOOKER T & THE M.G.'S.
    • STAX.
    • FCD-60004.

  • Linda Lyndell

    WHAT A MAN

    • SUPER BREAKS.
    • BGP.
    • CDBGP-126.

  • Carla Thomas

    I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING (TO ME)

    • CARLA THOMAS & RUFUS THOMAS: CHRONICLES (GREATEST HITS).
    • STAX.
    • SCD24412-42.

  • William Bell

    I Forgot To Be Your Lover

    • single stax.
    • Stax.
    • 818-A.

  • Albert King

    BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN

    • BEST OF.
    • STAX.
    • CDSXD-120.

  • Isaac Hayes

    Precious, Precious

    • Blue Hayes.
    • Atlantic.
    • 2465 016.

  • Delaney & Bonnie

    PIECE OF MY HEART

    • The Best Of Delaney And Bonnie.
    • Atlantic.
    • K40429.

  • Isaac Hayes

    WALK ON BY

    • Hot Buttered Soul.
    • STAX.
    • CD-005.

  • Bob Marley & The Wailers

    Exodus

    • Tuff Gong.

  • Booker T. & The M.G.'s

    Melting Pot

Broadcasts

  • Sat 23 Nov 2019 02:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
  • Thu 27 Feb 2020 01:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music
  • Sat 22 Aug 2020 03:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2
  • Sat 17 Oct 2020 03:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2