Primarily celebrated for shaping the sound of soul and R&B, Stax Records routinely ventured into unexpected musical territories. The 2017 compilation Stax Country presents an often-overlooked side of the iconic label: its investment in country music. Within, artists affiliated with the label venture into a diverse array of sounds invoking the rural corners of the American countryside, the lonely and winding highways, and even the hot and hoppin’ honky-tonk. In several cases, the materials found in this compilation were previously unreleased. Otherwise, most released songs appeared originally on subsidiary labels such as Enterprise, Truth, and Hip Records. In particular, Enterprise, initially conceived as a jazz-rock label, later became Stax’s primary outlet for country music. Under the guidance of director Jerry Seabolt, Enterprise signed and promoted emerging country artists and acquired master recordings to help Stax tap into country markets despite its struggles in the genre.

Stax Country captures a sampling of these rare recordings, most of which never made it onto mainstream charts. Featuring country tracks from the likes of Becki Bluefield, O.B. McClinton, and Joyce Cobb, the album blends Stax’s soulful roots with the simplicity of country music, bridging genres in ways that highlight the label’s ambition and willingness to support diverse voices.

The compilation begins fittingly with Becki Bluefield’s “Sweet Country Music,” an ode to the genre framed around a somber split between lovers on the outs. Bluefield, best known for co-writing the 1973 hit “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man,” was poised to become a star among Stax’s country hopefuls, but her career was cut short by the label’s financial struggles. Eddie Bond, a Memphis rockabilly and country staple, served the region as a radio personality and recording legend. In “That Glass,” he delivers a contemplative and longing ode centered on a still-life scene of a single glass on a nightstand left behind by a distant romantic partner.

A quintessential singer’s singer, Joyce Cobb’s vocal prowess afforded her a career that spans jazz, pop, blues, and the country of the previously unreleased track, “Your Love,” found within this collection. One of the last artists signed by the label, Cobb released one single on the Stax Company’s Truth Records before the label’s end in 1975. Paul Craft, who would later be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, shows up in the entry “For Linda (Child in the Cradle),” an especially sincere ballad about the various roles of a maturing woman. Craft chronicles the life of the titular “Linda” across a nonlinear timeline, from the coos of her infancy in a nursery to the day she becomes a mother. Released in 1974 as the B-side to “It’s Me Again, Margaret,” the song is among the few tracks on this compilation that earned chart success, peaking at 55 on Billboard‘s “US Country” list.

Known as “The Chocolate Cowboy,” O.B. McClinton represents Stax’s most prolific and consistent commitment to the country genre. He has multiple albums and was the most prominent country artist on the label. Drenched in trademark twang, “The Finer Things in Life” positions McClinton as a character in awe of a woman whose impression on him helped him accept a life of class and luxury. Meanwhile, Karen Casey’s “The River’s Too Wide” employs a down-home gospel rhythmic core accentuated by Casey’s crisp and striking vocal register.

In contrast, Connie Eaton’s “I Wanna Be Wrong Right Now” conveys a similar vocal styling but steers toward a soft, sweet lullaby. Eaton, once a Nashville pageant queen and the daughter of Grand Ole Opry singer Brian Eaton, subsequently succeeded in the family business. Among other singles, her 1970 cover of “Angel in the Morning” earned her modest positioning on the country charts before her tenure with Stax. Another act on this collection, along with family ties, is Cliff Cochran, the cousin of country legend Hank Cochran, who brings “All the Love You’ll Ever Need” to the compilation. On the song, he pleads his case for love, running down all the qualities he offers his mate in a desperate heave of syrupy seduction.

Pointing to Stax’s banner soul, Danny Bryan covers The Temptations’ ubiquitous “My Girl” with a surprisingly satisfying country twist. Equally intriguing, the song is produced by Knox Phillips, the son of legendary rock recording pioneer Sam Phillips, along with guitarist Charlie Freeman. Another veteran of Sun Records, Billy Lee Riley, appears in the compilation under the pseudonym Daaron Lee, belting out “Long Black Train,” in his signature deep baritone.

Husband-and-wife duo Frank Hobson and Becky Durning deliver a heartfelt duet with “A Truer Love You’ll Never Find.” Leaning on blue-collar realism, Roger Hallmark’s “Truck Driver’s Heaven” draws from his own experiences in the vocation to captivating effect, giving listeners a glimpse into a storied profession within the country music imagination.

Crossing over from his proficiency as a leading songwriter, producer, and engineer, Bobby Manuel performs “Purple Cow” under the pseudonym Dale Yard. A stark departure from his work in support of Stax’s stable of soul stars, the track exemplifies the creative landscape of Stax’s musical playground, where artists were encouraged to experiment in the studio. Rounding out the compilation, Lee Denson, who allegedly tutored a young Elvis Presley on guitar, plays on nostalgia with the holiday tune “A Mom and Dad for Christmas.”

Stax Country illuminates these varied voices along a Venn diagram of soul and country, underscoring the label’s ambition to break new ground even as the label faced mounting financial challenges. This compilation is a testament to Stax’s pioneering spirit and support for musical diversity, highlighting an era when soulful storytelling found common ground with the country’s honesty and zeal.

by Jared Boyd