Los Angeles, CA (July 22, 2024) – Stax Records is thrilled to share that the critically acclaimed HBO docuseries STAX: Soulsville, U.S.A. has been honored with two Emmy® nominations including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. This prestigious recognition highlights the series’ exceptional storytelling and its profound exploration of the cultural and musical impact of Stax Records.

Stax Records is critical to American music history as one of the most popular soul music record labels of all time. In 15 years, Stax placed more than 167 hit songs in the Top 100 on the pop charts and a staggering 243 hits in the Top 100 R&B charts. It launched the careers of legendary artists such as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Rufus & Carla Thomas and Booker T. & the M.G.’s, among numerous others.

The HBO Original four-part documentary series STAX: Soulsville, U.S.A., an official selection of the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival and winner of the TV Premiere Audience Award, is directed by filmmaker Jamila Wignot. The series, a production of Laylow Pictures and White Horse Pictures in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment, and Warner Music Entertainment, debuted on May 20 on HBO and is available to stream on Max. The docuseries is produced by Jamila Wignot and Kara Elverson; executive produced by Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow, Nigel Sinclair, Nicholas Ferrall, Scott Pascucci, Sophia Dilley, Michele Smith, Jody Gerson, David Blackman, Charlie Cohen, and Ron Broitman. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Tina Nguyen.

“We are proud that the docuseries has received critical acclaim and, most importantly, that the Stax artists and legacy are being recognized and respected as a cornerstone of American history,” shares Executive Producer Michele Smith, VP, Estate & Legacy Brand Management at Craft Recordings.

Synopsis:

By 1973, Stax Records was one of the recording industry’s most influential producers of soul music, breaking acts such as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Sam & Dave and many more. In just under two decades, the scrappy outsider had grown from a modest family-owned record store and studio in Memphis, TN, to a trailblazing global music label. STAX: Soulsville, U.S.A.chronicles the audacious group of individuals who dared to make music on their own terms, smashing racial barriers, defining an era and leaving an enduring musical legacy in their wake. Driven by a striking collection of restored and remastered archival performance footage and intimate interviews with key players in the label’s remarkable history, STAX: Soulsville, U.S.A. details the unlikely origin story of Stax Records and pays tribute to its complex music library and the legendary artists that emerged from the iconic studio.

Founded in 1957 by Jim Stewart and co-owned with his sister, Estelle Axton, the company drew upon a mix of young, local talent—musicians, songwriters and producers—who would create the unforgettable Stax sound. Against the backdrop of the American South of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, white and Black artists worked together, defying segregation and producing hits such as “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay,” “Soul Man,” “Green Onions” and the Oscar^®-winning “Theme from Shaft.” At the peak of its success, Stax artists commemorated the Watts Rebellion by playing to over 100,000 African Americans at the 1972 benefit concert Wattstax. During an era of major social turbulence, systemic inequity and racial tensions, Stax, an integrated company, saw stunning artistic and cultural success, and managed to rebound from repeated business setbacks and tragic losses before the studio ultimately dissolved after 15 pioneering years.

Featured Participants: 

A wealth of music and archival footage is complemented by insight from: Stax founder Jim Stewart and co-owner Estelle Axton; the legendary Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes, Stax producer and artist; Al Bell, Stax’s former president, owner and director of promotions; Deanie Parker, Stax’s director of publicity; David Porter, musician and Stax songwriter; Booker T. Jones, Booker T. & the M.G.’s musician and band leader; Steve Cropper, Booker T. & the M.G.’s guitarist; Rufus Thomas, artist and Memphis DJ; Carla Thomas, Stax singer and songwriter; Sam Moore, singer; James Alexander, Bar-Kays bassist; Willie Hall, musician and Bar-Kays drummer; Howard Robertson, Stax publicist; Terry Manning, Stax engineer; Bettye Crutcher, Stax songwriter; Bobby Manuel, Stax guitarist; Wattstax cinematographers Larry Clark and Roderick Young; Bruce Talamon, photographer; James Douglas, marketing and promotions for Stax; and Rob Bowman, historian and author of Soulsville, U.S.A.

What the critics are saying:

“…a goosebumps-inducing underdog story about why art matters…The sheer amount of people smiling—either playing, or producing, or composing, or watching—is infectious…what shines through is that buzzy sensation you get hearing young musicians locked in during a jam session, creating the sort of magical feel-good music that made Stax’s snapping-finger logo so perfect.”

— The A.V. Club

“…testament to the gifted artists, songwriters, producers, musicians and engineers behind the label’s treasured catalog—and the team of dedicated and persevering executives helming operations behind the scenes…Music that hurdled racial barriers to become mainstream classics…”

— Billboard

“…a story of musical genius…In the best way possible, the four-part series from filmmaker Jamila Wignot feels like falling down a rabbit hole…”

— Chicago Tribune

“Expertly and incisively constructed…Working with a mix of Memphis and out-of-town crew, Wignot augments the old material with many new interviews with Stax veterans, notably the uncompromising Jones; the charming Carla Thomas; irrepressible Bettye Crutcher; ace songsmith David Porter; and recent Grammy-winner Deanie Parker, the former Stax publicity director who is not just a key founder of the must-visit Stax Museum of American Soul Music—the phoenix that was resurrected from the rubble of the razed original building—but, arguably, the embodiment of the Stax spirit—the conscience that wouldn’t let Memphis forget that the death of Stax in 1975 was a stain on the city if not a literal crime…Given HBO’s reach, it’s possible that millions of people for the first time will hear Carla Thomas croon ‘Gee Whiz,’ which is justification enough for any project…Anyone needing a crash course on the improbable story of Stax Records—from its meteoric highs to its sad lows—would do well to take in HBO’s STAX: Soulsville, U.S.A….”

— Commercial Appeal

“…if you only know the hits, and not the rags-to-riches tale of the label that made stars of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave, the Staple Singers, and so many more, then you couldn’t do better than STAX: Soulsville, U.S.A., a four-part documentary that tracks [Stax’s]…remarkable, and often heartbreaking, history [and]…chronicles the audacious group of individuals—chief among them founders Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton (the ST and AX in Stax), former radio promoter-turned-visionary executive Al Bell, and artists like Hayes, David Porter, and William Bell—who smashed racial barriers and left an enduring musical legacy in their wake…[A]s STAX: Soulsville, U.S.A. shows, its legacy—the music recorded under the Stax banner, as well as the underlying message of freedom, equality, and self-empowerment—lives on, and speaks just as powerfully to today’s troubled times.”

— Daily Beast

“…fantastic…illustrative of the creative spirit that made Stax so important…STAX: Soulsville, U.S.A. explores the important story of an innovative record label that operated during a time when America really needed the songs and sounds it created. Which is not to say that the US couldn’t still benefit from being swept up in the soul and sweat and fervor and Otis Redding singing ‘Try a Little Tenderness.’ In short, there’s nothing little about the influence of Stax Records.”

— Decider

“To say that Stax Records was a successful music label would be an understatement…the label was one of the entertainment industry’s most influential producers of soul music…[the documentary] chronicles the group of creatives who made era-defining music, broke racial barriers, and left an enduring musical legacy in the process…remarkable history…pays tribute to its complex music library and the legendary artists that emerged from the renowned studio space…While the documentary is focused on the rise of a legendary label, it also contains messages of perseverance that should resonate with countless viewers…”

— Essence

“…incredible story…traces the highs and lows of the Memphis record label, soaring with major acts like Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes”

— Guardian

“…marvelous four-hour documentary dedicated to the life and music of the great soul and R&B label in Memphis, Tenn.—home to Otis Redding, Rufus and Carla Thomas, Booker T. and the MGs, Sam and Dave, Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers and others—does not feel a minute too long, though the ride can sometimes be rough and the lessons hard…It’s the story of a company and a community, of personal and national tragedy, of music and the music business, of getting knocked down and getting up again. From local dances to Monterey Pop to Wattstax, it’s inspiring, heartbreaking and, unlike a lot of music documentaries, actually full of music.”

— Los Angeles Times

“…skillfully blends interviews with the surviving players and extensively researched archival footage from the label’s heyday…Wignot’s approach is immediate and visceral.”

— Memphis Flyer

“…the triumphant, tragic story of the record label Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes and the Staple Singers called home…infectious soundtrack…”

— New York Times

“…a great story with lots of twists, and more colorful characters than can be comprehensively listed…The series also succeeds as an atmospheric re-creation of places and eras…a thrilling and often moving production…”

— RogerEbert.com

“‘I’ll Take You There.’ ‘Soul Man.’ ‘(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay.’ ‘Green Onions.’ ‘Try a Little Tenderness.’ ‘Hold On! I’m Comin’.’ ‘Walking the Dog.’ ‘Mr. Big Stuff.’ The freaking theme from Shaft!!! Do we really need to keep naming immortal hit records that came out of Stax…will still make you shake your ass today.”

— Rolling Stone

“With Soulsville, U.S.A., HBO gives Stax the sweeping, complex documentary it deserves…thoughtful, nuanced, and genuinely illuminating…”

— Slate

“…a real treat…Stax Records…one of the most influential record labels in American history…a great Juneteenth watch for anybody looking to learn more about Black music.”

— The Atlantic

“It’s a remarkable story…”

— Time

“…The company had No. 1 hits, revolutionized rock and soul…a fantastically stirring story…a David-Goliath parable in which talent is the stone and tenacity is the sling…Ms. Wignot resurrects it all gloriously, and grittily, and with the personality and precision of the M.G.s rhythm section.”

— Wall Street Journal

“Anyone needing a crash course on the improbable story of Stax Records—from its meteoric highs to its sad lows—would do well to take in HBO’s STAX: Soulsville, U.S.A….a who’s who of Southern soul…The magic of the Stax sound was rooted in something simple: freedom. Musicians and producers felt empowered to experiment together, share ideas and record spontaneously, a stark contrast to the more typical studio approach of the day that found arrangers telling musicians exactly what they had to play. The soul of those musicians generated the soul music that raced across the airwaves from coast to coast.

— USA Today

About Stax Records:

Stax Records, now owned by Concord, was founded by Jim Stewart in 1957 in Memphis, Tennessee. It rose from a small, family-operated company to become one of the most influential record labels in the world, helping create “The Memphis Sound” and launching the careers of icons such as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & The M.G.’s the Staple Singers, Sam & Dave, Rufus and Carla Thomas, The Bar-Kays, and dozens of other artists who helped change popular culture forever. In all, Stax placed 167 hit songs in the Top 100 in Pop and 243 hits in the Top 100 in R&B.

For more info visit, staxrecords.com and follow on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.