The Gospel Truth: The Complete Singles Collection (3-LP)

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Details Craft Recordings honors the music of The Gospel Truth Records, a subsidiary of Stax Records, with a complete collection of all 34 singles issued by the imprint between 1972 and 1974. The compilation features in-depth liner notes by Jared Boyd, a Memphis-based journalist and NPR radio host, who captured new interviews with Stax Records executive Al Bell, trailblazing gospel artist Rance Allen, and Mary Peak Patterson, who …

Who’s Making Love (180g LP)

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Details In 1968, Johnnie Taylor’s provocative single, “Who’s Making Love” gave the newly independent Stax Records its first major hit. The song peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped to bolster the label’s profile. The album Who’s Making Love was released months later, and not only featured the title track but also an irresistible collection of …

Roy Lee Johnson & The Villagers (LP)

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Details An unsung monster from the waning hours of the Stax empire, Roy Lee Johnson & The Villagers‘ eponymous LP is as funky as anything the label ever released. While its sound is unmistakably Stax — its elegant yet earthy sensibility couldn’t come from anywhere else — the music expands on the formula via tight, hypnotic grooves and scorching guitar …

Victim Of The Joke?…An Opera (180g LP)

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Details The 1971 concept album, Victim of the Joke?…An Opera is the third solo LP from the acclaimed producer, songwriter, and singer David Porter. Listed as one of the “100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time” by Rolling Stone, Porter established his career at Stax, working alongside writing partner Isaac Hayes. This ambitious LP stands as a testament to Porter’s endless …