Otis Redding - It's Not Just Sentimental (1992)

For decades it was presumed by fans that the posthumous Otis Redding (acoustic guitar/vocals) studio platters The Dock of the Bay (1968), The Immortal Otis Redding (1968), Love Man (1969), and Tell the Truth (1970) had uncovered all the hidden and unreleased treasures from Redding's heartbreakingly brief yet appreciatively prolific career. Thankfully, archivist Roger Armstrong -- who is perhaps best known for his outstanding contributions to the U.K.-based Ace Records reissue imprint -- discovered nearly two dozen additional remnants and presents them on this single-disc anthology. As Stax Records authority Rob Bowman points out in his insightful liner notes essay, the label did not keep precise documentation concerning recording session dates and personnel. So, some detective (and possible guess) work was needed when chronologically placing a few of the lesser-known titles. That certainly doesn't detract from the experience of uncovering formerly shelved selections such as the greasy and unmistakable Memphis groove behind "Trick or Treat," or the high-octane horn punctuations on the inaugural take of "Loving by the Pound" that are clearly in the vein of what would turn up as "Respect." To demonstrate the evolutionary processes and the importance of his collaborative relationship with Steve Cropper (guitar) -- a second completely revamped approach rechristened "Pounds and Hundreds (LBs + 100s)" -- is offered midway through the compendium. Another treasure is the oft-rumored rendition of the achingly poignant "I've Got Dreams to Remember" featuring unique lyrics by Redding's wife Zelma Redding. Little Richard's influence is evident on the impassioned overhaul of "Send Me Some Lovin'," which Redding re-forms with an undeniably singular and inspired interpretation. The alternate versions of "Respect," "Open the Door," "Come to Me," "Try a Little Tenderness," and the first two attempts of Redding's swan song, "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," are arguably the most revealing moments on the entire package. Perhaps because the originals are so deeply ingrained in the psyche of Redding devotees, hearing the developmental stages or hearing the songs presented in a foreign context is nothing short of soul music manna. The one item that had been available prior to Remember Me (1992) is the concluding "Stay in School" message that was part of a larger campaign producing the promo-only Stay in School, Don't Be a Dropout long-player. It's a fun and lighthearted way to wrap up one of the best collections for R&B aficionados or the just plain curious 
consumer alike. (Lindsay Planer/AllMusic)

I seem to have forgotten to post this earlier - Any extra Otis is a real treat...so back in 1992 I was quick to grab a CD copy and indulge myself with more of one of my favourite ever vocalists. It doesn't disappoint - Here as flac or mp3@320 - Gus

Albert King - I'll Play The Blues For You & Lovejoy (1971&72)

It's about time we returned to one of the masters of modern Blues...Albert King. Along with B B King and Freddie King he is one of the real greats . His voice is immediately recognizable and cool...His guitar style, although limited in technique, is just a joy, distinctive and full of feeling...and influenced so many guitarists including Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and numerous others.

KC has previously posted his earliest recordings as well as the all-time classic 'Born Under A Bad Sign' on Stax, where his best sides were made. So here ares 2 more albums on Stax that continued his modernization of  the Blues as we know it. I have most of his other recordings including his later Tomato sides that came after Stax folded. So here are my first offerings...2 albums from 1971 & 72...Here as flac & mp3 320. Enjoy - Gus

Rhonda Washington - Good Woman Turning Bad

If Stax had managed to stave off bankruptcy just a little longer, there’s a good chance that Hot Sauce would have seen their album issued; one was both planned and allocated a Volt catalogue number. The group began as as a one girl, two boy trio but quickly became a solo vehicle for the astoundingly soulful voice of St Louis’ Rhonda Washington. Most of the tracks were not cut at Stax, but at Royal Studios, home of the Hi Sound, with strings and things added later in Detroit. Rhonda Washington’s recordings are among the earthiest issued on Volt during the label’s later years, when studio activity was increasingly taking place away from Memphis. Hot Sauce only charted with two of a total of five singles, ‘Bring It Home (And Give It To Me)’ and a version of ‘Stop Doggin’ Me’ that blows Johnnie Taylor’s original into the middle of next week. The others might have done better if promotional budgets had not been cut as the 70s unfolded and the company gradually imploded.

“Good Woman Turning Bad” is the title of their projected Volt album. Thanks to the recent discovery of a proposed track listing, we were able to sequence the CD in the same order. There’s also the bonus of two extremely good non-album B-sides, to complete our anthology of the Hot Sauce catalogue.

Following the demise of both Volt and Hot Sauce, Rhonda Washington is believed to have retreated into the St. Louis gospel scene. Disco was already on its way by the time of her last sessions and she may well have not wanted to be a part of that scene anyway. Wherever she is now or whatever she’s doing, it’s a real treat to be able to get all of Hot Sauce and Rhonda’s sublime sides on one CD for the first time ever. Not so much a ‘Good Woman Turning Bad’ as a good woman singing great.

By Tony Rounce

Disturb My Soul - Gospel From Stax Records' Chalice Label

Original Ace Release

A rerun of Chubbs' old post:

Stax Records launched a gospel subsidiary called Chalice during the mid-1960s that, although short-lived, recorded some remarkable quartets from Memphis and surrounding areas. This 24-track compilation gathers up some ultra-rare selections from that label's archives, including such then-topical songs as the Dixie Nightingales' "The Assassination" (a harrowing lament for President John F. Kennedy) and the Jubilee Hummingbirds' "Our Freedom Song," about Dr. Martin
Luther King's receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize. What is especially appealing is the crack instrumental support behind these various quartets being provided by Steve Cropper, Al Jackson, Jr., Isaac Hayes and other Stax R&B session stalwarts. Selections from the Stars of Virginia and the Pattersonaires complete the package. Note: this compilation was previously released by Ace Records (U.K.) as Disturb My Soul: Gospel from Stax Records' Chalice Label.  - Cub Koda/AMG

William Bell - This Is Where I Live

"William Bell aces his return to the legendary Stax label with "This Is Where I Live," an excellent album built on the foundations of his songwriting and vocal skills.

In the '60s, Bell performed or wrote a handful of blues and soul classics like "Everyday Will Be A Holiday" and "Born Under A Bad Sign," and he continues to uphold those high standards even on the cusp of age 77.

His clear, smooth tenor lends authority and honesty to the 12 songs produced by John Leventhal, best known for his work with wife Rosanne Cash, Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin. Leventhal plays most of the instruments and co-wrote nearly every song with Bell, proving a sympathetic and inspiring partner. His "no frills, no clichés" approach hits the bullseye.

Bell, who founded his own record label and left Stax in the mid-'70s, sings about his Memphis roots and musical journey on the title track, while "More Rooms" cautions that for a marriage to last, remember that "there's more rooms in a house ... than the bedroom."

Bell's take on "Born Under a Bad Sign," which he wrote with Booker T. Jones, alters the classic guitar riff and is more a weary lament than a complaint. "Poison in the Well" is sung by a victim of love over a Robert Cray-style groove, and the second line from the refrain of "All the Things You Can't Remember" is "I'm still trying to forget."

After a fallow decade, "This Is Where I Live" proves that in the right company Bell is still an enduring source of brilliance." By Pablo Gorondi, Associated Press

Albert King - King does the King's Thing

"Originally titled King Does the King's Thing, here's Albert King adding his own touch to a batch of Elvis Presley tunes. Because King's style is so irreducible, the concept actually works, as he fills this album with his traditional, high-voltage guitar work and strong vocals. That isn't surprising, since four of the nine tunes on here originally started as R&B hits covered by Presley, including an instrumental version of Smiley Lewis' "One Night." No matter what the original sources may be, though, this is a strong showing in King's catalog." Cub Koda

The Soul Children

The Soul Children was an American vocal group who recorded soul music for Stax Records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They had three top ten hits on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart – "The Sweeter He Is" (1969), "Hearsay" (1972), and "I'll Be The Other Woman" (1973) – all of which crossed over to the Hot 100.

The group was formed in 1968 by Isaac Hayes and David Porter of Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, after one of the label's top acts, Sam & Dave, left Stax to join the Atlantic label. As leading songwriters and producers for the label, Hayes and Porter put together a vocal group with two male and two female singers, all of whom sang lead on some of the group's recordings. The original members were Norman West, John Colbert (aka J. Blackfoot), Anita Louis, and Shelbra Bennett. Colbert – who had been known from childhood as Blackfoot for his habit of walking barefoot on the tarred sidewalks of Memphis during the hot summers – had recorded solo singles before joining The Bar-Kays as lead singer, after four original band members were killed with Otis Redding in a plane crash. Anita Louis was a backing singer on some of the records produced by Hayes and Porter. Shelbra Bennett had recently joined the label as a singer. Norman West, Jr., the last to join the group, grew up in Louisiana, and sang in church with his brothers Joe, James, and Robert. He replaced William Bell as a member of The Del-Rios in 1962, later recorded several unsuccessful solo singles in Memphis, and sang with a rock band, Colors Incorporated, which had been formed by members of Jerry Lee Lewis' band.

The group's first record, "Give 'Em Love", produced by Hayes and Porter and released in late 1968, was a Bilboard R&B chart hit, as were two follow-ups. Their fourth single, "The Sweeter He Is", became one of their biggest hits, reaching no. 7 on the R&B chart in late 1969 and no. 52 on the Hot 100. The group also released their first album, Soul Children, in 1969. Musicians used on the recordings included Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn and Al Jackson, Jr., of Booker T. & the M.G.'s, as well as Hayes. However, after the group had a minor hit with a slowed-down version of "Hold On, I'm Coming" in early 1970, Hayes left the project to develop his solo career. The group recorded a second album, Best of Two Worlds, at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, but their next few singles failed to make the charts. In 1972, they recorded another album, Genesis, arranged by Dale Warren and produced by Jim Stewart and Al Jackson, which produced another hit single, "Hearsay". Written by West and Colbert, it reached no. 5 on the R&B chart and no. 44 on the US pop chart. They appeared at the Wattstax concert in August 1972, and followed up with several smaller hit singles. In 1973, they recorded the ballad "I'll Be the Other Woman", written and produced by Homer Banks and Carl Hampton, and with lead vocals by Shelbra Bennett, which became their biggest hit, reaching no. 3 on the R&B chart and no. 36 on the pop chart. They also recorded a final album for Stax with Banks and Hampton, Friction.

The Soul Children left Stax in 1975, and Bennett left for a solo career. The trio of West, Colbert and Louis signed to Epic Records in 1976, releasing an album, Finders Keepers and several moderately successful singles. Their second album for Epic, Where Is Your Woman Tonight (1977), reunited the group with producer David Porter. Porter then signed the group to a reactivated Stax label established by Fantasy Records, and co-produced another album for the group, Open Door Policy (1978). However, it was less successful than their earlier recordings, and the group decided to split up in 1979.

Sam & Dave - The Definitive Soul Collection

 I've been reading an excellent history of Stax records which lead me to dig out this Rhino set. From the book I've learned that Sam and Dave were never really a Stax act, they were always signed to Atlantic and only 'on loan' to Stax. This became another of the deep wounds Stax suffered when they split from Atlantic subsequent to the sale of that label to Warner Brothers.

The distribution agreement between Stax and Atlantic had been a handshake deal between Jim Stewart and Jerry Wexler until 1965. During the period when Stax had just discovered their breakout star in Otis Redding and Wexler was bringing his new singer Wilson Pickett to Memphis, it was decided to finally formalize and put to print the deal which had been in place for years. Stewart viewed this as a move to protect Stax's interests against any upheavals at the larger label and his main goal was to include a 'key man' clause that let him escape the deal should Wexler's position change. Wexler brought the contract with him when he brought Pickett to Stax and after checking that the base terms were unchanged and the key man clause was included, Stewart and, allegedly, Wexler both signed the contract without actually reading the entire 13 page document. Are you hearing some ominous chords in the background?

The first Pickett session produced Midnight Hour amongst other hits and shortly thereafter, Wexler sent his newly signed duo Sam & Dave to Memphis, much to their dismay as both had assumed that they would be in the big New York studios. It took a few sessions to convince them they were in the right place after all.

The rest of 1965 through 1966 and most of 1967 things went well for both labels, despite the difficult blowup over Pickett's second visit to Stax when he behaved so badly that Stewart told Wexler to never bring him to Stax again. Wexler ended up taking Wilson to Muscle Shoals and, unfortunately for Stax, he took his next star Aretha there as well. Otis Redding and Sam & Dave were, however, enjoying great success so while there were some bad feelings in the pot, overall things were still cooking for both labels.

In December of 1967 Redding took a break from a period of furious writing and recording to do a small tour to fulfill some obligations, but was expected back at Stax the following week to continue the roll he was on. After a show in Cleveland, Ohio Otis and his new teenage band the Bar-kays were flying to Milwaukee in Redding's new plane. He had just bought a larger one so that the band could fly with him. The plane crashed into a small lake near Milwaukee, only one of the Bar-kays survived.

While all of Stax was still reeling from the loss of Otis and the group of talented teenagers who had nearly grown up in their studios, news came that Atlantic was being purchased by Warner Brothers. Stewart felt reasonably secure with his key man clause, so when Atlantic/Warner came up with a low-ball offer to acquire Stax as well, he refused and invoked the clause to gain Stax's freedom. It was near the end of those negotiations that Wexler dropped twin bombs that put Stax's future in doubt. First he informed them that Atlantic was taking Sam & Dave back (now they had lost their two biggest acts) and it was also revealed that Atlantic's lawyers had buried two clauses in the distribution agreement that gave Atlantic ownership of the masters to every record they had ever distributed for Stax, even retroactive to the deal; essentially the entire catalog of the label. Stax had done all the work, spent all their own money on the recordings and Wexler's shyster lawyers had stolen all of it.

To this day Wexler claims to have known nothing about the clauses and says that both he and Ahmet Ertegun attempted to intercede in Stax's behalf and implore Warner Brothers to return the masters, but to no avail. Somehow their behavior in making the low-ball offer to acquire Stax gives lie to that claim as it seems clear that they knew of the clauses during the negotiations and didn't reveal the truth until Stewart refused their offer. It is one of the worst stories of corporate greed that has ever been perpetrated in the record industry.

Otis Redding - The Complete Stax/Volt Singles

Is it really possible that this is the first Otis Redding post? Wow, hard to believe, but I guess I would assume he's one guy EVERYONE would have a lot of. This 2013 set collects all the Stax/Volt singles; most, if not all, are the original mono versions. No matter what you already have in your collection, you still probably need this...after all, it's OTIS!!

" Otis Ray Redding, Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the greatest singers in popular music and a major artist in soul and rhythm and blues. His singing style was powerfully influential among soul artists of 1960s and helped exemplify the Stax Sound.

After appearing at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival Redding wrote and recorded the iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts after his death in a plane crash. The Dock of the Bay became the first posthumous album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart.

Born and raised in Georgia, United States, Redding left school at 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and performing at talent shows for prize money. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins' band, the Pinetoppers, and toured the Southern United States as driver and musician. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first single, "These Arms of Mine", in 1962. Stax released Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart, two years later.

Initially popular mainly with African Americans, Redding later reached the broader American popular music audience. He and his group first played small gigs in the South, then debuted in the western United States at LA's popular Whisky a Go Go. They later performed in Paris, London and other European cities.

Redding's premature death devastated Stax. Already on the verge of bankruptcy, the label soon discovered that Atlantic Records owned the rights to his entire catalog.

Redding received many posthumous accolades, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He received the honorific "King of Soul". In addition to "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness" are among his best known songs."

The Gospel Truth - The Gospel Soul And Funk Of Stax Records

A stellar batch of smoldering gospel soul and good word funk – long under-appreciated material released in the early-to-mid 70s on the Truth & Gospel Truth labels, imprints of the mighty Stax Records! The sound is often early 70s Memphis soul & funk to the bone – a few strings bring some soaring moments, but the groove is nice and gritty – with the gospel coming from the heart & soul of the singers. The set features a couple of numbers from The Staple Singers released on Stax proper back in the day, plus lesser known and equally great numbers from Clarence Smith, The Marion Gaines Singers, The Rance Allen Group, The Sons Of Truth, Joshie Jo Armstead, Louise McCord and many more released on Truth & Gospel Truth in the first half of the 70s. Titles include "Son Of The Deacon" by The Sons Of Truth, "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" by Clarence Smith, "(There's Gonna Be A) Showdown" by Rance Allen Group, "You Can't Stop Me Now" by The Marion Gaines Singers, "it Will Soon Be Over" by The Marion Gaines Singers, "Stumbling Blocks, Steppin' Stones (What Took Me So Long)" by Joshie Jo Armstead, "Brand New Day" and "Name The Missing Word" by The Staple Singers and more.

Darrell Banks - I'm The One Who Loves You

 Patsoul's contribution of Banks' Atlantic album gave us the opening chapter of his musical legacy. Here is the next and sadly final chapter of that story.

Banks came to Stax in 1969 and a flurry of recording resulted in the one full LP, a couple singles and some demo's. Once again the amazing folks of Kent/Ace have managed to assemble everything and preserve this too brief talent. Banks was shot and killed in early 1970.

Rance Allen - Stax Profiles

Detroit-born singer, pianist, and guitarist Rance Allen, along with his brothers Steve and Tom Allen, made clear the gospel roots of soul with these impressive tracks recorded between 1971 and 1975 for Stax Records and the Stax imprints Gospel Truth and Truth. With his jaw-dropping multi-octave vocals, which could soar into an ether-ionizing high falsetto, Rance never recorded a note that didn't seem to brim with joy, even when he works around the blues form like he does here on "What Is This?," and along with the solid musicianship of his brothers, the Rance Allen Group pioneered a truly American mix of gospel, soul, jazz, and blues. This generous set (it tops 75 minutes in length) includes the best of the group's Stax-era sides, including the hits "I Belong to You" (which eerily presages contemporary urban soul) and the beautiful David Porter-penned "Ain't No Need of Crying," as well as another Porter composition, "Ring My Bell," and a joyous, stomping cover of Sister Rosetta Tharpe's "Up Above My Head," where Rance's vocal soars up into the high atmosphere at the end of lines as if it had wings. An upbeat, bubbling set that is sure to chase the blues all the way back to Georgia, or wherever the blues comes from these days. - Steve Leggett / AMG

CD > EAC > FLAC 16/44.1 

Eddie Floyd - Soul Street

The links that patsoul generously added to the previous Eddie Floyd post have made me aware that the version of this that I have actually encompasses the last two Stax albums, Baby Lay Your Head Down and Soul Street.These are the last two chapters in Eddie's Stax output.

Eddie Floyd - Rare Stamps

Here ya go frankie!

 Rare Stamps was an odd release. It would appear to have been meant as something of a greatest hits album even though it is only his 3rd album of 8 on Stax. Five of the tracks here come from those first two albums but seven more singles culled from the same period make it essential, at least until we finally get that complete Eddie Floyd Stax set from someone like Ace. For now, to fill in your Stax sides, you will need this one too.

I do have Eddie's final Stax album Soul Street ready to go but there is a 4 album gap before that:

 You've Got to Have Eddie - (1969) - Stax
California Girl - (1970) - Stax
Down to Earth - (1971) - Stax
Baby Lay Your Head Down - (1973) - Stax 

Let's see if someone offers up any of these titles before I jump ahead to Soul Street.

Nobody Wins - Stax Southern Soul 1968-1975

Another one of those compilations like the Sound Stage Seven disc that manages to be a very entertaining listen.

"The Ace Records family has reissued numerous collector-oriented compilations from the Stax vaults over the years, and this 2012 anthology was intended as the first of a planned series on its Kent subsidiary focusing on Stax tracks from the late '60s and early '70s. The 21 tracks all focus on Stax recordings that fall into the Southern deep soul category -- not a problem as such soul abounded on the label, though these might be more deep soul-oriented than the typical Stax reissue. It's also oriented toward songs that aren't too familiar -- none of them were hits, and three of them were previously unreleased, though most of them did come out as singles between 1968 and 1975. And while some of the artists (Johnnie Taylor, Jimmy Hughes, William Bell, Inez Foxx, Eddie Floyd, Mable John, Little Milton) at various points had substantial hits (though not always for Stax), they're outweighed by acts that will largely be recognized only by those that study the fine print of Stax discographies.

None of these songs were hooky or innovative enough to be as memorable as the many hits the label had during these half-dozen or so years. Hits aren't everything, though, unless you're as rabid a capitalist as you are a collector. If some of these songs are on the average or generic side, more often they're pretty fair efforts that usually boast excellent singing and fine (if occasionally slick) production, as well as subtly testifying to the versatility of tracks released under the Stax umbrella. Particularly pleasing are some cuts that use more group harmonies than the norm for Stax productions from this era, as well as some that exhibit a bluesier bent than soul as a whole did during this period, like Little Milton's fine "Woman Across the River," Jimmy Hughes' "Let 'Em Down Baby," and Mable John's "Shouldn't I Love Him." The menu's varied enough that favorites will vary according to individual tastes, but other tracks worthy of citation include Johnny Daye's opening pleader "Stay Baby Stay" and Bettye Crutcher's previously unissued sweet soul outing "Make a Joyful Noise" (which unlike many outtakes really should have been released at the time). Sometimes it's apparent that Stax was keeping an ear open to the sounds of Hi elsewhere in Memphis -- Freddie Waters' "Groovin' on My Baby's Love" has an Al Green feel, for instance -- though no doubt some of that influence was traveling in the other direction as well. Stax obsessives will already have much of this, particularly on volumes two and three of the box sets of Stax singles. But this is a good pickup for those who don't want to make such a huge investment, yet are still interested in seeking out some of the label's deep catalog." by Richie Unterberger, AMG

Jean Knight - Mr. Big Stuff

I've read somewhere that the 'Mr. Big Stuff' session was recorded on the same day as King Floyd's hit 'Groove Me'. Both were Wardell Quezergue produced artists from New Orleans so it makes sense that he would maximize the trip to Malaco Studios in Jackson by bringing two artists. Likely the same band would have played both sessions. As you will see below, Knight ends up at Stax almost by accident.

"Jean Knight (born Jean Caliste, January 26, 1943, New Orleans, Louisiana) is an African-American soul/R&B/funk singer, best known for her 1971 Stax Records hit single, "Mr. Big Stuff".

After graduating from high school, Caliste began singing at her cousin's bar 'Laura's Place' and caught the attention of many different bands who were willing to accompany her. In 1965, she recorded a demo of a cover version of Jackie Wilson's song "Stop Doggin' Me Around." Her demo attracted record producer Huey Meaux, who signed her to a recording contract at the Jet Star/Tribe record labels. Shortly thereafter, Caliste adopted the professional name of "Jean Knight," because she felt that her surname was too hard to pronounce. She recorded four singles, making a name for herself locally, but was not able to attract any national attention. By the late 1960s, it was obvious that her career was not living up to her high expectations, so she went to work as a baker in the cafeteria of Loyola University in New Orleans.

In early 1970, she was discovered by songwriter Ralph Williams, who wanted her to record some songs. With Williams' connections, she came in contact with record producer Wardell Quezergue. In May of that year, she went to Malaco Studios in Jackson, Mississippi, for a recording session during which she recorded "Mr. Big Stuff." After the session was finished, the song was shopped to producers at several national labels, all of whom rejected it. But when King Floyd's hit "Groove Me" (also recorded at Malaco Studios) became a #1 R&B hit in early 1971, a producer at Stax Records remembered Knight's recording of "Mr. Big Stuff," and released it. The song proved to be an instant smash in 1971, reaching #2 on the pop chart and becoming a #1 R&B hit. It went double-platinum and received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female; it lost to Aretha Franklin's version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The next year, Knight was named the 'Most Promising Female Vocalist'. An album of the same name proved to be fairly successful. A couple more minor hits followed, but disagreements with her producer and her label terminated Knight's involvement with Stax.

After leaving Stax, Knight recorded songs for various small labels, but was not able to gain any more recognition. She ended up performing and touring the local oldie circuit. Things changed in 1981, when she met local producer Isaac Bolden, who signed her to his Soulin' label. Together, they came up with a song entitled "You Got the Papers but I Got the Man," an answer song to Betty Wright's hit, "I've Got the Papers on the Man"; that song was leased to Atlantic Records for national release. Soon, Knight found herself touring consistently. In 1985, she gained more recognition when she covered Rockin' Sidney's zydeco novelty hit, "My Toot Toot." Her version proved to be most successful, reaching #50 on the pop chart. Knight was then given a chance to perform it on the TV variety show Solid Gold.

Although she waited twelve years to come out with another recording, she continued touring and performing engagements all over the world, particularly in the Southern states. In 2003, she performed her biggest hit, "Mr. Big Stuff", on the PBS special Soul Comes Home. Knight has talent running in the family; her great nephews are Gerard Caliste (a visual artist) and Swedish hip hop artist Mattias Lindström Caliste who is part of the Scandinavian rap group Fjärde Världen. Knight continues to tour and make live performances, often with such artists as Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor.

In October 2007, the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame honored Knight for her contributions to Louisiana music by inducting her."

The two blatant remakes of "Mr. Big Stuff" with different lyrics are a bit tiresome, and one or two others suffer from Al Jackson over-production, but on the whole I enjoy her voice.

Albert King - Born Under A Bad Sign

Don't think I'm done with Stax yet, oh no, not nearly!
  
Albert King (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992) One of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with B.B. King and Freddie King), Albert King stood 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) (some reports say 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)) and weighed 250 pounds (110 kg) and was known as "The Velvet Bulldozer". He was born Albert King Nelson, on a cotton plantation in Indianola, Mississippi. During his childhood he would sing at a family gospel group at a church where his father played the guitar. One of 13 children, King grew up picking cotton on plantations near Forrest City, Arkansas, where the family moved when he was eightHe began his professional work as a musician with a group called In The Groove Boys in Osceola, Arkansas. Moving north to Gary, Indiana and later St. Louis, Missouri, he briefly played drums for Jimmy Reed's band and on several early Reed recordings. Influenced by blues musicians Blind Lemon Jefferson and Lonnie Johnson, the electric guitar became his signature instrument, his preference being the Gibson Flying V which he named "Lucy". King earned his nickname "The Velvet Bulldozer" during this period as he drove one of them and also worked as a mechanic to make a living.

King moved to Gary, Indiana in the early 1950s, then to Chicago in 1953 where he cut his first single for Parrot Records, but it was only a minor regional success. He then went back to St. Louis in 1956 and formed a new band. During this period, he settled on using the Flying V as his primary guitar. He resumed recording in 1959 with his first minor hit, "I'm a Lonely Man," written by Little Milton, who was Bobbin Records A&R man, a fellow guitar hero, and responsible for King's signing with the label.

It was not until his 1961 release "Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong" that King had a major hit, reaching number fourteen on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart. The song was included on his first album The Big Blues, released in 1962. He next signed with jazz artist Leo Gooden's Coun-Tree label. King's reputation continued to grow in the Midwest, but a jealous Gooden dropped him from the label. By modern standards, The Big Blues feels completely generic with little of note except King's guitar, but in 1962 it was fresh and marked a new type of clean, sharp blues over the "dirty" sound that characterized the genre during the 50s.

In 1966, King moved to Memphis, where he signed with the Stax record label. Produced by Al Jackson, Jr., King with Booker T. & the MGs recorded dozens of influential sides, such as "Crosscut Saw" and "As The Years Go Passing By". In 1967 Stax released the album, Born Under a Bad Sign, which was not technically a studio album, but a collection of all the singles King recorded at Stax. The title track of that album (written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell) became King's best-known song and has been covered by many artists (from British rock group Cream, Paul Rodgers, Canadian guitarist Pat Travers, American rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix to cartoon character Homer Simpson). The production of the songs was sparse, clean, and maintained a traditional blues sound while also sounding fresh and thoroughly contemporary. Almost as important as King himself was the "menacing" bass of Donald Dunn, which at some points approached an early metal feel. Born Under A Bad Sign propelled Albert King to mainstream popularity at the comparatively late age of 44 and was one of the last albums recorded by an artist whose career began before the rock-and-roll era to be truly innovative, predictive of future music trends, and influential on young musicians of the era.

The Best Of Sam And Dave

Sam & Dave were an American soul and rhythm and blues (R&B) duo who performed together from 1961 through to 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Samuel David Moore (born Samuel David Hicks on October 12, 1935), and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (May 9, 1937 – April 9, 1988).

Sam & Dave are members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and are Grammy Award and multiple gold record award winning artists. According to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Sam & Dave were the most successful soul duo, and brought the sounds of the black gospel church to pop music with their call-and-response records. Recorded primarily at Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, from 1965 through 1968, these included "Soul Man", "Hold On, I'm Comin", "I Thank You", "When Something is Wrong with My Baby", "Wrap It Up", and many other Southern Soul classics. Other than Aretha Franklin, no soul act during Sam & Dave's Stax years (1965–1968) had more consistent R&B chart success, including 10 consecutive top 20 singles and 3 consecutive top 10 LPs.  Their crossover charts appeal (13 straight appearances and 2 top 10 singles) helped to pave the way for the acceptance of soul music by white pop audiences, and their song "Soul Man" was one of the first songs by a black group to top the pop charts using the word "soul", helping define the genre. "Soul Man" was a number one Pop Hit (Cashbox: November 11, 1967) and has been recognized as one of the most influential songs of the past 50 years by the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone magazine, and RIAA Songs of the Century. "Soul Man" was featured as the soundtrack and title for a 1986 film and also a 1997–1998 television series, and Soul Men was a 2008 feature film.

Nicknamed "Double Dynamite", "The Sultans of Sweat", and "The Dynamic Duo" for their gritty, gospel-infused performances, Sam & Dave were one of the greatest live acts of the 1960s. They were an influence on many future musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, Al Green, Tom Petty, Phil Collins, Michael Jackson, Elvis Costello, The Jam, Teddy Pendergrass, Billy Joel and Steve Winwood. The Blues Brothers, who helped create a resurgence of popularity for soul, R&B, and blues in the 1980s, were influenced by Sam & Dave - their biggest hit was a cover of "Soul Man", and their act and stage show had many similarities to the duo.


When Sam & Dave arrived at Stax, they worked with producer & engineer Jim Stewart and songwriters including the MGs' guitarist Steve Cropper, who wrote or co-wrote four of their first eight recordings. The duo then moved to relative newcomer writers and producers Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Hayes and Porter wrote and produced the duo's biggest hits (although they did not receive production credits until the Soul Men LP and singles). According to Moore and Prater, they also greatly influenced the duo's singing style, and had them shift their recording style from the style of their Roulette records to a more live, more energetic gospel, call-and-response feel and beat driven soul style the group is known for today.

Sam & Dave's Stax records also benefited from the musicians and engineering at Stax. The Stax house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, and the Stax horn section, the Mar-Keys, had world-class musicians who co-wrote (often without credit) and contributed to recordings—the same musicians who recorded with Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas and other soul artists. Sam & Dave's Stax recordings through 1967 were engineered by Stax founder Jim Stewart, who created the Memphis Sound by recording live in a single take. Stewart is credited for instrumental mixes that allowed for instrumental separation and the distinct contribution of each instrument to the overall feel of the song. Hayes and Porter are in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, The Mar-Keys are in the Musicians Hall of Fame, and Booker T. & the MG's, Jim Stewart, Isaac Hayes and Sam & Dave are all in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

While the first two Stax singles failed to chart, the third, the Hayes/Porter composition (with similarities, including the title, to a gospel standard) "You Don't Know Like I Know" hit #7 R&B in 1966. This was the first of 10 consecutive Top Twenty R&B chart hits over three years, and 14 R&B chart appearances during their career. The year 1969 started well, with the Atlantic release of The Best of Sam & Dave LP in January. It contained all their Stax A sides except "A Place Nobody Can Find" and several B-sides, and peaked at #24 on the R&B LP charts and #89 on the Billboard LP charts. Their first single of the year, "Soul Sister, Brown Sugar", returned Sam and Dave to the R&B top 20, and was a #15 hit in the UK.  The follow-up "Born Again", reached the lower levels of the charts, and was the last single Sam and Dave recorded at Stax.

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During the early '80s, Atlantic released newer compilations from some of the most popular R&B artists from the '60s, including Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett. The Best of Sam & Dave perhaps works even better. Although the duo's 1969 greatest hits remains definitive from a pop culture and song choice perspective, this boasts superior sound and zero filler. Like all of their compilations of merit, The Best of Sam & Dave proves the precision of the backing from Booker T. and the MG's and the duo's most illustrious songwriting team, Isaac Hayes and David Porter. The writing team's masterwork, the amazing and kinetic "Soul Man" was in line with the burgeoning black pride of the time. While other well-known tracks like "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" and "Hold on, I'm Comin'" are here, The Best of Sam & Dave also culls other songs that are just as potent. The humorous "Said I Wasn't Gonna Tell Nobody" and the hard-driving yet quirky "Wrap It Up" all display the singular one-two punch of Moore's narrow and irascible tone pitted against Prater's woebegone baritone. Arguably the best track, the phenomenal "I Thank You" closes the compilation on a high note. Although the duo did switch officially to Atlantic by the early '70s, this compilation stops at the prime Stax material. The Best of Sam & Dave had a brief shelf life and was supplanted by more extensive overviews. As a compilation spotlighting the hits, this does the job. - Jason Elias / AMG

Johnnie Taylor - The Philosopher of Soul

"Johnnie Harrison Taylor (May 5, 1934 – May 31, 2000 was born in Crawfordsville, Arkansas. As a child, he grew up in West Memphis, Arkansas and performed in gospel groups as a youngster. As an adult, he had one release, "Somewhere to Lay My Head", on Chicago's Chance Records label in the 1950s, as part of the gospel group Highway QCs, which had been founded by a young Sam Cooke. His singing was strikingly close to that of Sam Cooke, and he was hired to take Cooke's place in the latter's gospel group, the Soul Stirrers, in 1957.

A few years later, after Cooke had established his independent SAR Records, Taylor signed on as one of the label's first acts and recorded "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day" in 1962. However, SAR Records quickly became defunct after Cooke's death in 1964.

In 1966, Taylor moved to Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was dubbed "The Philosopher of Soul". Whilst there he recorded with the label's house band, Booker T. & the MGs. His hits included "I Had a Dream", "I've Got to Love Somebody's Baby" (both written by the team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter) and most notably "Who's Making Love", which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 1 on the R&B chart in 1968. "Who's Making Love" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

During his tenure at Stax, he became an R&B star, with over a dozen chart successes, such as "Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone", which reached No. 23 on the Hot 100 chart, "Cheaper to Keep Her" (Mack Rice) and record producer Don Davis's penned "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)", which reached No. 11 on the Hot 100 chart. "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)" also sold in excess of one million units, and was awarded gold disc status by the R.I.A.A. in October 1973. Taylor, along with Isaac Hayes and The Staple Singers was one of the label's flagship artists. He appeared in the documentary film, Wattstax, which was released in 1973.
Columbia Records

William Bell - Soul Of A Bell / Bound To Happen

 Another Stax guy who was both behind the scenes and out front on stage was William Bell. Bell was born William Yarborough in Memphis, TN in 1939; he took the stage name Bell as a tribute to his grandmother. He began his career as a backup singer for Rufus Thomas in 1957, had some minor success with a group The Del Rio's, followed Rufus to Stax in 1961 as a staff writer and soon as an artist as well.

Most of what was said about Eddie Floyd's role at Stax applies equally well to William Bell. He wrote, sang, produced and help to craft the Stax Sound. Bell's own "You Don't Miss Your Water" was an early hit for Stax in 1961 but just as he was getting rolling a two year hitch in the military set back a promising solo career. He returned to Stax after getting out but not until 1966-67 did he finally regain some traction with "Share What You Got (But Keep What You Need)" and "Everybody Loves a Winner", resulting in the fine LP 'Soul Of A Bell'. 1967 also saw his song (co-written with Booker T Jones) "Born Under A Bad Sign" scoring a big hit for Albert King.
 
 In 1968 Bell scored again with his "Tribute To A King" for the late Otis Redding. An album of duets yielded "Private Number" with Judy Clay but not much else that was memorable. Before the year was out Bell recorded "I Forgot To Be Your Lover", a Top 10 R&B hit for him and, 20 years later, a Top 10 Pop hit for Billy Idol. The album "Bound To Happen" followed in 1969.

 Bell stayed with Stax to the end, recording 3 or 4 more "nice" but not particularly successful albums. In 1976, the year after Stax folded, he had his biggest hit "Trying to Love Two," which topped the R&B charts for Mercury.

William Bell relocated to Atlanta and continued in the business in various capacities (including founding two labels) and recorded a number of locally successful albums. He still performs on occasion in R&B Legends shows. He has received honors as an R&B Pioneer and a W.C. Handy award.