Concord and Rhino Records are joining forces for special releases saluting the legacy of Stax Records.
Stax was founded as Satellite Records in 1957 and, for the next fifteen years, was the epitome of Southern Soul Music. Icons of the genre gathered in Memphis to record some of the greatest R&B records of the era including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd, Johnnie Taylor, William Bell, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the MG’s and many more.
Many of those artists will be honored with brand new hits compilations that will be released on CD, vinyl and digital, the first wave of which will hit the stores on May 19 under the Stax Classics banner:
Albert King
Booker T. & the MG’s
Otis Redding
Carla Thomas
Dramatics
Isaac Hayes
Sam & Dave
William Bell
Staple Singers
Johnnie Taylor
Each album contains twelve tracks from the artist and appear to be mid-line priced.
Plus, tomorrow (April 28), Stax is reissuing John Gary Williams, the lead singer of the Mad Lads, self-titled album, the only one of his career, which originally was issued in 1973. The new edition of the vinyl album was cut at Ardent Studios using the original Stax lathe and pressed on 180-gm vinyl at Memphis Record Pressing. The set includes new liner notes by John Hubbel
Reissues of some of the label’s most iconic albums are also scheduled for the coming year on vinyl including King & Queen by Otis Redding & Carla Thomas, the Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song Soundtrack and The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads.
New collections include a 4-CD Isaac Hayes: The Spirit of Memphis (1962 – 1976), scheduled for August to coincide with Hayes’ 75th birthday, a 3-CD Stax 60th set and a new installment of the Complete Stax Singles series.
Mark Pinkus, president of Rhino entertainment, said “The Stax catalog features some of the greatest and most culturally significant albums and singles of all time and continues to resonate with music fans 60 years later. We are thrilled to be partnering with Concord’s team on a wide array of new releases fitting of such an important moment in the Stax legacy.”
Sig Sigworth, Chief Catalog Officer of Concord Bicycle Music, Concord Music Group’s mother company, also notes that “Stax has a great history of bringing people together-songwriters, musicians, singers and fans from around the world. It’s in this same tradition that we are very pleased to work with Mark and his team to bring together both sides of this incredible catalog while celebrating 60 years of Soulsville, USA.”
