WKNO Looks at the Birth of the "Memphis Sound" in a new documentary on Stax Records. WKNO's popular Memphis Memoirs series will look at the birth of this iconic label in Stax - The Early Years. It's produced by Bill and Tess Carrier, the award-winning team from API Cine. From the illuminating history of Stax, written by Rob Bowman, to the illustrative archival photography lensed by API Photographers, the engaging story of Soulsville USA will be set to motion. The story of Stax documents not only the origins of the world famous "Memphis Sound," but also the pre-civil rights cooperative spirit of southern blacks and whites - who worked together to create a cultural phenomenon.
Stax - The Early Years includes interviews with participants and archival photography to share the story of the birth and legacy of Stax Records. In Stax - The Early Years, we discover how Stax got its name changed from Satellite Records in 1961, and how James Stewart and Estell Axton, brother & sister, founded the company. We'll see how WLOK's exposure of "Green Onions" boosted the careers of Al Jackson, Steve Cropper, Booker T and Lewis Steinberg, and how the Hamond B2 enhanced the sound.

We'll take a journey with Otis Redding and his unique voice and gospel background in "These Arms of Mine" and discover how Jerry Wexler, of Atlantic, guided the success of Rufus Thomas with "Walking the Dog." We'll also highlight the songwriting team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter, with hits like "Hold on I'm Coming," and the memorable Mabel John, who captured the Memphis sound along with Sam & Dave.

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