The HBO Original four-part documentary series Stax: Soulsville U.S.A., which was an official selection of the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival and winner of the TV Premiere Audience Award, will be kicking off on HBO on May 20th, 2024.
The series was Produced and directed by filmmaker Jamila Wignot. The series debuts on May 20th from 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT with two episodes airing back-to-back, followed by the final two episodes airing back-to-back on Tuesday, May 21 at the same time. All four episodes of the series will be available to stream on Max on May 20.
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, they grew from a modest family-owned record store and studio in Memphis, TN to a global music label.
Driven by a collection of restored and remastered archival performance footage and interviews with key players in the label’s history, the series details the origin story of Stax Records and pays tribute to its music library and the legendary artists that emerged from the studio.
A wealth of music and archival footage is complemented by insight from the following participants:
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; Booker T. & the M.G.’s guitarist, Steve Cropper; Rufus Thomas, artist and Memphis DJ; Carla Thomas, Stax singer and songwriter; Sam Moore, singer; Bar-Kays bassist, James Alexander; musician and Bar-Kays drummer, Willie Hall; 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.
