"We were on top of the world." HBO Docs has unveiled the trailer for a documentary series titled Stax: Soulsville U.S.A., arriving for streaming later this month. This docu series from HBO "captures how an underdog record label launched a movement and superstar musicians like Isaac Hayes and Otis Redding." The Memphis soul sound that electrified the world... In 1960s Memphis, an audacious set of interracial collaborators dared to make their own music on their own terms, forming Stax Records, one of America's most influential creators of Black music. At the peak of its success, Stax artists commemorated the Watts Rebellion by playing to over 100,000 African Americans at the 1972 benefit concert Wattstax. During an era of major social turbulence, systemic inequity, racial tensions, Stax saw stunning artistic & cultural success, and managed to rebound from repeated business setbacks & losses before the studio ultimately dissolved after 15 pioneering years. With appearances by Otis Redding,...
- 5/2/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Clarence Avant, the judicious manager, entrepreneur, facilitator and adviser who helped launch or guide the careers of Quincy Jones, Bill Withers and many others and came to be known as the “Black Godfather” of music and beyond, has died. He was 92.
Avant, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, according to a family statement released Monday.
Avant’s achievements were both public and behind the scenes, as a name in the credits, or a name behind the names. Born in a segregated hospital in North Carolina, he became a man of lasting and wide-ranging influence, in part by minding two pieces of advice from an early mentor, the music manager Joe Glaser: Never let on how much you know, and ask for as much money as possible, “without stuttering.”
“He exemplified a certain level of cool and street smarts...
Avant, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, according to a family statement released Monday.
Avant’s achievements were both public and behind the scenes, as a name in the credits, or a name behind the names. Born in a segregated hospital in North Carolina, he became a man of lasting and wide-ranging influence, in part by minding two pieces of advice from an early mentor, the music manager Joe Glaser: Never let on how much you know, and ask for as much money as possible, “without stuttering.”
“He exemplified a certain level of cool and street smarts...
- 8/15/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
Clarence Avant, the trailblazing record executive known as the “Godfather of Black Music,” has died at the age of 92.
Avant passed away on Sunday, August 13th, according to a statement from his family. “It is with a heavy heart that the Avant/Sarandos family announce the passing of Clarence Alexander Avant. Through his revolutionary business leadership, Clarence became affectionately known as ‘The Black Godfather’ in the worlds of music, entertainment, politics, and sports. Clarence leaves behind a loving family and a sea of friends and associates that have changed the world and will continue to change the world for generations to come. The joy of his legacy eases the sorrow of our loss.”
The North Carolina native rose the ranks to become one of the preeminent Black executives in music. After managing local jazz musicians in New Jersey, he relocated to Los Angeles to assist clients in the increasing lucrative field of movie soundtracks.
Avant passed away on Sunday, August 13th, according to a statement from his family. “It is with a heavy heart that the Avant/Sarandos family announce the passing of Clarence Alexander Avant. Through his revolutionary business leadership, Clarence became affectionately known as ‘The Black Godfather’ in the worlds of music, entertainment, politics, and sports. Clarence leaves behind a loving family and a sea of friends and associates that have changed the world and will continue to change the world for generations to come. The joy of his legacy eases the sorrow of our loss.”
The North Carolina native rose the ranks to become one of the preeminent Black executives in music. After managing local jazz musicians in New Jersey, he relocated to Los Angeles to assist clients in the increasing lucrative field of movie soundtracks.
- 8/14/2023
- by Scoop Harrison
- Consequence - Music
The 1960s and 1970s saw the rise of the music festival, and a number of documentaries have captured the spirit of these events. Some of the biggest bands at the time played festivals, and documentarians immortalized their sets and the atmosphere — both jubilant and dangerous — that characterized the performances. Here are seven of the best documentaries to watch about music festivals.
Jimi Hendrix | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images ‘Woodstock’
Woodstock was the defining music festival of the century, and the 1970 film Woodstock captures its spirit. Even viewers who weren’t yet alive during the three-day festival in Woodstock, New York, will walk away with a sense of what it was like to attend. It features performances by artists like Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joan Baez, The Who, Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix.
Thelma Schoonmaker and Martin Scorsese editing the 'Woodstock' documentary in 1969. pic.twitter.com/E5WPO6NCPd
— Lost In...
Jimi Hendrix | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images ‘Woodstock’
Woodstock was the defining music festival of the century, and the 1970 film Woodstock captures its spirit. Even viewers who weren’t yet alive during the three-day festival in Woodstock, New York, will walk away with a sense of what it was like to attend. It features performances by artists like Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joan Baez, The Who, Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix.
Thelma Schoonmaker and Martin Scorsese editing the 'Woodstock' documentary in 1969. pic.twitter.com/E5WPO6NCPd
— Lost In...
- 4/7/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Daisy Jones & the Six is a mini-series that premiered on Amazon Prime Video on March 3, 2023. It follows the story of the titular fictional rock band as they rise to fame in the 1970s. The show explores the personal relationships between each member of the band as they navigate their newfound success. Daisy Jones is portrayed by Riley Keough, the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and the granddaughter of Elvis Presley.
The show is based on a book by the same name written by author Taylor Jenkins-Reid. She drew inspiration for the book from the band Fleetwood Mac. A few of the show’s stars also drew inspiration from real-life music business personalities, including actor Tom Wright.
Tom Wright stars as Teddy Price in ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ Tom Wright as Teddy Price in ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ | Lacey Terrell/Prime Video
Wright stars as Teddy Price on the show.
The show is based on a book by the same name written by author Taylor Jenkins-Reid. She drew inspiration for the book from the band Fleetwood Mac. A few of the show’s stars also drew inspiration from real-life music business personalities, including actor Tom Wright.
Tom Wright stars as Teddy Price in ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ Tom Wright as Teddy Price in ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ | Lacey Terrell/Prime Video
Wright stars as Teddy Price on the show.
- 3/20/2023
- by Angela Ward
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Amazon’s new miniseries Daisy Jones & the Six clearly draws from the turbulent excellence that defined the peak years of Fleetwood Mac. But the adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s 2019 novel also uses the careers of other important artists of the era for inspiration. The character of Simone Jackson (Nabiyah Be) was based on the stardom of three timeless singers from the 1970s. Her plotline takes the same shape in the TV version as it does in the book. But the screen highlights certain details to heighten the emotional stakes of Simone’s story.
In ‘Daisy Jones & the Six,’ Nabiyah Be’s Simone Jackson helps Daisy get to the stage Nabiyah Be as Simone Jackson in ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ | Lacey Terrell/Prime Video
Simone is one of the few people with a pure relationship with Daisy (Riley Keough) from the beginning of Daisy Jones & the Six.
In ‘Daisy Jones & the Six,’ Nabiyah Be’s Simone Jackson helps Daisy get to the stage Nabiyah Be as Simone Jackson in ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ | Lacey Terrell/Prime Video
Simone is one of the few people with a pure relationship with Daisy (Riley Keough) from the beginning of Daisy Jones & the Six.
- 3/19/2023
- by Sam Hines
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Jim Stewart, co-founder of R&b label Stax and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, died on Monday, longtime staff Stax songwriter David Porter confirmed on Monday. Stewart was 92.
“No way a poor kid from a housing project’s picture in Memphis would be on a bus rolling through Memphis if it were not for this man, Jim Stewart the St of the word Stax,” Porter wrote in a social media caption with a photo of the Stax Museum bus (the museum is located at the original location of Stax Records...
“No way a poor kid from a housing project’s picture in Memphis would be on a bus rolling through Memphis if it were not for this man, Jim Stewart the St of the word Stax,” Porter wrote in a social media caption with a photo of the Stax Museum bus (the museum is located at the original location of Stax Records...
- 12/6/2022
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
Billy Strings and Allison Russell were two of the top winners at the 2022 Americana Honors & Awards, held Wednesday at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Strings won Artist of the Year for the first time, while Russell was awarded Album of the Year for her acclaimed solo debut Outside Child.
Strings was previously nominated for Emerging Act of the Year at the Americana Awards in 2020, but ultimately lost out to Black Pumas. In the last two years, his rise has been rapid and he’s found a cross section of fans...
Strings was previously nominated for Emerging Act of the Year at the Americana Awards in 2020, but ultimately lost out to Black Pumas. In the last two years, his rise has been rapid and he’s found a cross section of fans...
- 9/15/2022
- by Jon Freeman
- Rollingstone.com
Mable John, the first female solo artist signed to Motown (then Tamla) Records, a Stax singer and longtime Ray Charles collaborator, has died at the age of 91.
John died Thursday at her home in Los Angeles; no cause of death was revealed. “We loved her and she was a kind person,” her nephew Kevin John told the Detroit News.
Related Lamont Dozier, Motown Songwriter Behind Countless Classics, Dead at 81 Former Jeffrey Epstein Associate Steven Hoffenberg Found Dead at 77 Jerry Allison, Drummer and Songwriter for Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Dead...
John died Thursday at her home in Los Angeles; no cause of death was revealed. “We loved her and she was a kind person,” her nephew Kevin John told the Detroit News.
Related Lamont Dozier, Motown Songwriter Behind Countless Classics, Dead at 81 Former Jeffrey Epstein Associate Steven Hoffenberg Found Dead at 77 Jerry Allison, Drummer and Songwriter for Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Dead...
- 8/27/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Chris Isaak and Indigo Girls will soon have their work recognized with Lifetime Achievement honors from the Americana Music Association. The “Wicked Game” singer-songwriter and the folk duo will be honored along with Fairfield Four, Don Williams, and Al Bell at the 2022 Americana Honors and Awards ceremony in Nashville on Sept. 14.
Isaak will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance, thanks to his radio hits, numerous film and TV appearances, and unflagging rockabilly cool. Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers will get the Spirit of Americana Award,...
Isaak will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance, thanks to his radio hits, numerous film and TV appearances, and unflagging rockabilly cool. Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers will get the Spirit of Americana Award,...
- 8/23/2022
- by Jon Freeman
- Rollingstone.com
HBO Documentary Films is in production on Stax, a multi-part documentary series exploring the Memphis-based record label Stax Records, which featured R&b stars Otis Redding, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers and Sam & Dave.
The series, which documents the meteoric rise and fall of the label, is directed by “Ailey” filmmaker Jamila Wignot, and executive produced by Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow (“Oj: Made In America”) of Laylow Pictures and Nigel Sinclair and Nicholas Ferrall of White Horse Pictures. It’s presented in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment and Warner Music Entertainment.
“In both the sound that fueled its rise and the events that triggered its demise, Stax Records manifested the soul of America,“ Edelman said in a statement. “There is no better person to bring this quintessential American story to HBO’s viewers than Jamila Wignot, whose work I’ve long admired.
The series, which documents the meteoric rise and fall of the label, is directed by “Ailey” filmmaker Jamila Wignot, and executive produced by Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow (“Oj: Made In America”) of Laylow Pictures and Nigel Sinclair and Nicholas Ferrall of White Horse Pictures. It’s presented in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment and Warner Music Entertainment.
“In both the sound that fueled its rise and the events that triggered its demise, Stax Records manifested the soul of America,“ Edelman said in a statement. “There is no better person to bring this quintessential American story to HBO’s viewers than Jamila Wignot, whose work I’ve long admired.
- 5/3/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Stax Records, the label responsible for hits such as Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” and Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man,” is getting the docuseries treatment.
HBO is behind a new multi-part series telling the story of the fabled Memphis-based label.
Jamila Wignot — who directed Ailey, a portrait of the legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey, and has worked on HBO’s Axios — is directing, with Oj: Made in America helmer Ezra Edelman and producer Caroline Waterlow exec producing. Nigel Sinclair and Nicholas Ferrall of White Horse Pictures, the company behind Martin Scorsese’s doc No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, also are EPs.
The series will explore the rise and fall of the label, which was founded in 1957 by Jim Stewart. Stewart, a country music fan, and his sister Estelle Axton, who mortgaged her house to afford recording equipment, released “Fool in Love” by the Veltones under its original name Satellite Records.
HBO is behind a new multi-part series telling the story of the fabled Memphis-based label.
Jamila Wignot — who directed Ailey, a portrait of the legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey, and has worked on HBO’s Axios — is directing, with Oj: Made in America helmer Ezra Edelman and producer Caroline Waterlow exec producing. Nigel Sinclair and Nicholas Ferrall of White Horse Pictures, the company behind Martin Scorsese’s doc No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, also are EPs.
The series will explore the rise and fall of the label, which was founded in 1957 by Jim Stewart. Stewart, a country music fan, and his sister Estelle Axton, who mortgaged her house to afford recording equipment, released “Fool in Love” by the Veltones under its original name Satellite Records.
- 5/3/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
“Gospel goes deeper than entertainment,” Pops Staples said in 1968, shortly after his group, the Staple Singers, signed with Stax Records. “It is the word of god. But you can’t push that down anybody’s throat. All we can do is get as many people to hear us as we can.”
A new box set, Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection, which gathers together the band’s Stax discography on vinyl for the first time in ages, traces the Staple Singers’ eternal relationship with this central tension–how to...
A new box set, Come Go With Me: The Stax Collection, which gathers together the band’s Stax discography on vinyl for the first time in ages, traces the Staple Singers’ eternal relationship with this central tension–how to...
- 2/21/2020
- by Jonathan Bernstein
- Rollingstone.com
The honest truth, Booker T. Jones tells Rolling Stone, is that he never intended to write a book.
Two weeks before his 75th birthday, Jones — keyboardist, songwriter, arranger, producer, and, most famously, leader of foundational Stax Records house band Booker T. and the Mg’s — is slowly getting used to adding one more title to his resume: author.
Last week, Jones released Time Is Tight, a stunningly vivid memoir of his life in music, art, and love, first in Memphis and later, California. “This was a labor for me,” he says,...
Two weeks before his 75th birthday, Jones — keyboardist, songwriter, arranger, producer, and, most famously, leader of foundational Stax Records house band Booker T. and the Mg’s — is slowly getting used to adding one more title to his resume: author.
Last week, Jones released Time Is Tight, a stunningly vivid memoir of his life in music, art, and love, first in Memphis and later, California. “This was a labor for me,” he says,...
- 11/6/2019
- by Jonathan Bernstein
- Rollingstone.com
Two of country’s most exciting voices met up with one of soul and gospel’s all-time greats at the 52nd Cma Awards, as Chris Stapleton was joined by Maren Morris, Mavis Staples and Marty Stuart for an uplifting performance that connected country’s present with pop music history.
#CMAawards just took me to church! Best performance of the night! It's alright to clap y'all! Put some soul in that country! @CountryMusic @ChrisStapleton @MarenMorris @mavisstaples Morgane Stapleton Wow! pic.twitter.com/ZlRCwYywVj
— Lindsay Liepman (@LindsayLiepman) November 15, 2018
Stapleton, the leading nominee...
#CMAawards just took me to church! Best performance of the night! It's alright to clap y'all! Put some soul in that country! @CountryMusic @ChrisStapleton @MarenMorris @mavisstaples Morgane Stapleton Wow! pic.twitter.com/ZlRCwYywVj
— Lindsay Liepman (@LindsayLiepman) November 15, 2018
Stapleton, the leading nominee...
- 11/15/2018
- by Jon Freeman
- Rollingstone.com
A dramatic court decision nearly a half century in the making, including the last 10 years in a Texas federal courtroom, happened on Monday night when a judge awarded Al Bell the rights to hit 1990s songs including "Whoomp! (There It Is)" and "Dazzey Duks." The outcome not only represents a declaration of Bell's rights and potentially millions of dollars in damages for a record company's unlawful exploitation, but also one more comeback for one of the legends of the music business. Al Bell (aka Alvertis Isbell) was a pioneer of American soul music as an executive, record producer
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- 9/11/2012
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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