Stax Music Academy Winter Concert with CANDI STATON December 5th!!

When the Stax Music Academy students take to the stage on Saturday, December 5, 2009 at Germantown Performing Arts Center in Memphis to salute some of the most popular female singers in American history, they will be joined by one of the most internationally renowned soul and gospel singers in the industry, Candi Staton.

The concert – “HEY SISTA, SOUL SISTA: A Salute to the Divas of Soul, Jazz, Pop, & R&B” – features all ensembles of the Stax Music Academy performing songs by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Kahn, and numerous others, including contemporary stars Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, and Jennifer Hudson. The show will also feature a special tribute to the late soul singer and Tony-nominated actress Phyllis Hyman.

Staton, perhaps known for her monster disco hit “Young Hearts Run Free,” began singing in gospel choirs in the 1950s followed by a career in soul music that earned her some 16 R&B hits and 2 Grammy nominations from Rick Hall’s legendary Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals. After decades of being one of the most sought-after gospel singers in the world, in 2000 she released her 11th album, Here’s a Blessing. Following the release of a well-received compilation of her Fame-era material (2004’s Candi Staton), Staton returned to secular music in the form of 2006’s His Hands.

The evening will also feature a tribute to former Bar-Kays trumpet player Ben Cauley and the first presentation of the Ben Cauley Honorary Scholarships to Stax Music Academy students. The scholarship was founded in September 2008 by the Stax Music Academy and attorney B.J. Wade of the Memphis-based law firm Glassman, Edwards, Wade & Wyatt, PC, and will distribute $100,000 to students of the academy and for young people to visit the Stax Museum over a five-year period.

The Stax Music Academy’s SNAP! After School Winter Concert at Germantown Performing Arts Center on Saturday, December 5, 2009 begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 each (reserved seating) and may be purchased at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, 926 E. McLemore Avenue, or by calling 901-946-2535.

Partners for the concert include ArtsMemphis, SunTrust Bank, Thomas & Betts, Knox Phillips, Amro Music, and Glassman, Edwards, Wade & Wyatt, PC.

Check out this very cool video of Candi singing "Young Hearts Run Free" back in the Disco Daze!

Oh, Yeah. There is STILL LIFE in Soul at the Stax Museum

William Bell with the Stax Music Academy band.

Eddie Floyd with the Stax Music Academy band.

Bettye Crutcher & Harvey Scales.

Last Friday night, November 6th, the Stax Museum had a shindig to beat all shindigs. It was the opening reception for our newest exhibit, "STILL LIFE IN SOUL: Contemporary Music Photography by Jacob Blickenstaff," but it was also a Stax Family Reunion and free party for Stax Museum members, and it was a blast!

It was also very powerful and moving in many ways. One of the reasons we chose to host this exhibit of Jacob's wonderful photographs is to emphasize the fact that soul music is alive and well and "authentic" soul music has gained an entire generation of new fans - throngs of young people disovering lifelong soul music artists and comeback artists at venues such as the Ponderosa Stomp, Brooklyn Soul Festival, Rabbit Factory Soul Revue, and through labels like Datpone Records that are cranking out "the real thing" again on vinyl. The photos are of artists who are still working all of the time, including Bettye LaVette, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, Tami Lynn, Teenie Hodges, Maxine Brown . . . the list goes on and on,

So for the party, in keeping with that theme, the musical entertainment was provided by a large group of Stax Music Acadey students playing for all of the soul music veterans in house to show them how we are keeping their legacy alive. It turned into an impromptu jam session that was priceless, wiht Eddie Floyd jumping in with the band on "Knock on Wood," Harvey Scales - decked out in a lime-green suit and gold shoes - on "Can't Turn You Loose," and William Bell - the classiest man in show business - on his hit "You Don't Miss Your Water." Hate to be cliche, but it really was magical.

The entire night was full of love and good times. Jacob's photographs were a huge hit, especially among his 20-or-so family members and friends who chartered a bus (!) and came down from his hometown of St. Louis. Also in the crowd were Stax legends Al Bell, James Alexander of the Bar-Kays, Curtis Johnson and Sam Jones of the Astors, J. Blackfoot of The Soul Children, William Brown of the Mad Lads, Jody Stephens of Big Star, Willie Hall, Bettye Crutcher, Teenie and Charles Hodges, and probably a lot of others with whom I didn't get a chance to speak.

So we got to bridge the gap between the generations a little bit and show that soul music is timeless and loved by people of all ages and all walks of life. It was awesome in every way.

STAX MUSEUM OPENING RECEPTION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH!

STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC TO HOST

“STILL LIFE IN SOUL: Contemporary Music Photography by Jacob Blickenstaff”
November 6, 2009 – April 30, 2010



The Stax Museum of American Soul Music announces a new exhibition, “STILL LIFE IN SOUL,” opening November 6th, 2009. The exhibit explores the current life, activity, and resurgence in popularity of soul music through portrait, performance, and documentary photography made since 2005 by music photographer Jacob Blickenstaff.

Opening Reception and Party

Friday, November 6, 2009 - 7-10 p.m.

Food, Cocktails, Former Stax Records Artists, Jacob Blickenstaff, and other Special Guests

Live Music by the Stax Music Academy

$20 General Admission - FREE to Stax Museum Members

Click Here for information about how to join!

More about "STILL LIFE IN SOUL":

Soul music was a nuanced, emotional, and energetic idiom that reached a worldwide audience at its height in the 1960s but then virtually disappeared by the end of the 1970s. After subsequent decades of disco, hip-hop, rap, and modern R&B – much of which covered and sampled original soul music classics from Stax Records and other labels – the roots of authentic soul are sprouting again with revived careers of veteran artists, dynamic new acts, successful concerts and festivals, reissue projects, and soul-driven independent labels.

According to Blickenstaff, “This started out as a project about music history, but I quickly found a community of music lovers, labels, bands, festivals, and DJ’s that were all coming together to support and create great music with the older artists. This work focuses on the current lives of the artists but the story is really about everyone working together to make it happen. It’s an amazing, passion-driven phenomenon that soul music is growing again in the 21st century.”

Artists represented in the 40 photos in the exhibit include Bettye LaVette, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Lee Fields & the Expressions, Barbara Lynn, Maxine Brown, Roscoe Robinson, Harvey Scales, Candi Staton, Sir Lattimore Brown, Otis Clay, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Skip Pitts, Ben Cauley, Mighty Hannibal, John Gary Williams (of the Mad Lads), and many others. The work chronicles performances at The Ponderosa Stomp, Lincoln Center, Dig Deeper, and the Brooklyn Soul Festival, as well as recording sessions at Daptone Studios. Performances were backed by contemporary soul bands the Bo-Keys, The Sweet Divines, and Eli Reed and the True Loves.

As the only soul music museum in the world, it’s an essential part of our mission to recognize these incredible artists and organizations that are dedicated to authentic soul music who are bringing a whole new generation of fans to the scene. It is also very much in keeping with the philosophy of our Stax Music Academy, where we carry the Stax Records legacy of playing real music into the future with a new generation.

Jacob Blickenstaff is a music photographer based in New York City. His work has been published internationally in magazines and newspapers including Rolling Stone, WIRE, Wax Poetics, No Depression, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Offbeat, Gambit Weekly, and Time Out New York. He has also been an official photographer for the Ponderosa Stomp since 2007. Additional music clients include Lincoln Center, NPR Music, Daptone Records, and Proper American Records. This is the first major exhibition of his photography.
An opening reception for the exhibit will be held November 6th at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, during which students of the Stax Music Academy will perform for guests and former Stax Records artists.

For more information, images, or to schedule an interview with the photographer, please contact Tim Sampson at 901-942-2535 or tim.sampson@soulsvillefoundation.org.

To learn more about Jacob Blickenstaff and to see more of his photography, visit his website at http://www.33-13.com/.

O My Soul! Big Star box set now available at the Stax Museum

While Stax is best known for the classic soul music that it churned out in the '60s and '70s, there were also a few rock and roll bands and artists that recorded for Stax and its sister labels. One of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed bands from that era is the subject of an impressive new CD box set, which is now available at the Stax Museum Online Shop.

Big Star inspired a fevered allegiance among fans of power pop, giving rise to a cult of believers who spent decades spreading the gospel. Their enthusiasm turned this obscure Memphis pop band – one that got little airplay, sold few records, and only played a handful of times – into a remarkable rock and roll resurrection story. Big Star’s trek from obscure Memphis band to standard bearers for an entire genre of music has never been fully mapped – until now.

Keep An Eye On The Sky spans 1968 to 1975 and shows the progression of Big Star through selections from such studio precursors as Rock City and Icewater; music from Big Star’s acclaimed albums (the Ardent/Stax releases #1 Record and Radio City, as well as Third/Sister Lovers); and relevant solo work by group principals Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, who formed Big Star in 1971 with bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens.

This four-CD collection mixes classic Big Star tracks with a trove of unreleased demos, unused mixes, alternate versions of songs, and a 1973 concert recorded in Memphis. The lavish packaging includes extensive liner notes, rare and never-before-seen photos from William Eggleston and others, and insightful essays about the cult of Big Star and the band’s history.

ORDER NOW!

Check out some of the reviews:

4 1/2 Stars

- "The four CDs of Keep An Eye On The Sky are the last word on Big Star's first, ultimately glorious lifetime." - Rolling Stone

4 1/2 Stars - "Anybody who has ever loved the band will find something to cherish here, whether it's the crackerjack live show... or merely the context of the set, which tells the story of America's greatest cult band this side of the Velvet Underground in a complete and affecting fashion." - AllMusic.com

A - "Anyone who still needs convincing will find the case for Big Star's legendhood made beyond a reasonable doubt on Keep An Eye On The Sky." - Entertainment Weekly

9.3 (out of 10) - "Big Star aren't just rock's greatest cult band; they were arguably rock's first cult band. Keep An Eye On The Sky sounds like the one reissue that finally gets Big Star right." - Pitchfork

Stax Museum Honors Isaac Hayes' Birthday with First Hayes Signature Shirt

FIRST EVER ISAAC HAYES T-SHIRT.
Entertainment icon Isaac Hayes was born in Covington, Tennessee, on August 20, 1942. Today, on what would have been the late Stax Records legend’s 67th birthday, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music is introducing the new Isaac Hayes Signature T-Shirt for men and women.

With United States exclusivity rights from Mr. Hayes’ family and his estate granted to the Stax Museum for use of his image and name on merchandise, this new t-shirt is the first in what will become the Isaac Hayes Collection, sold at the Stax Museum, through the museum’s web store, and at other locations where Stax-related products are sold.

While obviously commercial in some aspects, the museum’s intent in designing the collection is also to promote the legacy of Mr. Hayes for future generations to come. Partial proceeds from sales of the collection will benefit the nonprofit Stax Music Academy, which Mr. Hayes dearly loved.

The new t-shirt, which features a photo illustration of the sultan of soul looking over his signature sunglasses, will be available at the Stax Museum gift shop starting Saturday, August 22, 2009.

Al Bell, Stax Records, Stax Museum in The New York Times

Josh Anderson for The New York Times

READ IT HERE! DEBORAH SONTAG FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ON AL BELL, STAX RECORDS, AND THE STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/arts/music/16sont.html?hp

Grave Marker Unveiling Ceremony for Stax Legend Isaac Hayes

Just a little after one year of the passing of entertainment icon Isaac Hayes on August 10, 2008 at his home in Memphis, Tennessee, a special ceremony will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at his gravesite at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee.

“ROSES FOR BLACK MOSES: A Celebration and Commemoration of the Life of Isaac Hayes” will include the unveiling of a special grave marker designed to pay tribute and memorialize the singer, songwriter, actor, Academy Award and Grammy winner, author, radio show host, and philanthropist whose works changed the course of popular culture internationally and whose philanthropic efforts have helped children and others worldwide for decades.

Hayes, born in Covington, Tennessee on August 20, 1942, came to Stax Records in the early 1960s, where he quickly formed a successful songwriting partnership with David Porter. The two went on to write more than 200 songs for the company, including “Soul Man,” “Hold On, I’m Coming,” and “When Something is Wrong with my Baby.” Both became legends in the music business and Hayes went on to enjoy a solo career in music. He was the first African-American to win an Oscar for a non-acting category for his “Theme from Shaft,” starred in more than 30 movies and television shows, became an honorary king of Ghana, where he built an 8,000-square-foot school, and was best known to younger generations for his role of “Chef” on the animated sitcom South Park.

The public is invited to “ROSES FOR BLACK MOSES”, and attendees are encouraged to bring roses, which will be placed in a large vase beside the grave marker before it is unveiled and will then be distributed to area nursing homes. There will be a short program with David Porter, members of the Hayes family, former Stax Records artists, and out-of-town guests. In case of rain, the ceremony will be held indoors at the cemetery.

STAX MUSEUM BLOG CORRECTION

In the last entry where it reads in the first sentence, "artists who did record at Stax Records," that should have been "artists who did NOT record at Stax Records." Sorry for the error!

STAX MUSEUM'S MESSAGE TO MICHAEL

Here at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, we have a wall of video screens where many, many artists who did record at Stax are represented with video footage and information. They include Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Labelle, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Parliament, Billy Preston, The Spinners, and lots of others.

There's also a great video of a very young man in flowered pants and a fringe vest singing lead with his brothers behind him, all in front of a massive crowd of screaming fans. The young man is, of course, Michael Jackson.

With the soul music world losing such icons in recent years as Ray Charles, the aforementioned Billy Preston, and our own beloved Isaac Hayes, it's a particularly piognant day for us as we look consider the life, career, accomplishments, and the extraordinary philanthropic contributions of Michael Jackson, one of the world's greatest entertainers for many decades.

Just like Isaac Hayes, Michael Jackson always did things his own way. He always broke new ground. He never fit into any particular category because he was unique. He respected those who had come before him and he helped pave the way for many others. He is one of the few artists living today whose music will stand the test of time, and in fact, already has become a part of the international psyche.

Tomorrow night, the Stax Music Academy is performing a special tribute concert to Motown as its Summer Grand Finale in conjunction with that label's 50th anniversary. Three Michael Jackson/Jackson Five songs were already in the show. Now when our students perform them, they will be a special tribute and will have new meaning for all of us.

STAX MUSIC ACADEMY SALUTES MOTOWN SATURDAY, JUNE 27TH!

STAX MUSIC ACADEMY SNAP! SUMMER GRAND FINALE!
"At the Corner of Soulsville & Hitsville: Stax Salutes Motown!"

Saturday, June 27, 2009 - 7 p.m.

Buckman Performing Arts Center

$10 Advance, $12 at the Door

Special Guest Terron Brooks from Broadway's The Lion King and HBO's The Temptations!
Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door if available. Get your tickets now at the Stax Museum gift shop or by calling 901-946-2535. Does not apply to special Father's Day special.

MORE ABOUT THE STAX SUMMER MUSIC CAMP

The Stax Music Academy’s SNAP! Summer Music Camp is taking a turn this year, focusing more attention on each student and offering a wide variety of music experience with a seasoned staff and hand-picked guest instructors comprised of music business veterans from throughout Memphis and Shelby County.

The camp, which operates Monday – Friday, June 1 – 26, 2009, is designed for some 30 high school students who will benefit not only from the expertise of music instructors, but also from those with longstanding careers in writing, composing, conducting, music business, music theory, production, image consulting, and radio.

The Stax Music Academy is a program of the Soulsville Foundation, which also operates the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and The Soulsville Charter School, all at the original site of Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee.

While the Stax Music Academy’s mission is mentoring primarily at-risk young people through music education and unique performance opportunities, this year’s camp, according to Soulsville Foundation spokesman Tim Sampson, takes that mission to new heights by offering these valuable, behind-the-scenes life lessons so that the students gain a broader sense and detailed knowledge about the music industry above and beyond playing, singing, and performing.

In response to the global economic crisis that has hit nonprofit organizations so hard, the Stax Music Academy put a great deal of thought and effort into making this year’s summer camp as productive and efficient as possible, while still maintaining a high level of quality, by embracing the incredible talent right here in Memphis with instructors who are able to spend more focused time with a smaller group of students.

Rather than one-off workshops and/or day-long sessions, many of these music industry professionals are actually on staff for the full four-week camp. The students will gain more than ever before in terms of building relationships with these professionals, relationships that will help prepare them for college and adulthood, no matter what they major in at college or what profession they choose in the long run.

In addition to the academy’s full-time Manager of Operations and Program Development Jackie Peters, Artistic Director and Lead Music Director Ashley Keith Davis, Music Director Paul McKinney, and Program Assistant Leona Johnson, the summer camp staff includes:

Velma Cato – an award-winning producer and journalist who has worked in nationally syndicated television, radio, film, and other aspects of the entertainment industry;

Veronica Chisem – CEO and Chairman of Kindred Souls Entertainment Group, Inc. who has manages such acts as The Manhattans, The Temprees, J. Blackfoot, and Larry Dodson of the Bar-Kays, and who brings a special music finance expertise to the camp;

Diane Louie – a classically trained composer, conductor, and songwriter who has worked with the likes of Roberta Flack, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and others, and who has served as head arranger for specials such as American Idol, Grammys, and the NAACP Image Awards;

John Payne – music business teacher through the nonprofit Persuaders, Inc., owns JDP Records, which has signed Michael and Regina Winans; and is a local radio and television host;

Ken Steorts – Founder and President of VISIBLE SCHOOL – Music and Workshop Arts College in Memphis, Tennessee, and founding guitarist of the Grammy-nominated band Skillet;

Kelley Muller Smith – singer, actress, and a member of The Memphis Symphony Chorus, where she also serves on the Board of Directors;

Ralph Sutton – longtime national and international music producer who for three decades has worked with a who’s who in the music industry, including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, and a number of others, in addition to scoring film soundtracks for such movies as The Big Chill, John Q, and many others;

Marlon Wilson – radio disc jockey, special events DJ, and CD mixer for a wide variety of artists, events, and awards ceremonies. \

Gary Goin – Memphis-based writer, producer, guitarist, and protégé of Stax Records’ David Porter;

Malvin Massey – Radio producer and personality and station manager for the University of Memphis’ WUMR Jazz Station.

SPECIAL TOURISM WEEK DEALS AT THE STAX MUSEUM

SPECIAL NATIONAL TOURISM WEEK OFFER:

BUY ONE ADMISSION AND GET ONE FREE!

From Monday, May 11th through Sunday, May 17th, the Stax Museum is offering buy one admission at regular price and receive one FREE! So bring a friend, family member, your sweetie, whomever and enjoy this great discount!

No other discounts apply, including special rates on groups of 15 or more.

Also, receive $4 off the regular price on the Memphis Tourism Education Foundation's documentary "I AM A MAN: From Memphis, A Life Lesson," a film about the brave 1968 Memphis Sanitation Department striking workers and their familes. The film also features students and faculty of the Soulsville Foundation's Soulsville Charter School.

Remember, we are now open again on Mondays through October 31st!

STAX OF DVDS: Read what Philadelphia Inquirer's Nick Christiano Writes about "Sam & Dave"

If you haven't visited the Stax Museum Satellite Record & Gift Shop lately, check it out for recent additions, including the new CD by Booker T. Jones, "Potato Hole," which is getting rave reviews. Another is the documentary The Original Soul Men: Sam & Dave."

Here's a review from our friend Nick Cristiano at the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Capturing the magic of live performances
By Nick Cristiano
Inquirer Staff Writer

Like James Brown, Sam & Dave made great records, but they were even more dynamic on stage, where their galvanic showmanship revealed another, essential dimension of their artistry. That's what makes Sam & Dave: The Original Soul Men such a treat.

This two-hour documentary tells the story of Sam Moore and Dave Prater through interviews with Moore himself (Prater was killed in a 1988 car crash), former Stax Records chief Al Bell, and bandleader Paul Shaffer, who notes, "Sam and Dave were two preachers on stage, preaching the gospel of soul."

The heart of the set, however, is the performance clips, which capture Sam & Dave in all their sweaty, gospel-fired glory on hits like "Soul Man," "You Don't Know Like I Know," and the magnificent ballad "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby." The spectacular intensity of these performances is highlighted further by the relative tameness of a few lip-synched outings.
(There are also some oddities - a string-laden version of Bacharach-David's "Make It Easy on Yourself" and a teaming with TV host Mike Douglas (!) on an otherwise great, gospelized version of "Lucky Ol' Sun.")

Thanks, Nick.

STAX MUSIC ACADEMY SPRING CONCERT MAY 9TH WILL BE A VERY SPECIAL EVENT!

Kirk Whalum Cyrus Chestnut

Stax Music Academy Graduating Senniors

SOULed ON JAZZ!

Stax Music Academy Spring Concert on May 9, 2009 with Special Guest Jazz Pianist Cyrus Chestnut and Saxophonist Kirk Whalum

Special Salute to College-Bound Seniors

On May 9, 2009, the Stax Music Academy will welcome a very special guest artist, jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut, to the SNAP! After School Spring Concert at Germantown Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Chestnut will join SMA student musicians as well as Artist-In-Residence and internationally renowned jazz/gospel saxophonist, Kirk Whalum. The concert, “SOULed on Jazz,” will also feature a very special sendoff, including a video presentation, to some of its most dedicated and talented students, the high school seniors who have completed their last year at the academy and who are all college bound.

This will be one of the coolest nights in the history of our organization because this is our mission coming to life. From the onset of the Stax Music Academy’s programming in 2000, our focus has been mentoring primarily at-risk, urban young people through music education and unique performance opportunities to make certain they move on to college, whatever field of study and profession they choose to pursue. As much as we hate to see them leave us, we couldn’t be more thrilled that every single one of our graduating seniors are going to college.

The 2009 Spring Concert is the culmination of the 2008-2009 Stax Music Academy SNAP! After School program for high school students from throughout the Mid-South, including the Soulsville, USA community surrounding the Stax Museum and Stax Music Academy. All ensembles of the academy will perform: StreetCorner Harmonies, Premier Percussionists, Stax Music Academy Rhythm Section, and the Soulsville Swing Band (jazz). Students from The Soulsville Charter School’s Soulsville Symphony Orchestra will also perform.

Tickets are $10 each (reserved seating) and are on sale in the Satellite Records Gift Shop at the Stax Museum at 926 E. McLemore Avenue. Gift Shop hours are Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. All proceeds from the concert go directly back into programming at the Academy.

During the 2008-2009 SNAP! After School program, 51 students participated, with 44 of those students attending via need-based scholarships, scholarships made possible through generous donations from both individuals and organizations in the community. In addition to after-school music classes, the students also participated in workshops and/or performed with many music industry professionals, including world renowned violinist Augustin Hadelich, pianists Emanuel Ax and Yoko Nozaki, founding Stax Records” Bar-Kay trumpet player Ben Cauley, former Stax Records’ producer and keyboardist Lester Snell, Grammy winning gospel singer Smokie Norful, former BLACKstreet vocalist Dave Hollister, and many others. Two of the academy’s students – Amber Robinson and Ashton Riker – were also chosen to sing backup for Faith Hill in October 2008 at the National Civil Rights Museum’s Freedom Award Dinner and Ceremony. Riker also signed a major record deal with Vision Records/EMI and is scheduled to tour this summer with Rare Earth and Con Funk Shun.

The colleges to which the graduating seniors have been accepted include Tennessee State University, Murray State University (Kentucky), The Art Institute of Tennessee – Nashville, Berklee College of Music in Boston, Rhodes College, University of Memphis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign, and University of Memphis.

We hope you'll all come out to not only enjoy the great music that the concert will provide from our students and special guests, but also to stand and cheer for these young people for all of their hard work and dedication in preparing for and applying to these colleges and universities. They stand as role models for our other students as they eventually become seniors . They deserve a big, city-wide congratulations and this concert is everyone’s opportunity to express that to them.

STAX MUSEUM NOW OPEN ON MONDAYS AGAIN!

Spring has sprung and all things Stax and Soul are back on Mondays at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music! Hours are 10 a.m.- 5.m. Monday-Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. on Sundays.

If you haven't seen the incredible exhibit "OTIS REDDING: From Macon to Memphis," now is your chance! Also, check out new merchandise in the museum's Satellite Record & Gift Shop.

STAX MUSEUM & MOTOWN IN THE NEW YORK TIMES!

What a great time to wish MOTOWN a big Happy 50th Anniversary, with The New York Times reporting today on both that label and the Motown Museum, as well as its gritty cousin Stax and the Stax Museum. Check it out here on line (which includes an audio slide show) at the link below or in today's print edition.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/arts/artsspecial/19ROCK.html

OWN IT TODAY: "SWEET SOUL: STAX/VOLT REVUE LIVE IN EUROPE 1967," AS SEEN ON PBS!

Every now and then, a rare treasure surfaces that adds yet another layer to the unique and incredible Stax Records story. Now, after being locked in a vault in an Oslo, Norway televsion station for some 40 years, one of the greatest live Stax concerts of all time is available on DVD.

As an edited version "Sweet Soul: Stax/Volt Revue Live in Europe 1967" begins airing nationally on PBS this month, underwritten by the Stax Museum and the Soulsville Foundation, be sure to support the Stax Museum by purchasing your own full-length copy of the documentary by clicking HERE to visit our newly designed online web store. You'll find hundreds of other Stax and soul related items, including a wide variety of other DVDs, CDs, clothing, books, gifts, and much, much more. And remember that a portion of the proceeds from all sales benefits the work we do with primarily at-risk, urban young people at the STAX MUSIC ACADEMY!

Click HERE to read a review of

"Sweet Soul: Stax/Volt Revue Live in Europe 1967" in

The New York Times!

Stax Museum Closing Early Saturday, February 21st

In order to prepare the Stax Museum for Staxtacular '09 Presented by SunTrust, the largest fund-raiser of the year for the Stax Music Academy, the museum will close for tours at 1 p.m. and close at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 21st. But then at 7 p.m. the party starts, so if you haven't purchased your tickets yet please do so by calling 901-261-6385 or visit www.staxtacular.com!

See you at the shindig!

STAXTACULAR: HAVE A PARTY, CHANGE A LIFE!

It's time again for the Stax Music Academy's largest fund-raiser of the year, Staxtacular 09 Presented by SunTrust! The party is Saturday, February 21st, at the Stax Museum and is hosted by the Memphis Grizzlies' Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, and OJ Mayo. There will be great good and cocktails, a silent auction of fantastic items you won't find anywhere else, and tunes spun by DJ Buck Wilders.

Tickets to the event are $150, and while we're all feeling the crunch of the economic downturn, maybe this is a good opportunity to just have a great time and give back to the children of the community who need your help.

If you aren't familiar with what goes on from day to day at the Stax Music Academy, we encourage you to learn more. While we work primarily with at-risk inner-city teenagers, the Stax Music Academy now offers mentoring, music education, and unique performance opportunities to a wide range of students from throughout the community. We are fortunate in that we are here on a daily basis and get to see first-hand how the kids grow and develop, how their self esteem improves dramatically, how they grow more and more anxious to attend college, and how the camaraderie among the diverse group of young people is so much like the family that was Stax Records. It's young people learning to respect themselves and others. It's learning to get along with others. It's learning that hard work and dedication pays off. It is nothing short of life-changing for most of the "kids." All of this presents its own set of challenges to us both in terms of expense and quality of service, but we know from our daily experiences that we are helping create strong character among the youth we serve and we know it has to continue.

It has a lot more to do than just helping a teenager learn to play an instrument or sing. When you see a young person from Memphis fly on a plane for the first time, see the ocean for the first time, play in front of dignitaries from around the world for the first time, or, in some cases, just finally have a safe place to be among responsible adults and good friends for the first time, it is an experience that can't be measured in any really rational way. It is very emotional and very fulfilling.

So please know that by attending this year's Staxtacular fund-raiser, you'll not only have a great time but you will also be helping us with this tremendously necessary work. Stax has a glorious, fascinating past. This is the way we ensure it continues into the future forever.

Click here for more information on Staxtacular 09 Presented by SunTrust and/or to purchase tickets online.