Museum Tour
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Introduction
To take a virtual gallery tour of the Stax Museum of American and see just part of what you'll find when you visit, simply click on the above links to see our Roots of Soul gospel exhibit; Precursors of Soul exhibit honoring many early blues, R&B and pre-Stax soul artists; Soul Train Dance Floor, complete with footage of the famous television show by the same name; our recreation of the legendary Studio A; and our amazing Hall of Records with approximately 300 Stax 45s and 800 LPs on display. To hear some of the famous Stax Records tunes, click on the "headphone" icons at the bottom of each frame.
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Introduction
To take a virtual gallery tour of the Stax Museum of American and see just part of what you'll find when you visit, simply click on the above links to see our Roots of Soul gospel exhibit; Precursors of Soul exhibit honoring many early blues, R&B and pre-Stax soul artists; Soul Train Dance Floor, complete with footage of the famous television show by the same name; our recreation of the legendary Studio A; and our amazing Hall of Records with approximately 300 Stax 45s and 800 LPs on display. To hear some of the famous Stax Records tunes, click on the "headphone" icons at the bottom of each frame.
Image ofIntroduction
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Roots of Soul
With its beautifully warm patina of aged wood and chipped, faded paint, Hoopers A.M.E. Chapel was located for more than 100 years in the Mississippi Delta near the rural town of Duncan. Deconstructed there and reconstructed inside the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, the country church includes the original hand-hewn pews made by the congregants, the original altar table and pulpit, corner stone, and all original floors, walls, ceiling, wood-burning stove, and other fixtures. This is the jewel in the crown of the museum’s “Roots of Soul” exhibit, which illustrates the close connection between the emotion-charged gospel music of the African-American church and soul music of the 1960s and 1970s, particularly Southern soul music and that of Stax Records. The story is also told through state-of-the-art video footage of powerful sermons and gospel music performances from the early 20th century through the 1950s, featuring artists such as Sister Rosetta Tharp, the Soul Stirrers, Mahalia Jackson, and others.
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Roots of Soul
With its beautifully warm patina of aged wood and chipped, faded paint, Hoopers A.M.E. Chapel was located for more than 100 years in the Mississippi Delta near the rural town of Duncan. Deconstructed there and reconstructed inside the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, the country church includes the original hand-hewn pews made by the congregants, the original altar table and pulpit, corner stone, and all original floors, walls, ceiling, wood-burning stove, and other fixtures. This is the jewel in the crown of the museum’s “Roots of Soul” exhibit, which illustrates the close connection between the emotion-charged gospel music of the African-American church and soul music of the 1960s and 1970s, particularly Southern soul music and that of Stax Records. The story is also told through state-of-the-art video footage of powerful sermons and gospel music performances from the early 20th century through the 1950s, featuring artists such as Sister Rosetta Tharp, the Soul Stirrers, Mahalia Jackson, and others.
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Roots of Soul
With its beautifully warm patina of aged wood and chipped, faded paint, Hoopers A.M.E. Chapel was located for more than 100 years in the Mississippi Delta near the rural town of Duncan. Deconstructed there and reconstructed inside the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, the country church includes the original hand-hewn pews made by the congregants, the original altar table and pulpit, corner stone, and all original floors, walls, ceiling, wood-burning stove, and other fixtures. This is the jewel in the crown of the museum’s “Roots of Soul” exhibit, which illustrates the close connection between the emotion-charged gospel music of the African-American church and soul music of the 1960s and 1970s, particularly Southern soul music and that of Stax Records. The story is also told through state-of-the-art video footage of powerful sermons and gospel music performances from the early 20th century through the 1950s, featuring artists such as Sister Rosetta Tharp, the Soul Stirrers, Mahalia Jackson, and others.
Image ofRoots of Soul
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Stax Beginnings
This exhibit area begins the Stax Records story with photographs, records, clothing, recording equipment, rare video footage and interviews, and other features. Started in 1957 by Jim Stewart as Satellite Records and changed to “Stax” in 1961 when Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton learned there was already a Satellite Records operating in California, Stax Records was one of the greatest accidents in music history. Stewart was a banker by day and country fiddle player by night. One year after he founded the label, his older sister Estelle Axton took out a second mortgage on her house to purchase some recording equipment and the two would forever change the way the world viewed and embraced black music. The progression of the early days of Stax is told here with special items highlighting some of the labels first pioneers, including Rufus and Carla Thomas, the Mar-Keys, Isaac Hayes, David Porter, Sam & Dave, and others.
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Stax Beginnings
This exhibit area begins the Stax Records story with photographs, records, clothing, recording equipment, rare video footage and interviews, and other features. Started in 1957 by Jim Stewart as Satellite Records and changed to “Stax” in 1961 when Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton learned there was already a Satellite Records operating in California, Stax Records was one of the greatest accidents in music history. Stewart was a banker by day and country fiddle player by night. One year after he founded the label, his older sister Estelle Axton took out a second mortgage on her house to purchase some recording equipment and the two would forever change the way the world viewed and embraced black music. The progression of the early days of Stax is told here with special items highlighting some of the labels first pioneers, including Rufus and Carla Thomas, the Mar-Keys, Isaac Hayes, David Porter, Sam & Dave, and others.
Image ofStax Beginnings
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Precursors to Soul
A common beginning in the stories and lives of the soul music artists are the times spent singing gospel and blues music. Of all the musical styles on which soul music is built, these are the two most prominent. Both styles were born during the times of Jim Crow and both styles express emotions of love, longing, and rejoicing. The fusion was natural for early soul pioneers such as Johnnie Taylor, Sam Cooke, Ike & Tina Turner, and Ray Charles, all of whom are spotlighted in this exhibit with photographs, albums, instruments, clothing, films, and items of memorabilia that help explain the progression of blues and early soul music as it transformed into the music that Stax Records and other major soul music labels would come to produce, spreading sweet soul music throughout the world.
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Precursors to Soul
A common beginning in the stories and lives of the soul music artists are the times spent singing gospel and blues music. Of all the musical styles on which soul music is built, these are the two most prominent. Both styles were born during the times of Jim Crow and both styles express emotions of love, longing, and rejoicing. The fusion was natural for early soul pioneers such as Johnnie Taylor, Sam Cooke, Ike & Tina Turner, and Ray Charles, all of whom are spotlighted in this exhibit with photographs, albums, instruments, clothing, films, and items of memorabilia that help explain the progression of blues and early soul music as it transformed into the music that Stax Records and other major soul music labels would come to produce, spreading sweet soul music throughout the world.
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Precursors to Soul
A common beginning in the stories and lives of the soul music artists are the times spent singing gospel and blues music. Of all the musical styles on which soul music is built, these are the two most prominent. Both styles were born during the times of Jim Crow and both styles express emotions of love, longing, and rejoicing. The fusion was natural for early soul pioneers such as Johnnie Taylor, Sam Cooke, Ike & Tina Turner, and Ray Charles, all of whom are spotlighted in this exhibit with photographs, albums, instruments, clothing, films, and items of memorabilia that help explain the progression of blues and early soul music as it transformed into the music that Stax Records and other major soul music labels would come to produce, spreading sweet soul music throughout the world.
Image ofPrecursors to Soul
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"Express Yourself" Dance Floor
Literally walk on to an actual dance floor and "Express Yourself." Loose your shoes just as many others have, while dancing with larger than life images in this unique club setting with continuous footage of the ultimate 1970s soul music and dance show, "Soul Train." It's not only a great place to have your special party; it is a great place to relive the best times in music history, and the best times for funky clothes and funky ways. If you bring your children, expect them to spend plenty of time here.
I just have one question for you - "Can your Monkey Do the Dog?" - Stax single released by Rufus Thomas. -
"Express Yourself" Dance Floor
Literally walk on to an actual dance floor and "Express Yourself." Loose your shoes just as many others have, while dancing with larger than life images in this unique club setting with continuous footage of the ultimate 1970s soul music and dance show, "Soul Train." It's not only a great place to have your special party; it is a great place to relive the best times in music history, and the best times for funky clothes and funky ways. If you bring your children, expect them to spend plenty of time here.
I just have one question for you - "Can your Monkey Do the Dog?" - Stax single released by Rufus Thomas.
Image of"Express Yourself" Dance Floor
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Studio A
Immediately after walking through the control room exhibit at the Stax Museum, you enter a space that is one of the most hallowed pieces of ground in music history. Reconstructed on the exact spot where almost all of the Stax hits were recorded is the recreation of the label’s famous Studio A. This is where Otis Redding lit up the room and the entire building the first day he walked in and sang, where Booker T. & the MGs became the architects of Southern soul music, and where all of the rest of the Stax magic took place and changed the course of history. A former movie theater, the room is built with sloping floors just the way it was when Stax took over the space in 1960, and the room features not only audiovisual screens with musical outtakes from studio rehearsals and recording sessions, but also original instruments used to create the Stax sound, including Steve Cropper’s (name) guitar, Donald “Duck” Dunn’s (name) bass, Wayne Jackson’s (name) trumpet, Andrew Love’s (name) saxophone, and the Hammond (name) organ Booker T. Jones used for many recordings, including the most famous, “Green Onions.”
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Studio A
Immediately after walking through the control room exhibit at the Stax Museum, you enter a space that is one of the most hallowed pieces of ground in music history. Reconstructed on the exact spot where almost all of the Stax hits were recorded is the recreation of the label’s famous Studio A. This is where Otis Redding lit up the room and the entire building the first day he walked in and sang, where Booker T. & the MGs became the architects of Southern soul music, and where all of the rest of the Stax magic took place and changed the course of history. A former movie theater, the room is built with sloping floors just the way it was when Stax took over the space in 1960, and the room features not only audiovisual screens with musical outtakes from studio rehearsals and recording sessions, but also original instruments used to create the Stax sound, including Steve Cropper’s (name) guitar, Donald “Duck” Dunn’s (name) bass, Wayne Jackson’s (name) trumpet, Andrew Love’s (name) saxophone, and the Hammond (name) organ Booker T. Jones used for many recordings, including the most famous, “Green Onions.”
Image ofStudio A
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