In less than two weeks, the Stax Records 60th anniversary celebration will continue with a new set jointly produced by Concord Bicycle Music and Rhino.  Soulsville U.S.A.: A Celebration of Stax is a 60-song, 3-CD journey through the heart of Memphis with some of the Stax label’s brightest stars including Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Booker T. & the MG’s, William Bell, Sam and Dave, and more.   It’s due on September 22.

Soulsville U.S.A. is a successor to the 2007 release Stax 50: A 50th Anniversary Celebration.  Whereas that 2-CD set had 50 songs, this set appropriately boasts 60.  The collection spans the classic Stax era between the early 1960s and the mid-1970s, including the material originally released jointly with Atlantic Records.  Expect to hear all-time classics such as William Bell’s “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” Rufus Thomas’ “Walking the Dog,” Eddie Floyd’s “Knock on Wood,” Sam and Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” Booker T. & the MG’s “Green Onions,” Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from Shaft,” Shirley Brown’s “Woman to Woman,” and many more.  Journalist Jeff Slate has provided new liner notes.

This CD collection joins a retrospective vinyl box recently released by Concord.  The Stax 7s Box focuses on harder-to-find tracks from the label’s vaults.  It features fourteen songs on seven seven-inch vinyl singles, all hand-picked by BBC DJ Richard Searling, a driving force in the northern soul movement.  (Indeed, how ironic that the U.S.’ southern soul, epitomized by Stax, fits within the uptempo, driving framework of the U.K.’s northern soul scene).  Heavy hitters like Carla Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, and William Bell are featured alongside the likes of The Montclairs, Lou Bond, Paul Thompson, Joni Wilson, and future Broadway star Roz Ryan.  Searling penned the liner notes, writing, in part: “I’ve selected the content based on my experience of featuring these songs in clubs, on the radio or from just being amazed by how hard to locate many of them are. Although several have been previously made available on sevens, it’s great to see them finally legally released on the authentic Stax imprint. ‘Rare Stamps’ indeed, on seven 45s and in a limited-edition box set – I hope you will enjoy the selections.”

The Stax 7s Box is available now, while Soulsville, USA is due on Friday, September 22!  Both titles can be ordered at the links below.

Various Artists, Soulsville, U.S.A.: A Celebration of Stax (Craft Recordings/Rhino/Stax, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

1. The Veltones – Fool in Love (1:50)
2. Carla Thomas – Gee Whiz (2:16)
3. The Mar-Keys – Last Night (2:05)
4. William Bell – You Don’t Miss Your Water (2:58)
5. Booker T. & the MG’s – Green Onions (2:50)
6. Rufus Thomas – Walking the Dog (2:30)
7. Wendy Rene – After Laughter (Comes Tears) (2:53)
8. Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) (2:49)
9. The Astors – Candy (2:55)
10. Sam & Dave – You Don’t Know Like I Know (2:36)
11. The Mad Lads – Don’t Have to Shop Around (2:45)
12. Carla Thomas – Let Me Be Good To You (2:40)
13. Mable John – Your Good Thing (Is About to End) (2:52)
14. Eddie Floyd – Knock On Wood (2:55)
15. Sam & Dave – Hold On! I’m Comin’ (2:33)
16. Otis Redding – Try A Little Tenderness (3:20)
17. Carla Thomas – B-A-B-Y (2:48)
18. Booker T. & the MG’s – Hip Hug-Her (2:22)
19. The Bar-Kays – Soul Finger (2:18)
20. Otis & Carla – Tramp (3:00)

CD 2

1. Albert King – Born Under a Bad Sign (2:17)
2. Sam & Dave – Soul Man (2:42)
3. Otis Redding – (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay (2:38)
4. Eddie Floyd – Big Bird (2:59)
5. Ollie & The Nightingales – I Got a Sure Thing (2:35)
6. Booker T. & the MG’s – Soul Limbo (2:23)
7. Linda Lyndell – What a Man (2:39)
8. Judy Clay & William Bell – Private Number (2:40)
9. Eddie Floyd – I’ve Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do) (2:40)
10. The Staple Singers – The Weight (4:31)
11. Johnnie Taylor – Who’s Making Love (2:47)
12. Carla Thomas – I Like What You’re Doing (To Me) (2:50)
13. William Bell – I Forgot to Be Your Love (2:19)
14. Booker T. & the MG’s – Time Is Tight (3:14)
15. Rufus Thomas – Do the Funky Chicken (3:15)
16. The Emotions – So I Can Love You (2:49)
17. Isaac Hayes – Walk On By (4:32)
18. Johnnie Taylor & Carla Thomas – Just Keep on Loving Me (2:38)
19. The Staple Singers – Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom) (2:58)
20. Rufus Thomas – (Do The) Push and Pull (Part 1) (3:14)

CD 3

1. Jean Knight – Mr. Big Stuff (2:27)
2. Johnnie Taylor – Jody’s Got Your Girl and Gone (3:00)
3. Isaac Hayes – Never Can Say Goodbye (3:32)
4. The Dramatics – Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get (3:30)
5. The Staple Singers – Respect Yourself (3:30)
6. Isaac Hayes – Theme from Shaft (3:15)
7. The Bar-Kays – Son of Shaft (3:13)
8. Little Milton – That’s What Love Will Make You Do (3:53)
9. The Soul Children – Hearsay (3:20)
10. The Dramatics – In the Rain (3:15)
11. Isaac Hayes – Do Your Thing (3:16)
12. Frederick Knight – I’ve Been Lonely for So Long (3:18)
13. The Staple Singers – I’ll Take You There (3:16)
14. Mel & Tim – Starting All Over Again (3:55)
15. Temprees – Dedicated to the One I Love (3:32)
16. The Dramatics – Hey You! Get Off My Mountain (3:29)
17. Johnnie Taylor – Cheaper to Keep Her (3:27)
18. The Staple Singers – If You’re Ready (Come Go with Me) (3:19)
19. The Soul Children – I’ll Be the Other Woman (3:33)
20. Shirley Brown – Woman to Woman (3:54)

Various Artists, The Stax 7s Box (Stax/Concord, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Record One

Side A: I’m The One Who Loves You – Darrell Banks

Side B: Sweet Sherry – J.J. Barnes

Record Two

Side A: I’ll Never Stop Loving You – Carla Thomas

Side B: One More Chance – Margie Joseph

Record Three

Side A: The Whole Damn World Is Going Crazy – John Gary Williams

Side B: Why Must Our Eyes Always Be Turned Backwards – Lou Bond

Record Four

Side A: Hey You! Don’t Fight It! – The Montclairs

Side B: The Stars – Barbara Lewis

Record Five

Side A: Friday Night – Johnnie Taylor

Side B: Happy – William Bell

Record Six

Side A: Special Kind Of Woman – Paul Thompson

Side B: You’re My Only Temptation – Roz Ryan

Record Seven

Side A: Can You Win – Charlene &The Soul Serenaders

Side B: (Let Hurt Put You in the) Loser’s Seat – Joni Wilson