A new HBO Original Documentary series on STAX Records captures how an underdog record label launched a movement and superstar musicians like Isaac Hayes and Otis Redding, pioneering the Memphis soul sound that electrified the world.

Co-produced by UMPG, STAX: Soulsville U.S.A. features music from legendary UMPG-published songwriters and catalogs, including Otis Redding, David Porter, Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Isaac Hayes, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, The Staple Sisters, Sam & Dave, Johnnie Taylor, Donald “Duck” Dunn and The Bar-Kays, amongst other luminaries.

The documentary series chronicles the audacious group of individuals who dared to make music on their own terms, smashing racial barriers, defining an era and leaving an enduring musical legacy in their wake.

Driven by a striking collection of restored and remastered archival performance footage and intimate interviews, it details the unlikely origin story of Stax Records, and pays tribute to its complex music library and the legendary artists that emerged from the iconic studio.

STAX: Soulsville U.S.A. airs on HBO Max 20th May.
 
Watch the trailer below.