Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. is an American documentary series directed and produced by Jamila Wignot. It corrects the history of Stax Records.
The documentary had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 10, 2024, where it won the TV Premiere Audience Award. It premiered on May 20, 2024, on HBO.
Premise
The series follows Stax Records, a record label that ushered in artists, Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, The Staple Singers and Sam & Dave; The label went from being an outsider to one of the most influential producers of music, with an impact even after the label has gone.
Episodes
Production
In May 2022, it was announced Jamila Wignot would direct and produce a documentary series revolving around Stax Records for HBO Documentary Films, with Ezra Edelman set to executive produce. Rob Bowman served as a consultant on the series.
Reception
Critical reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 10 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.00/10. On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 81 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Nina Metz of Chicago Tribune gave the series three out of four stars, writing: "A story of musical genius but also racism, personal tragedies and corporate greed." John Anderson of Wall Street Journal also praised the series writing: "Stax may have been of a particular place and time, but Ms. Wignot resurrects it all gloriously, and grittily, and with the personality and precision of the M.G.s rhythm section."
Accolades
References
External links
- Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. at IMDb
