James Frank Stewart[1] (July 29, 1930 – December 5, 2022) was an American record producer and executive who in 1957 co-founded, with his sister Estelle, Stax Records, one of the leading recording companies during soul and R&B music's heyday.[2][3] The label also scored many hits on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart, and internationally, during this time.[4][5]
Stewart was born on July 29, 1930.[1] Raised on a farm in Middleton, Tennessee, he moved to Memphis in 1948 after graduating from high school, then worked at Sears and the First National Bank before beingdrafted into the United States Army. After serving for two years, Stewart returned to his job as a bank clerk in Memphis in 1953.[6]
Stewart was a part-time fiddle player and joined a local country music group, the Canyon Cowboys. He worked days as a banker at Union Planters Bank. In 1957, Stewart launched his own record label, then called Satellite Records, which issued country music and rockabilly records. His sister, Estelle Axton, mortgaged her home to invest in her brother's venture by buying an Ampex 300 tape recorder.[7]
In 1959, the label moved into the former Capitol Theatre in Memphis (The label's name 'STAX' is a combination of STewart and AXton). The auditorium was converted to studio space, and the stage was made into the control room. To save money, Stewart did not level the floor. This created unique acoustics, which are noticeable in the recordings made there, with many featuring a heavy, bassy sound.
After selling millions of records during its history,[8] Stax went bankrupt in 1976. Stewart kept a low profile and intensely protected his privacy. When he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, he sent his granddaughter Jennifer to the induction ceremony to accept the award on his behalf.
In 2018, Stewart made a rare public appearance at the Stax Museum to donate his fiddle to the museum.[9]
Stewart died on December 5, 2022, at the age of 92.[1][10]
^ abcFriskics-Warren, B. (2022), "Jim Stewart, Unlikely Entrepreneur of Soul Music, Dies at 92", New York Times, retrieved 8 December 2022
^Grace Lichtenstein, "U.S. Details Payola Plot Of $406,737", New York Times, August 22, 1973. Retrieved 6 December 2022
^Bowman, Rob (1995). "The Stax Sound: A Musicological Analysis". Popular Music. 14 (3): 285–320. doi:10.1017/S0261143000007753. JSTOR 853127. S2CID 162379706.
^ abMadarang, C. (2022), "Jim Stewart, Stax Records Co-Founder, Dead at 92", Rolling Stone, retrieved 8 December 2022
^"Stax Records founder Jim Stewart, who helped produce the "Memphis sound," is dead at 92", Music Times, retrieved 8 December 2022, Stax's 15 years of service led the company to push more than 167 songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
^Cogan, Jim; Clark, William, Temples of sound : inside the great recording studios, San Francisco : Chronicle Books, 2003. ISBN0-8118-3394-1. Cf. pp. 65–66.
^"Stax Records founder Jim Stewart, who helped produce the "Memphis sound," is dead at 92", The Week, retrieved 8 December 2022
^Press, T. A. (2022), "Jim Stewart, co-founder of Stax Records in Memphis, dies at age 92", NPR, retrieved 8 December 2022, Stax and its affiliated record labels released 300 albums and 800 singles between 1959 and 1975, according to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
^Mehr, B., "Stax Records alumni salute founder Jim Stewart during emotional museum event", The Commercial Appeal, retrieved 8 December 2022
^Mehr, Bob. "Stax Records co-founder, Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Jim Stewart dies at 92". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
External links
Biography from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame web site
stewart, record, producer, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, stewart, record, producer, news, newspape. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Jim Stewart record producer news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message James Frank Stewart 1 July 29 1930 December 5 2022 was an American record producer and executive who in 1957 co founded with his sister Estelle Stax Records one of the leading recording companies during soul and R amp B music s heyday 2 3 The label also scored many hits on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart and internationally during this time 4 5 Jim StewartBirth nameJames Frank StewartBorn 1930 07 29 July 29 1930Middleton Tennessee U S DiedDecember 5 2022 2022 12 05 aged 92 Memphis Tennessee U S GenresSoulOccupation s Record executive record producerYears active1957 1975LabelsStax Contents 1 Life and career 2 Work 3 References 4 External linksLife and career EditStewart was born on July 29 1930 1 Raised on a farm in Middleton Tennessee he moved to Memphis in 1948 after graduating from high school then worked at Sears and the First National Bank before beingdrafted into the United States Army After serving for two years Stewart returned to his job as a bank clerk in Memphis in 1953 6 Stewart was a part time fiddle player and joined a local country music group the Canyon Cowboys He worked days as a banker at Union Planters Bank In 1957 Stewart launched his own record label then called Satellite Records which issued country music and rockabilly records His sister Estelle Axton mortgaged her home to invest in her brother s venture by buying an Ampex 300 tape recorder 7 In 1959 the label moved into the former Capitol Theatre in Memphis The label s name STAX is a combination of STewart and AXton The auditorium was converted to studio space and the stage was made into the control room To save money Stewart did not level the floor This created unique acoustics which are noticeable in the recordings made there with many featuring a heavy bassy sound After selling millions of records during its history 8 Stax went bankrupt in 1976 Stewart kept a low profile and intensely protected his privacy When he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002 he sent his granddaughter Jennifer to the induction ceremony to accept the award on his behalf In 2018 Stewart made a rare public appearance at the Stax Museum to donate his fiddle to the museum 9 Stewart died on December 5 2022 at the age of 92 1 10 Work EditSome of the R amp B artists who worked with Stewart include William Bell Booker T amp the MGs Eddie Floyd Isaac Hayes Otis Redding Carla Thomas and Sam amp Dave 4 References Edit a b c Friskics Warren B 2022 Jim Stewart Unlikely Entrepreneur of Soul Music Dies at 92 New York Times retrieved 8 December 2022 Grace Lichtenstein U S Details Payola Plot Of 406 737 New York Times August 22 1973 Retrieved 6 December 2022 Bowman Rob 1995 The Stax Sound A Musicological Analysis Popular Music 14 3 285 320 doi 10 1017 S0261143000007753 JSTOR 853127 S2CID 162379706 a b Madarang C 2022 Jim Stewart Stax Records Co Founder Dead at 92 Rolling Stone retrieved 8 December 2022 Stax Records founder Jim Stewart who helped produce the Memphis sound is dead at 92 Music Times retrieved 8 December 2022 Stax s 15 years of service led the company to push more than 167 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 Cogan Jim Clark William Temples of sound inside the great recording studios San Francisco Chronicle Books 2003 ISBN 0 8118 3394 1 Cf pp 65 66 Stax Records founder Jim Stewart who helped produce the Memphis sound is dead at 92 The Week retrieved 8 December 2022 Press T A 2022 Jim Stewart co founder of Stax Records in Memphis dies at age 92 NPR retrieved 8 December 2022 Stax and its affiliated record labels released 300 albums and 800 singles between 1959 and 1975 according to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Mehr B Stax Records alumni salute founder Jim Stewart during emotional museum event The Commercial Appeal retrieved 8 December 2022 Mehr Bob Stax Records co founder Rock n Roll Hall of Famer Jim Stewart dies at 92 The Commercial Appeal Retrieved 6 December 2022 External links EditBiography from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame web site Allmusic Jim Stewart discography at Discogs Jim Stewart at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jim Stewart record producer amp oldid 1126911323, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
