Why was Stax Records so damn good?

[The Polack MSgt]

Well, they were in Memphis and recruited the southern Midwest talent that East/West coast recording companies (and Motown) ignored, that was a big reason.

But in my mind even more important was the players the Stax used as the house bands.

There were 2 bands who handled most of the duties backing up singers and beefing up the sounds of bands who weren't quite up to Stax standard.

The Mar-Kays - On the horns

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And Booker T and the MGs for everything else PLUS genuine Tennessee badassery. No I will not post Green Onions FFS, they were so much more than that song. Listen to this jam. Funk mixed with rock and roll with hillbilly Telecaster guitar riffs running rampant all through it

[Glamrock]

1. Beat me to it!

That was my answer as soon as I saw the post title. Booker T and the Mar-Keys of course!

[The Polack MSgt]

2. Add a talented soul shouter with these players and good things happen

[Docreed2003]

4. Preach....

Otis Redding was the best damn soul singer ever, in my book...

[The Polack MSgt]

3. Ok, last one

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[Docreed2003]

5. To quote Donald "Duck" Dunn...

"They had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline". That quote may have been made in jest during the "Blues Brothers", but it sure could be applied to the power of their music at Staxx.

[The Polack MSgt]

6. That is the truth.

Duck Dunn may have known what he was talking about - He played with a couple people in his career:
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/donald-duck-dunn-mn0000180850/credits

His credits page scrolls forever