Stax Records, a name which is synonymous with Southern soul music, began as Satellite Records in Memphis in 1959. Founded by Jim Stewart, a former country fiddler, and Estelle Axton, whose son Charles “Packy” Axton was a saxophonist with the original Mar-Keys, the company had its first Top Ten hit in 1961 with “Gee Whiz” by Carla Thomas. During the next few years Stax developed a brand of music which was to have worldwide repercussions. With its house rhythm section, better known as Booker T. & the MGs, its tight horn section, which later became the Memphis Horns, and its gospel-rooted recording artists - Otis Redding, Sam and Dave - Stax virtually created contemporary soul music, both on its own records and as a Southern base of operations for Atlantic artists such as Don Covay and Wilson Pickett.
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/_RwAoIuzHj0" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Official site