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(February 14, 2025 - Los Angeles, CA) In 1991, The Complete Stax/Volt Singles 1959-1968 cataloged one of the most prolific runs in soul music history by collating 244 songs on a now-legendary and long-since out-of-print 9-CD set. 33 years later, Rhino kicked off the first-ever vinyl release of The Complete Stax/Volt Singles 1959-1968 by unveiling Volumes 1 and 2 on vinyl, much to the delight of collectors worldwide during 2024. Today, this robust series continues with the arrival of Volumes 3 and 4 on vinyl. These installments comprise the next 79 tracks, spanning recognizable A-sides and diamond-in-the-rough B-sides, all originally released amid the label’s Atlantic-distributed era. It draws listeners right into the heart of the sixties with some of the decade’s most impactful soul, R&B, and rock.
Volumes 3 and 4 of Stax-Volt: The Complete Singles 1959-1968 are limited to 2,000 copies each and are now available on Rhino.com and select WMG stores worldwide. Order HERE.
By the decade’s midpoint, the collective roster had indisputably hit its stride. Volumes 3 and 4 effectively captures lightning in a bottle, showcasing these artists at the height of their powers with essential cuts like “You Don’t Know Like I Know” (Sam & Dave), “Respect” (Otis Redding), “A Woman’s Love” (Carla Thomas), “Jump Back” (Rufus Thomas), “Grab This Thing (Part 1)” (The Mar-Keys), “Satisfaction” (Otis Redding), “Sugar Sugar” (The Mad Lads), “Knock On Wood” (Eddie Floyd), “Oh, Pretty Woman” (Albert King), and “Jingle Bells” (Booker T. & the MGs), among many others.
The liner notes by Rob Bowman explore the energy of this season in vivid detail. Edited from his original 1991 version, it paints a picture of musical, personal, and spiritual exploration, advancing what the genre could be. He immediately points out, “Nineteen sixty-five was the year Stax’s sound finally coalesced, proven by chart successes from Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and The Mad Lads.” He goes on to celebrate the songs, hailing Redding as “a master of both the drawn-out heart-wrenching slow ballad and the stomping up-tempo house-wrecker.” Fittingly, he dubs the finale—a cover of “Jingle Bells” by Booker T. & the MGs”—as “the hippest version of the Christmas ode you’re ever likely to hear.”
The collection was remastered from the original Stax/Volt mono single masters. In a few cases, the tapes were lost, and original disc sources were used. Analog-to-digital mastering was done with a specially modified and restored Ampex 350 full-track mono machine with original tube electronics. All equipment in the transfer process was chosen specifically to recreate the Stax sound on today’s stereo systems without compromise.
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