Originating as the Stax Records’ house band in 1966, The Bar-Kays were born from soul music and turbulent times. At the end of Jim Crow’s reign, these young Memphians were finding their musical voice and offering listeners a safe haven from the racial unrest surrounding them. In a city known for singing the blues and birthing rock n roll, the sound of soul offered a raw, and real-deal, relevance to a young African American community seeking a sound of its own. The Bar-Kays were the epicentre of this fertile creativity.

 

The Bar-Kays have a career total of 29 albums, including 1 platinum album, 5 gold albums, and 20 top ten singles. The Bar-Kays music has been sampled by everyone, from Coolio to Will Smith, to old schoolers like Cameo. Their career has been documented in music institutions such as The Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame. The Bar-Kays recently were asked to donate iconic stage garb and musical equipment to the esteemed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

 

The Bar-Kays’ purposeful soulfulness first carried them to a chart-topping perch in 1967 with the hit, “Soulfinger.” The vibrancy of their approach landed them the plum backup spot for the legendary Otis Redding on his final worldwide tour. The tour, however, had a disastrous finale with Otis Redding and four band members perishing in a tragic plane accident.

 

The Bar-Kays’ are currently working on their 30th album. “Grown Folks,” the first single, featured highly sought after hip-hop producer, and son of James Alexander, Jazze Pha.

Throughout their career the Bar-Kays have always taken time to give back to the community, whether through performing for US Troops in Kuwait and Iraq or volunteering with students at the Stax Music Academy.