Stax Records and Craft Recordings are proud to announce the release of multiple new titles paying homage to the iconic Wattstax Benefit Concert which took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on August 20th, 1972.

Created in conjunction with the annual Watts Summer Festival to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Watts uprising in Los Angeles, the Wattstax benefit concert was attended by more than 100,000 people. It featured performances from Stax Records’ most popular artists of the time, including, but not limited to, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas and The Bar-Kays. These releases are the first complete audio collections of what Wattstax creator and then-President of Stax Records, Al Bell calls the “most jubilant celebration of African American music, culture, and values in American history.”

Soul’d Out: The Complete Wattstax Collection is a 12-CD box set featuring the complete 1972 L.A. Memorial Coliseum concert plus recordings from the Summit Club, including 31 previously unreleased tracks across the collection. These recordings are housed in a folio with a 76-page, fullcolor book featuring an introduction by Wattstax creator Al Bell, and new essays by Rob Bowman and A. Scott Galloway. A previously unreleased version of the iconic soul funk anthem “Theme From Shaft” by the legendary Isaac Hayes from his headline set at Wattstax is available to stream and download here today.

In addition to musical performances, it features all the speeches and other stage banter from the event, including event MC, the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s often referenced “I Am Somebody” speech. Both formats of this collection include the full-color book with introduction by Wattstax creator Al Bell, and essays by Rob Bowman and A. Scott Galloway that is also included in Soul’d Out: The Complete Wattstax Collection. A 1-CD title, The Best of Wattstax, brings together a handpicked selection of twenty of the best musical performances from the Wattstax concert. Including performances by Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, The Bar-Kays, Kim Weston, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Albert King, Eddie Floyd and more, and serves as a great introduction to the event and the many iconic artists that it featured.

- 1 -
1. Dale Warren & the Wattstax '72 Orchestra - Salvation Symphon
2. Kim Weston - the Star Spangled Banner
3. Tommy Jacquette & Jesse Jackson - Opening Announcements
4. Kim Weston - Lift Every Voice and Sing
5. Melvin Van Peebles - We're Here To Consecrate, Not Desecrate
6. The Staple Singers - Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom-Boom
7. The Staple Singers - Are You Sure
8. The Staple Singers - I Like the Things About You
9. The Staple Singers - Respect Yourself
10. The Staple Singers - I'll Take You There

- 2 -
1. Tommy Jacquette & Richard Roundtree - Wattstax Day Proclamat
2. Jimmy Jones - Somebody Bigger Than You and I
3. Louise McCord - Better Get a Move On
4. Debra Manning - Precious Lord Take My Hand
5. Eric Mercury - I Shall Not Be Moved
6. Freddie Robinson - At the Drive In
7. Lee Sain - Them Hot Pants
8. Ernie Hines - What Would I Do
9. Little Sonny - Wade In the Water
10. William Bell - I Forgot To Be Your Lover
11. The Newcomers - Pin the Tail On the Donkey
12. Eddie Floyd - Knock On Wood
13. The Temprees - Explain It To Her Mama
14. Frederick Knight - I've Been Lonely For So Long
15. The Golden 13 - Old Time Religion
16. William Bell - Al Bell Award Presentation
17. The Rance Allen Group - Lying On the Truth
18. The Rance Allen Group - Up Above My Head

- 3 -
1. William Bell - David Porter Introduction
2. The David Porter Show - Introduction
3. David Porter - Ain't That Loving You (For More Reasons Than
4. David Porter - I Can't See When I Want To
5. David Porter - Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)
6. William Bell - the Bar-Kays Introduction
7. The Bar-Kays - Son of Shaft/Feel It
8. The Bar-Kays - In the Hole
9. The Bar-Kays - I Can't Turn You Loose
10. William Bell - Tommy Tate Introduction
11. Tommy Tate - I Remember
12. William Bell - Please Move Back To the Stands
13. Tommy Tate - Help Me Love
14. Tommy Tate - School of Life

- 4 -
1. William Bell & John Kasandra - Carla Thomas Introduction
2. Carla Thomas - Pick Up the Pieces
3. Carla Thomas - I Like What You're Doing (To Me)
4. Carla Thomas - B-A-B-Y
5. Carla Thomas - Gee Whiz
6. Carla Thomas - I Have a God Who Loves
7. John Kasandra - Albert King Introduction
8. Albert King - Match Box Blues
9. Albert King - Got To Be Some Changes Made
10. Albert King - I'll Play the Blues For You
11. Albert King - Killing Floor
12. Albert King - Angel of Mercy
13. John Kasandra - Rufus Thomas Introduction
14. John Kasandra & Rufus Thomas - Rufus Thomas Entrance
15. Rufus Thomas - the Breakdown
16. John Kasandra & Rufus Thomas - Kindly Go Back To Your Seats

- 5 -
1. Rufus Thomas - Do the Funky Chicken
2. Rufus Thomas - Do the Funky Penguin
3. Jesse Jackson - I Am, Somebody
4. The Soul Children - I Don't Know What This World is Coming T
5. The Soul Children - Hearsay
6. John Kasandra, Fred Williamson & Jesse Jackson - Let Us Stan
7. Billy Eckstine - If I Can Help Somebody
8. Billy Eckstine - There is a Curfew Here

- 6 -
1. Jesse Jackson - Isaac Hayes Introduction
2. Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft (Version 1)
3. Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft (Version 2)
4. Isaac Hayes - Soulsville
5. Isaac Hayes - Never Can Say Goodbye
6. Isaac Hayes - Part-Time Love
7. Isaac Hayes - Your Love is So Doggone Good
8. Isaac Hayes - Ain't No Sunshine/Lonely Avenue
9. Isaac Hayes - I Stand Accused
10. Jesse Jackson - Let Everybody Stand and Join Hands
11. Jimmy Jones - If I Had a Hammer

- 7 -
1. Rufus Thomas - Rufus Thomas Introduction
2. Rufus Thomas - Comedy Set
3. Rufus Thomas - Night Time is the Right Time

- 8 -
1. Rufus Thomas - Johnnie Taylor Introduction
2. Johnnie Taylor - Take Care of Your Homework (Set 1)
3. Johnnie Taylor - Little Bluebird (Set 1)
4. Johnnie Taylor - Steal Away (Set 1)
5. Johnnie Taylor - I Don't Wanna Lose You (Set 1)
6. Johnnie Taylor - Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone (Set 1)
7. Johnnie Taylor - Who's Making Love (Set 2)
8. Johnnie Taylor - Hello Sundown (Set 2)
9. Johnnie Taylor - Steal Away (Set 2)
10. Johnnie Taylor - Stop Doggin' Me (Set 2)
11. Johnnie Taylor - Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone (Set 2)

- 9 -
1. Sons of Slum - Think (About It)
2. Sons of Slum - Respect
3. Sons of Slum - the Man
4. Sons of Slum - Papa Was a Rollin' Stone/Dance To the Music/M
5. The Emotions - So I Can Love You
6. The Emotions - Blind Alley
7. The Emotions - Introductions
8. The Emotions - Show Me How
9. The Emotions - When Tomorrow Comes
10. The Emotions - I Could Never Be Happy

- 10 -
1. Little Milton - Open the Door To Your Heart
2. Little Milton - Let Me Down Easy
3. Little Milton - Grits Ain't Groceries (All Around the World)
4. Little Milton - Blind Man
5. Little Milton - I Can't Quit You Baby
6. Little Milton - That's What Love Will Make You Do
7. Little Milton - Walking the Back Streets and Crying

- 11 -
1. Mel & Tim - Introduction
2. Mel & Tim - Warm It Up
3. Mel & Tim - Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
4. Mel & Tim - Groovy Situation
5. Mel & Tim - Good Guys Only Win In the Movies
6. Mel & Tim - Backfield In Motion/Starting All Over Again
7. Mel & Tim - Friendship Train

- 12 -
1. The Emotions - Peace Be Still (Rehearsal)
2. The Emotions - Peace Be Still (Take 1)
3. The Emotions - Peace Be Still (Take 2)
4. Isaac Hayes - Rolling Down a Mountainside
5. Isaac Hayes - Rolling Down a Mountainside (Alternate Version
6. The Staple Singers - Oh La De Da
7. Eddie Floyd - Lay Your Loving On Me
8. The Dramatics - Whatcha See is Whatcha Get
9. Mel & Tim - I May Not Be What You Want
10. Richard Pryor - Saturday Night/Blue Note, Backroom
11. Richard Pryor - Arrest/Line-Up
12. Richard Pryor - Niggers
13. Richard Pryor - Negroes
14. Richard Pryor - Handshake
15. Richard Pryor - Wino Get a Job