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Join us for the third installment of the Green Room Sessions, an exercise in close listening and thoughtful discussion about classic songs and albums from the Stax Records catalog.

This month, Dr. Charles Hughes will examine Isaac Hayes’ seminal album, Hot Buttered Soul. The anchor of Stax’s massive 27 album and 30 single “Soul Explosion” in 1969, the album highlights the burgeoning genius of Hayes as a performer and composer. With only five songs and no obvious radio hit, it was a major risk for both Hayes and the label, but it paid off, as the album sold well over a million copies and Hayes became an overnight star.

Joining Dr. Hughes will be former Stax Records owner Al Bell, who initiated the “Soul Explosion” and played a key role in encouraging Hayes and other Stax artists to explore new sounds and to use the album format to experiment and bring in new audiences.

Presented in partnership with Crosstown Arts and Arts First through the First Tennessee Foundation