Stax Music Academy

Big thanks to 's Giant Cookies for spoiling our students and staff with some seriously delicious treats last week! We’re still daydreaming about those incredible cookies!

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Does your child or teen have a passion for music? Whether they're involved in band, choir, or creating original songs, Stax Music Academy is the perfect place to connect with other young artists and grow their talents!

🎤 Auditions are held the first Friday of every month from 3:30 - 6:30 PM. Submit an application to secure a spot!

📝 APPLICATION LINK: https://portal.arly.com/soulsville-foundation/ #/programs
📅 Upcoming Auditions:
* Friday, August 2nd
* Friday, September 6th
📍 Located at the historic Stax Records site, our award-winning after-school program is open to students in grades 6-12. Learn more at staxmusicacademy.org

We’re known for records here in Soulsville, but thanks to our friends at Memphis Record Pressing and Dinstuhl's Fine Candy Company, we have a delicious new release that's sure to be a hit! In honor of National Vinyl Record Day on August 12, these two fantastic local businesses have teamed up to create "Groovalicious," a custom chocolate record, with all proceeds benefiting the Stax Music Academy!

Indulge your sweet tooth and soul at all Dinstuhl’s locations on August 12th, or pre-order online now. Don’t miss out on this soulfully smooth treat—tap the link in our bio to pre-order today! 🍫🎵 https://dinstuhls.com/shop/featured-products #!/Groovalicious-Chocolate-Record/p/684414954/category=20335113

Looking for a free family fun event this weekend? We will be at Overton Park Shell with City of Memphis for "Beyond the Stage" – a city-wide talent show and community bash presented by the Memphis Office of Youth Services! BYO chair or picnic blanket and enjoy food, music, games, vendors, prizes, live remote broadcasts, school supplies, and more.

Admission is FREE, and so is the food – first come, first serve! See you there.

Date: Saturday, July 20, 2024
Time: 4 PM - 7 PM
Location: Overton Park Shell, 1928 Poplar Avenue

READ MORE: https://www.facebook.com/share/HEU5g8oDK2MdmdEb/

Today we had some great visitors! The children and instructors of LYE are amazing, and we look forward to future collaborations!

FROM &

🎸 Hey Hey!! I’m excited to share something special with you all today.

Introducing the new Stax Music Academy shoe by SoGiv & Edward Bogard! This shoe pays homage to our iconic 1960s Stax Records building tile wall at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The vibrant red design features our beloved Stax Music Academy logo, piano keys, and musical notes from Isaac Hayes’ classic track “Wonderful.

I Got My Pair!! 🤟🏽🔥

👟 Available in sizes from women’s 7 to men’s 12, each pair of these exclusive shoes is priced at $150 and comes in a custom-made box. And here’s the best part: proceeds directly support the Stax Music Academy, providing 10 kids with 10 lessons for every pair sold. That’s music education and style combined in one powerful step!

🎶Ready to groove in these kicks? Click the link below to order your pair TODAY and join us in .

Place Order At 👉🏾

Let’s keep the soul alive and support the arts together!!🔥🔥🔥

Summer Music Experience got a visit from Memphis Music Initiative today! Memphis IS music! 🎵

Mark your calendars for June 29th and see our amazing SME performers showing off their skills at the Overton Park Shell for the finale show!

We are thrilled to announce that our very own Stax Music Academy Executive Director,Isaac Daniel, has been elected as a new Memphis Chapter Governor for the Recording Academy / GRAMMYs! 🏆

means advocating for, supporting, and celebrating the diverse voices that make up our vibrant creative community all year round. Join us in congratulating Isaac in the comments below! 👏🎶

Such a pleasure to work with the talented Valerie June on this project!

Valerie June – High Note (feat. The Stax Music Academy) Listen to “High Note (feat. The Stax Music Academy)”: https://found.ee/ValerieJuneHighNote-1Subscribe to Valerie June's channel to get notified on new conten...

Some snaps from the Stax Music Academy annual Mic Drop Songwriting Competition & Music Industry Meet-up last week at Crosstown Arts.

A huge thank you to our incredible panelists, judges, and talented participants for making the event unforgettable.

The evening kicked off with students engaging with industry pros, learning the secrets to making money, achieving the best studio sound, and promoting their music in today’s competitive landscape. Later, the Mic Drop Songwriter Showcase featured young artists presenting their original work.

Congratulations to our competition winners: 1st place Noah Israel, 2nd place Molly Solecki, 3rd place Leah Sariya Campbell

We can't wait to see what these young artists create next! Special thanks to our amazing panelists: Jared Boyd, Christine Stevison, Wheat Robinson, KG Greer, Matt Ross-Spang, Ari Morris, Isaac Daniels, McKenzi Webster, Charles Seaton, and Raney Antoine, for making our music industry panels truly inspiring.

This month, Stax Music Academy students, teachers, and families came together to celebrate the 2023-2024 programming year at our End of Year Ceremony. It was a night filled with joy, recognition, and special moments!

🏆 Awards were given out based on student choice and staff votes, and two of our outstanding seniors received special gifts.

🎸 Isaiah Blair, heading to Berklee College of Music this fall, was gifted a bass amp donated by our SMA Satellite Band Instrumental Instructor, Chris Franklin.

🥁 Jotham Billy received a drum set, presented by our SMA Music Director, Sam Franklin.

To our incredible seniors, we are so proud of each and every one of you! Your journey is just beginning, and we can't wait to see all the amazing things you will achieve. 🌟Let's give them a big congratulations in the comments! 👏

Join us in celebrating Anaya Murray, a senior at Stax Music Academy, who was selected by Memphis Parent as one of the top 10 under-20 youths shaping our city and beyond. Anaya's talent shines at SMA as a songwriter, vocalist, and the creative force behind our 2024 Black History Month Production, "Stax Meets Motown," alongside co-writers Andrew Green and the talented SMA senior vocalist Rickey Fondren III.

Click the link to read more!

10 Meet our inaugural class of young people making a difference in their community and the lives of others.

Bill Lee visited the Stax Museum of American Soul Music on Tuesday, May 9th for a special signing of the ELVIS Act.

The , officially known as the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act, is a crucial piece of legislation aimed at protecting the voices and images of our talented artists, both past, present, and future. Governor Lee met with Stax Music Academy students and alumni Corey Martin, Alana Farris, and ShaKaya Avant to discuss their futures in the music industry and the excitement surrounding SMA's future workforce development opportunities, production certificates, and buildout of programs designed to help current students land jobs in the industry after graduation.

Museum Executive Director Jeff Kolath walked Lee through the museum and shared some insider Stax facts on some the exhibits, including Isaac Hayes commanding red desk, Eddie Floyd's "Soul Explosion" car door, and of course, the Hot Pink shorts suit Rufus Thomas rocked onstage at the legendary WATTSTAX concert. We appreciate the Governor's efforts to protect our artists and to his continued support of our workforce development and education programs.

Students from Stax Music Academy were thrilled when City of Memphis Mayor Paul Young stopped by this week to get a tour of the campus from CEO Pat Mitchell Worley. Students - and parents - joined a lively Q & A discussion where students raised concerns, hopes, and their plans for the future. Thank you Mayor Young! Come back anytime!

Due to April showers doing their thing, tonight's finale show is postponed. But don’t worry! The Stax Music Academy ensembles will now take the stage for their finale show at Handy Park on May 2nd, 5-7 PM! We apologize for any inconvenience and can't wait to "Dance into the Summer" with you next week!
Click the link for more details - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dance-into-the-summer-handy-park-residency-tickets-860898860667?aff=oddtdtcreator

We make the art, and ARTSmemphis and First Horizon Bank help us amplify it.

Gratitude to ARTSmemphis for empowering our mission: cultivating the next wave of soul communicators. Through academic, cognitive, performance, and leadership training, we harness the transformative power of music, deeply rooted in the legacy and tradition of Stax Records. Thank you for supporting us with the ArtsFirst grant.

Ready to make a difference? Join us as we launch the campaign! Your contribution fuels our mission to close the tuition gap, providing students with top-notch music education and opportunities for scholarships and careers in music. Let's make a lasting impact together. Click the link to support now! https://soulsvillefoundation.kindful.com/?campaign=1296746

THURSDAY, APRIL 18th:

🌩️ Tonight's Handy Park Show is canceled due to thunderstorms. ☔ Don't fret! Mark your calendars for our FINAL performance next Thursday, April 25th, at Handy Park off Beale Street. 🎶 We can't wait to see you there!

Click the Eventbrite link for more details - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dance-into-the-summer-handy-park-residency-tickets-860899332077