Stax Museum of American Soul Music — Memphis

Stax Records began life as Satellite Records in 1957, founded by Jim Stewart and his sister Estelle Axton in a converted cinema on McLemore Avenue in South Memphis. By the early 1960s it had become the engine room of Southern soul, producing a raw, gritty sound that stood apart from Motown's polished Detroit productions. The house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, along with the Memphis Horns, laid the foundation for hit after hit.

Otis Redding arrived at Stax in 1962 and quickly became the label's biggest star, recording classics like These Arms of Mine, Try a Little Tenderness and (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay. Isaac Hayes transformed from session musician and songwriter into a solo superstar with the groundbreaking Hot Buttered Soul and the Oscar-winning Shaft soundtrack. Albert King brought his left-handed, upside-down guitar style to the label and recorded the landmark blues album Born Under a Bad Sign. Sam & Dave, the Staple Singers, Rufus and Carla Thomas all called Stax home.

The original Stax building was demolished in 1989 after the label's collapse. In 2003, an exact replica was built on the same site and opened as the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The museum houses thousands of artefacts including Isaac Hayes' gold-plated Cadillac Eldorado, original recording equipment, costumes and stage outfits, and an extensive collection of records and memorabilia. An interactive exhibit lets visitors step into a recreation of Studio A where the hits were made.

The Stax Museum is at 926 E McLemore Avenue in South Memphis. It is open daily and a ticket is required. Allow at least two hours to take it all in — there is an enormous amount to see and hear. The adjacent Stax Music Academy continues the legacy by training the next generation of Memphis musicians. For any fan of soul, R&B or the story of American popular music, this is an essential pilgrimage.