Jim Stewart

Born 70 miles east of Memphis, Tennessee, Jim Stewart began his music career as a country fiddler in the Texas Swing tradition and ended up the founder and president of one of the greatest soul and R&B labels ever, Stax Records.



At 18 Stewart moved to Memphis from his home in Middleton, TN to pursue a career in music. While playing an occasional gig, the young fiddler supported himself by working at Sears during the day. After a two year stint in the Army Stewart moved back to Memphis, landed a job in a bank and became interested in recording. After several slammed doors, Stewart finally found an opening in 1957, releasing a country song he wrote called "Blue Roses" on his own Satellite label. The record bombed. Several more attempts were unsuccessful as well and, by 1959, Stewart had brought in his older sister Estelle as a business partner, hired engineer Chips Moman and relocated his fledgling operation to an abandoned theater on East McLemore Avenue in Memphis' ghetto.

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