MEMPHIS (CelebrityAccess) — Concord, the owner of the venerable Stax Records brand, announced the second round of recipients of the Concord Stax Scholarships, which will provide a full tuition ride for 20 students of Stax Music Academy (SMA) in each year over the next five school years.
The scholarships are awarded based on financial need, and merit and will be presented to each student in the name of a Stax executive, such as Stax founder Jim Sewart, his sister and co-owner Estelle Axton, and former owner Al Bell.
The scholarships will also be granted in the name of distinctive Stax recording artists, including members of the Stax house band Booker T. and the MG’s, The Bar-Kays and Otis Redding, to name a few.
Operated by the Soulsville Foundation, which also oversees the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and The Soulsville Charter School, the Stax Music Academy serves young people from under-resourced communities in the Memphis area with music industry-focused education and programming.
Since it began in 2000, SMA has fostered and coached over 4,000 students in instrumental and vocal training, music theory, songwriting and music business, providing necessary skillset to success in the music industry.
“The Stax Music Academy instills discipline, leadership, teamwork and the creative skills needed to earn music scholarships that help these children and their families achieve even greater educational opportunity,” stated Concord Board Chairman Steve Smith. “They’ve also trained thousands of young people to be wonderful musicians, session players, engineers, artists and songwriters, and their alumni can be found doing great things all over the world. All of this is proof that carrying forth cultural ideals of the original Stax Records achieves results. On behalf of Concord and its friends and family, I’m honored to congratulate this second group of Concord Stax Scholarship awardees. We are committed more than ever to championing young artists as they make their way in the music business for decades to come.”
The full list of 2022-2023 scholarship recipients
The Rance Allen Concord Stax Scholarship
Lauren Sanders
The Estelle Axton Concord Stax Scholarship
Anaya Murray
The Bar-Kays Concord Stax Scholarship
Christian Gillespie
The Al Bell Concord Stax Scholarship
John Smith
The William Bell Concord Stax Scholarship
Zipporah Israel
The Booker T. & the M.G.’s Concord Stax Scholarship
Zander Henley
The Little Milton Campbell Concord Stax Scholarship
Richana Turner-Snerling
The Bettye Crutcher Concord Stax Scholarship
Pasley Thompson
The Isaac Hayes Concord Stax Scholarship
Nicholas Dickerson
The Brett D. Hellerman Concord Stax Scholarship
Shaun Murray
The Mable John Concord Stax Scholarship
Johnathon Cole
The Albert King Concord Stax Scholarship
Aidan Mills
The Linda Lyndell Concord Stax Scholarship
Caleb Thompson
The Deanie Parker Concord Stax Scholarship
Lee Short, Jr.
The David Porter Concord Stax Scholarship
Beriah McAbee
The Otis Redding Concord Stax Scholarship
Rachael Walker
The Staple Singers Concord Stax Scholarship
Desmond Coppin
The Jim Stewart Concord Stax Scholarship
Noah Israel
The Johnnie Taylor Concord Stax Scholarship
Dontae Currie
The Rufus Thomas Concord Stax Scholarship
Alexander Harris
