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The Memphis Horns | |
|---|---|
| Origin | United States |
| Genres | Soul,blues,rock,horn section |
| Labels | Stax |
| Past members | Wayne Jackson Andrew Love |
The Memphis Horns was an Americanhorn section, made famous by their many appearances onStax Records. The duo consisted ofWayne Jackson ontrumpet andAndrew Love ontenor saxophone. An "offshoot of theMar-Keys", they continued to work together for over 30 years.[1] They lent their sound to 83 gold and platinum awards and over one hundred high-charting records, includingOtis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay",Al Green's "Let's Stay Together", andElvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds".[2]
Before the formation of the Memphis Horns, the co-founders worked in other projects.[2] Jackson, while in high school, was a member of theMar-Keys, a group that would become part of the house band forStax Records during the 1960s.[3] Meanwhile, Love was playing the saxophone in his father's church, and his school bands. He joined the house band in 1965, after completing his post secondary education in music.[4] Upon Love's entry, the two met formally and clicked quickly, as they had heard, and heard of, each other in clubs before.[2]
In addition to recording at Stax, the duo were also working sessions atRoyal Studio andAmerican Sound Studio in Memphis, at Atlantic Records in New York, and atFAME Studio inMuscle Shoals. In 1969, after being asked to work exclusively at Stax, Jackson and Love declined and incorporated as The Memphis Horns to continue offering their signature sound to all who needed it.[4]
The Memphis Horns appeared on nearly every recording for Stax that included a horn section — withIsaac Hayes,Otis Redding,Rufus Thomas,Sam and Dave and others — as well as on other releases, includingThe Doobie Brothers'What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits andU2'sRattle and Hum, as well as a few solo records.[5]
In the 1970s, they recorded withAl Green,Aretha Franklin,Rod Stewart,James Taylor,Joe Tex,Neil Diamond,Mike Harrison,Don Harrison Band, andStephen Stills.[2][4] They toured with Stills in 1971 andThe Doobie Brothers from 1973 to 1976. In the 1980s, they recorded withJimmy Buffett,Willie Nelson, Hank Williams,Steve Winwood,Robert Cray and many others.[4] They toured withJimmy Buffett for three years and one year withJoe Cocker. In the late 1980s and 1990s, Jackson and Love worked extensively with the blues outfit, TheRobert Cray Band. They provided their trademark funky/soul horns backing to five of the band's albums:Strong Persuader (1986);Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1988);Midnight Stroll (1990);I Was Warned (1992);Sweet Potato Pie (1997).
In 1992, they released their own albumFlame Out, produced by fellow Stax alumnusTerry Manning.
Following the retirement of Love in 2004, Jackson recruited Tom McGinley, a baritone sax player, to continue to record on projects such asNeil Young'sPrairie Wind (2005).
In 2007, Jackson reunited with former longtime member Jack Hale, also including McGinley, in order to join a supergroup backing singer-songwriter Andrew Jon Thomson, on his "All Star Superband" multi-album project. In 2008, this line-up played on some songs onthe Raconteurs record,Consolers of the Lonely. The same year the Memphis Horns recorded withJack White (White Stripes,the Raconteurs) andAlicia Keys on the song "Another Way to Die", for the 22ndJames Bond movie,Quantum of Solace.
In 2008, the Memphis Horns were inducted into theMusicians Hall of Fame and Museum inNashville, TN.[3] In 2012, the Memphis Horns received aGrammy Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding artistic significance in music, and in 2017, the duo was inducted into theMemphis Music Hall of Fame.[2]
| Artist | Song title | Date | US charts | R&B charts | UK charts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson Pickett | "In the Midnight Hour" | May 12, 1965 | 21 | 1 | 12 | date is date recorded |
| Wilson Pickett | "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)" | December 20, 1965 | 13 | 1 | 36 | date is date recorded |
| Artist | Song title | Date | US charts | R&B charts | UK charts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson Pickett | "Land of a Thousand Dances" | May 8–11, 1966 | 6 | 1 | 22 | date is date recorded |
| Wilson Pickett | "Mustang Sally" | October 13, 1966 | 23 | 6 | 28 | date is date recorded |
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| National | |
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