The Mar-Keys

As the Stax label's house band in the 1960s, the Mar-Keys were pretty much the architects of the era's Southern soul sound. They started out as the Royal Spades in the late '50s, including saxophonist Packy Axton (son of Stax founder Estelle Axton) as well as all the future members of Booker T. & the M.G.'s and the Memphis Horns. The Mar-Keys--who also recorded on their own--backed the entire stellar Stax roster of the time, from Otis Redding to Rufus Thomas, officially disbanding in 1971.