<Dd> "...it was certainly biased on our favor . We didn't pay for the masters...Jim paid for the masters and then he would send us a finished tape and we would put it out . Our costs began at the production level - the pressing, and distribution, and promotion, and advertising ." </Dd> <P> The deal to distribute Satellite's "Last Night" by The Mar - Keys on the Satellite label marked the first time Atlantic began marketing outside tracks on a non-Atlantic label . When Stewart discovered there was another label in California called Satellite Records, he changed the name of his label to Stax . </P> <P> Atlantic began pressing and distributing Stax records and Wexler soon sent Tom Dowd to upgrade Stax's recording equipment and facilities . Wexler was impressed by the easy - going, cooperative atmosphere at the Stax studios and by the distinctive sound of the label's racially integrated group of' house' musicians (which he described as "an unthinkably great band") and he was soon bringing Atlantic artists to Memphis to record . Shortly afterwards Stewart and Wexler hired Al Bell, then working as a DJ at a Washington DC radio station, to take over national promotion of Stax releases, the first African - American partner in the label . </P> <P> In 1962 the Stax deal began to reap major rewards for both labels . An after - hours jam by members of the Stax house band resulted in the classic instrumental "Green Onions". In conversation with BBC Radio 2 DJ Johnnie Walker on September 7, 2008, guitarist Steve Cropper revealed that the record became an instant success when DJ Reuben Washington played it four times in succession on Memphis radio station WLOK, before either the tune or the band had an agreed - upon name . The single was issued nationally in August 1962, by which time the band had been dubbed Booker T & the MGs; "Green Onions" became the biggest instrumental hit of the year, reaching #1 on the R&B chart and #3 on the pop chart, where it stayed for 16 weeks, and it sold over one million copies, earning a gold record award . </P>

Who owned and produced the artists/records at stax