Join us for the opening reception of Bettye’s Bin: The Personal Archives of Stax Songwriter Bettye Crutcher. A new limited-time exhibit celebrating one of the most remarkable voices in soul music history.
This special evening includes:
– Beale Street Brass Note Presentation honoring Bettye Crutcher
– Conversation with Bobby Manuel, Stax musician, producer, and songwriter, interviewed by Bettye’s grandson Devin Crutcher
– Live performance: Devin Crutcher performs some of Bettye’s classic songs, backed by the 926 Stax Music Academy Alumni Band
Free and open to the public. Space is limited, register before spots fill up!
REGISTER HERE
BETTYE’S BIN: The Personal Archives of Stax Songwriter Bettye Crutcher
On display at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music November 6th, 2025 – February 22nd, 2026
Bettye Crutcher was a heavy hitter at Stax Records as their only female songwriter on staff. In 1968, she made history co-writing the platinum-selling hit “Who’s Making Love” for Johnnie Taylor, helping define the sound of Southern soul. As part of the powerhouse songwriting team We Three, alongside Homer Banks and Raymond Jackson, Crutcher brought a vital feminine perspective to the male-dominated R&B industry with lyrics that reflected strength, wit, and deep emotional truth.
Decades later, a chance discovery in a Lexington, Tennessee antique mall unearthed a remarkable piece of her story. A storage bin filled with handwritten lyrics, contracts, photographs, and deeply personal correspondence. Found by collector Patrick Barbour and donated to the Stax Museum, this intimate collection sheds new light on one of Stax Records’ most influential creative voices.
The exhibit features Crutcher’s original lyric sheets, personal letters, rare photos, and items from her home archive, revealing the woman behind the words that helped shape the Memphis sound. Visitors can also hear Bettye’s work on the Museum’s lounge jukebox, featuring selections from the GRAMMY Award-winning compilation Written in Their Souls: The Stax Songwriter Demos.
