Synopsis
David Porter, a pivotal figure in soul music, was the first staff writer at Stax Records, where he co-wrote iconic hits like “Soul Man,” “Hold On I’m Comin’,” “I Thank You,” “When Something is Wrong with my Baby,” and “Wrap it Up,” many alongside Isaac Hayes. His songs, which have appeared on national charts over 200 times and amassed lifetime unit sales exceeding 450 million, are enshrined in the Grammy Hall of Fame and have influenced soul, R&B, and hip-hop, with over 450 samples in tracks like Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover,” Will Smith’s “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” Wu-Tang Clan’s “C.R.E.A.M.,” and The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Who Shot Ya.” Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 with Hayes, Porter was featured in HBO’s 2023 Stax Records special and founded The Consortium MMT, cementing his legacy as a genre-defining songwriter.