Primary Wave has entered a partnership with the estate of soul singer Wilson Pickett, encompassing a share of his name, image and likeness rights and an apparent stake in his music publishing catalogue. Announced on 2 September, the deal will see the estate work with Primary Wave on marketing, branding, digital and synch opportunities, as well as film and TV projects, though financial terms were not disclosed. The tie-up underscores the continuing commercial value of soul music catalogues from the era, with Primary Wave positioning itself to expand Pickett's reach to new audiences.

Pickett, who died in 2006 aged 64, is best known for hits including "In the Midnight Hour," "Mustang Sally" and "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)," and although he mostly performed other writers' songs, the Songview database credits him as a co-writer on around 100 tracks, alongside figures such as Steve Cropper, Bobby Womack and Jerry Wexler. His brother and estate executive, Max Pickett, described the partnership as a continuation of his mission to preserve Pickett's legacy, while Primary Wave's David Weitzman praised the singer's influence alongside collaborators including the Stax Records team, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Gamble & Huff.