Willie Mitchell (musician)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Willie Mitchell (January 3, 1928 - January 5, 2010) was a soul, R&B, rock and roll, pop and funk music producer and arranger who ran Royal Recording in Memphis, Tennessee. He is best known for his Hi Records label of the 1970s, which released albums by a large stable of popular Memphis soul artists, including Mitchell himself, Al Green, Syl Johnson and Ann Peebles. Known at the studio as "Papa Willie," Mitchell earned his nickname by taking over the reigns of Hi Records in 1970 and guiding it through its most successful period. Mitchell's productions have been much noted for featuring a hard-hitting kick drum sound (usually played by pioneering Memphis drummer Al Jackson, Jr. of Booker T. and the MG's)
A trumpeter and bandleader in his own right, Mitchell released a number of popular singles for Hi Records as an artist in the 1960s, including "Soul Serenade."
He and Al Green revived their successful recording partnershp in 2003 when Green recorded I Can't Stop, his first collaboration with Mitchell since 1985's He is the Light. Their 2005 follow-up project was Everything's OK.
Discography
- Sunrise Serenade - 1963
- It's Dance Time - 1965
- It's What's Happenin - 1966
- Ooh Baby, You Turn Me On - 1967
- The Hit Sound of Willie Mitchell - 1967
- Willie Mitchell Live at the Royal - 1968
- On Top - 1969
- Solid Soul - 1969
- Soul Bag - 1969
- Robbin's Nest - 1970
- The Many Moods of Willie Mitchell - 1970
- Hold It - 1971
- Listen Dance - 1971
- Willie Mitchell Live - 1977
- Willie Willie Willie - 1981
- That Driving Beat - 1986
- Walkin' With Willie - 2003
