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William Lawrence Mitchell (March 1, 1928 – January 5, 2010) was an American trumpeter, bandleader,
soul
The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
, R&B, rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
, pop and funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
record producer and arranger who ran Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 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, O. V. Wright, Syl Johnson, Ann Peebles and Quiet Elegance.
Biography
Born and raised in Ashland, Mississippi, Mitchell moved to Memphis when he was in high school. He attended Rust College.Howard, David N. (2004). ''Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings'', pp. 150–51. Hal Leonard Corporation. . At the age of eight, he began to play the trumpet. While in high school, he was a featured player in popular local big bands. He later formed his own combo, which from time to time included musicians such as trumpeterBooker Little
Booker Little Jr. (April 2, 1938 – October 5, 1961)
– accessed June 2010 was an American , saxophonists Charles Lloyd, and
Mitchell landed a job with the Home of the Blues record label as a producer, then left to join Hi Records as both a recording artist and a producer.
Known at the recording studio as "Papa Willie", Mitchell earned his nickname by taking over the reins 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 bass drum sound (usually played by pioneering Memphis drummer Al Jackson, Jr. of Booker T. & the M.G.'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." It peaked at number 43 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1968.
Through the 1980s, Mitchell ran his own
Musician Willie Mitchell dead at 82
Famed musician, record producer Willie Mitchell dies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Willie 1928 births 2010 deaths African-American songwriters American bandleaders American music industry executives Record producers from Mississippi Record producers from Tennessee American soul musicians American trumpeters American male trumpeters Hi Records artists Musicians from Mississippi Soul-blues musicians Musicians from Memphis, Tennessee People from Ashland, Mississippi Songwriters from Tennessee Songwriters from Mississippi Bearsville Records artists 20th-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American musicians American male songwriters
– accessed June 2010 was an American , saxophonists Charles Lloyd, and
George Coleman
George Edward Coleman (born March 8, 1935) is an American jazz saxophonist known for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s. In 2015, he was named an NEA Jazz Master.
Early life
Coleman was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He was ...
, and pianist Phineas Newborn, Jr.
Mitchell landed a job with the Home of the Blues record label as a producer, then left to join Hi Records as both a recording artist and a producer.
Known at the recording studio as "Papa Willie", Mitchell earned his nickname by taking over the reins 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 bass drum sound (usually played by pioneering Memphis drummer Al Jackson, Jr. of Booker T. & the M.G.'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." It peaked at number 43 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1968.
Through the 1980s, Mitchell ran his own independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...
, Waylo Records. Acts on the label included Billy Always and Lynn White.
In 1987, Joyce Cobb recorded several singles for Waylo, one of which made it to No. 3 on the British R&B chart: "Another Lonely Night (Without You)", while in 1987, Mitchell worked on a version of Wet Wet Wet's debut album, which was issued in 1988 as '' The Memphis Sessions''.
He and Al Green revived their successful recording partnership 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''.
Mitchell died in Memphis on January 5, 2010, from a cardiac arrest.
His final work was producing the final Solomon Burke studio album, '' Nothing's Impossible'', released in June 2010.
Discography
* 1963: ''Sunrise Serenade'' * 1964: ''20-75'' * 1964: ''Hold It'' * 1965: ''It's Dance Time'' * 1966: ''It's What's Happenin * 1966: ''The Hit Sound Of Willie Mitchell'' * 1967: ''Ooh Baby, You Turn Me On'' * 1968: ''Willie Mitchell Live at the Royal'' * 1968: ''Soul Serenade'' * 1969: ''On Top'' * 1969: ''Solid Soul'' * 1969: ''Soul Bag'' * 1970: ''Robbin's Nest'' * 1970: ''The Many Moods of Willie Mitchell'' * 1971: ''Listen Dance'' * 1977: ''Willie Mitchell Live'' * 1981: ''Willie Willie Willie'' * 1986: ''That Driving Beat'' * 2001: ''Poppa Willie The Hi Years / 1962-74'' * 2003: ''Walkin' With Willie'' * 2008: ''Best Damn Fool'' (with Buddy Guy)Singles
* A"Soul Serenade" peaked at number 32 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chartReferences
External links
*Musician Willie Mitchell dead at 82
Famed musician, record producer Willie Mitchell dies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchell, Willie 1928 births 2010 deaths African-American songwriters American bandleaders American music industry executives Record producers from Mississippi Record producers from Tennessee American soul musicians American trumpeters American male trumpeters Hi Records artists Musicians from Mississippi Soul-blues musicians Musicians from Memphis, Tennessee People from Ashland, Mississippi Songwriters from Tennessee Songwriters from Mississippi Bearsville Records artists 20th-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American musicians American male songwriters