Willie Mitchell (musician): Difference between revisions

Willie Mitchell
Willie Mitchell
	Mitchell in 1966
Background information
Birth name	William Lawrence Mitchell
Born	March 1, 1928; Ashland, Mississippi, U.S
Origin	Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	January 5, 2010 (aged 81); Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Soul, R&B, rock and roll, pop, funk
Occupation(s)	Singer, bandleader, record producer, arranger
Instrument(s)	Vocals, trumpet
Labels	Hi Records

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Latest revision as of 21:02, 8 January 2025

William Lawrence Mitchell (March 1, 1928 – January 5, 2010)^[1] was an American trumpeter, bandleader, soul, R&B, rock and roll, pop and funk 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.^[2] 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 trumpeter Booker Little, saxophonists Charles Lloyd, and George Coleman, and pianist Phineas Newborn, Jr.^[2]

Mississippi Blues Trail marker dedicated to Mitchell in Ashland

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.^[2]

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."^[3] It peaked at number 43 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1968.^[4]

Through the 1980s, Mitchell ran his own independent record label, Waylo Records.^[3] Acts on the label included Billy Always and Lynn White.^[5]

In 1987, Joyce Cobb recorded several singles for Waylo, one of which made it to No. 3 on the British R&B chart:^{[citation needed]} "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.^[6]

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

Year	Title	Chart positions
Year	Title	US	US R&B	CAN	UK^[4]
1964	"20-75"	31	32	32	—
1964	"Percolatin'"	85	—	—	—
1965	"Buster Browne"	96	29	—	—
1965	"Everything Is Gonna Be Alright"	126	—	—	—
1966	"Bad Eye"	92	23	—	—
1966	"Mercy"	127	—	—	—
1967	"Slippin' and Slidin'"	96	—	—	—
1968	"Soul Serenade"^A	23	10	21	43
	"Prayer Meetin'"	45	23	79	—
	"Up-Hard"	91	—	—	—
1969	"30-60-90"	69	31	90	—
	"Young People"	120	—	—	—
	"My Babe"	115	37	—	—
1976	"The Champion"	—	—	—	47

^A"Soul Serenade" peaked at number 32 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart

References

^ Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 227. ISBN 978-0313344237.
^ ^a ^b ^c Howard, David N. (2004). Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings, pp. 150–51. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 0-634-05560-7.
^ ^a ^b Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1716. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
^ ^a ^b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 372. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
^ "B&S classic interview: Willie Mitchell". Bluesandsoul.com. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
^ Sisario, Ben (6 January 2010). "Willie Mitchell, Soul Music Producer, Dies at 81 (Published 2010)". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 November 2020.

External links

Willie Mitchell at AllMusic
Musician Willie Mitchell dead at 82 Archived 2010-01-11 at the Wayback Machine
Famed musician, record producer Willie Mitchell dies

[bare-1] Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 227. ISBN 978-0313344237.

[howard-2] Howard, David N. (2004). Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings, pp. 150–51. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 0-634-05560-7.

[LarkinGE-3] Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1716. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.

[British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums-4] Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 372. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

[5] "B&S classic interview: Willie Mitchell". Bluesandsoul.com. Retrieved 1 November 2020.

[6] Sisario, Ben (6 January 2010). "Willie Mitchell, Soul Music Producer, Dies at 81 (Published 2010)". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 November 2020.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|American trumpeter, arranger and record producer (1928–2010)}}
-{{Refimprove|date=January 2010}}
+{{More citations needed|date=January 2010}}
 {{Infobox musical artist
 | name                = Willie Mitchell
 | image               = Willie Mitchell (1966).png
 | alt                 =
-| caption             = Willie Mitchell in 1966
+| caption             = Mitchell in 1966
-| image_size          = 250px
+| image_size          =
 | background          = solo_singer
-| birth_name          =
+| birth_name          = William Lawrence Mitchell
 | alias               =
-| birth_date          = {{Birth date|1928|3|1}}<br/>[[Ashland, Mississippi|Ashland]], [[Mississippi]], United States
+| birth_date          = {{Birth date|1928|3|1}}<br/>[[Ashland, Mississippi|Ashland]], Mississippi, U.S
-| death_date          = {{Death date and age|2010|01|05|1928|3|23}}<br/>Memphis, Tennessee, United States
+| death_date          = {{Death date and age|2010|01|05|1928|03|01}}<br/>Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
-| origin              =  [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[Tennessee]], United States
+| origin              =  [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], Tennessee, U.S.
-| instrument          = [[Human voice|Singing]], [[trumpet]]
+| instrument          = [[Human voice|Vocals]], trumpet
-| genre               = [[Soul music|Soul]], [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], [[rock and roll]], [[pop music|pop]], [[funk]]
+| genre               = [[Soul music|Soul]], [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], [[rock and roll]], pop, [[funk]]
-| occupation          = [[Singer]], [[bandleader]], [[record producer]], [[arrangement|arranger]]
+| occupation          = Singer, bandleader, record producer, arranger
 | years_active        =
 | label               = [[Hi Records]]
 | associated_acts     =
-| website             = [http://www.williemitchell.com/ www.williemitchell.com]
+| website             =
-| notable_instruments =
 }}
-'''Willie L. Mitchell''' (March 1, 1928 &ndash; January 5, 2010) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, [[soul music|soul]], [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], [[rock and roll]], [[pop music|pop]] and [[funk]] [[record producer]] and [[arrangement|arranger]] who ran [[Royal Studios]] in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[Tennessee]]. He was best known for his [[Hi Records]] [[record label|label]] of the 1970s, which released [[album]]s by a large stable of popular [[Memphis soul]] [[musician|artists]], including Mitchell himself, [[Al Green (musician)|Al Green]], [[O. V. Wright]], [[Syl Johnson]], [[Ann Peebles]] and [[Quiet Elegance]].
+'''William Lawrence Mitchell''' (March 1, 1928 &ndash; January 5, 2010)<ref name="bare">{{cite book| first1= Bob| last1= Eagle| first2= Eric S.| last2= LeBlanc| year= 2013| title= Blues - A Regional Experience| publisher= Praeger Publishers| location= Santa Barbara| pages=227 | isbn= 978-0313344237}}</ref> was an American trumpeter, bandleader, [[soul music|soul]], [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], [[rock and roll]], pop and [[funk]] record producer and arranger who ran [[Royal Studios]] in [[Memphis, Tennessee|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 (musician)|Al Green]], [[O. V. Wright]], [[Syl Johnson]], [[Ann Peebles]] and [[Quiet Elegance]].
 ==Biography==
-Born and raised in [[Ashland, Mississippi]], Mitchell moved to [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] when he was in high school. He attended [[Rust College]].<ref name=howard>Howard, David N. (2004). ''Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings'', pp. 150&ndash;51. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 0-634-05560-7.</ref> 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 trumpeter [[Booker Little]], [[saxophonist]]s [[Charles Lloyd (jazz musician)|Charles Lloyd]], and [[George Coleman]], and [[pianist]] [[Phineas Newborn, Jr.]]<ref name=howard/>
+Born and raised in [[Ashland, Mississippi]], Mitchell moved to [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] when he was in high school. He attended [[Rust College]].<ref name=howard>Howard, David N. (2004). ''Sonic Alchemy: Visionary Music Producers and Their Maverick Recordings'', pp. 150&ndash;51. Hal Leonard Corporation. {{ISBN|0-634-05560-7}}.</ref> 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 trumpeter [[Booker Little]], saxophonists [[Charles Lloyd (jazz musician)|Charles Lloyd]], and [[George Coleman]], and pianist [[Phineas Newborn, Jr.]]<ref name=howard/>
+[[File:Ashland-Mitchell-marker-ms.jpg|left|210px|thumb|[[Mississippi Blues Trail]] marker dedicated to Mitchell in [[Ashland, Mississippi|Ashland]]]]
-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.<ref name=howard/>
+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.<ref name=howard/>
-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]]).{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}}
+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 [[single (music)|singles]] for Hi Records as an artist in the 1960s, including "[[Soul Serenade (song)|Soul Serenade]]." It peaked at #43 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] in April 1968.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
+A trumpeter and bandleader in his own right, Mitchell released a number of popular [[single (music)|singles]] for Hi Records as an artist in the 1960s, including "[[Soul Serenade (King Curtis song)|Soul Serenade]]."<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=1716}}</ref> It peaked at number 43 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] in April 1968.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
 | first= David
 | last= Roberts
@@ Line 42: / Line 44: @@
 | page= 372}}</ref>
-Through the 1980s Mitchell ran his own [[independent record label]], Waylo Records. Acts on the label included Billy Always and Lynn White.<ref>[http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/492/bands_classic_interview_willie_mitchell_b... Willie Mitchell interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' October 1987]</ref>
+Through the 1980s, Mitchell ran his own [[independent record label]], Waylo Records.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> Acts on the label included Billy Always and [[Lynn White (musician)|Lynn White]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/492/bands_classic_interview_willie_mitchell_b...|title=B&S classic interview: Willie Mitchell|website=Bluesandsoul.com|access-date=1 November 2020}}</ref>
-In 1987 [[Joyce Cobb]] recorded several singles for Waylo, one of which made it to No. 3 on the British R&B charts: "Another Lonely Night (Without You)".
+In 1987, [[Joyce Cobb]] recorded several singles for Waylo, one of which made it to No. 3 on the British R&B chart:{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} "Another Lonely Night (Without You)", while in 1987, Mitchell worked on a version of [[Wet Wet Wet|Wet Wet Wet's]] debut album, which was issued in 1988 as ''[[The Memphis Sessions]]''.
 He and [[Al Green]] revived their successful [[sound recording and reproduction|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]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/arts/music/06mitchell.html?partner=rss&emc=rss ''The New York Times'', 6 January 2010]</ref>
+Mitchell died in Memphis on January 5, 2010, from a cardiac arrest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/arts/music/06mitchell.html|title=Willie Mitchell, Soul Music Producer, Dies at 81 (Published 2010)|first=Ben|last=Sisario|date=6 January 2010|access-date=1 November 2020|website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
-His final work was producing the final [[Solomon Burke]] studio album, ''Nothing's Impossibile'', released in June 2010.
+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: ''It's What's Happenin'''
+* 1966: ''The Hit Sound Of Willie Mitchell''
 * 1967: ''Ooh Baby, You Turn Me On''
-* 1967: ''The Hit Sound of Willie Mitchell''
 * 1968: ''Willie Mitchell Live at the Royal''
-* 1968: ''On Top'' 1969
+* 1968: ''Soul Serenade''
+* 1969: ''On Top''
 * 1969: ''Solid Soul''
 * 1969: ''Soul Bag''
 * 1970: ''Robbin's Nest''
 * 1970: ''The Many Moods of Willie Mitchell''
-* 1971: ''Hold It''
 * 1971: ''Listen Dance''
 * 1977: ''Willie Mitchell Live''
@@ Line 84: / Line 87: @@
 ! width="45"|<small>US R&B</small>
 ! width="45"|<small>CAN</small>
-! width="45"|<small>UK</small>
+! width="45"|<small>UK<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/></small>
 |-
 |rowspan="2"| 1964
@@ Line 133: / Line 136: @@
 |-
 | rowspan="3"| 1968
-|"[[Soul Serenade (song)|Soul Serenade]]"<sup>A</sup>
+|"[[Soul Serenade (King Curtis song)|Soul Serenade]]"<sup>A</sup>
 | align="center"| 23
 | align="center"| 10
@@ Line 177: / Line 180: @@
 | align="center"| 47
 |}
-* <sup>A</sup>"Soul Serenade" peaked at #32 on Billboard Adult Contemporary charts
+* <sup>A</sup>"Soul Serenade" peaked at number 32 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart
 ==References==
@@ Line 185: / Line 188: @@
 {{Portal|Biography}}
 * {{AllMusic|artist/willie-mitchell-mn0000684830}}
-* [http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-willie-mitchell,0,7509000.story?track=rss Musician Willie Mitchell dead at 82]
+* [http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-willie-mitchell,0,7509000.story?track=rss Musician Willie Mitchell dead at 82] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111052202/http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-willie-mitchell,0,7509000.story?track=rss |date=2010-01-11 }}
 * [http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/jan/05/musician-music-producer-willie-mitchell-dies-age-8/  Famed musician, record producer Willie Mitchell dies]
@@ Line 193: / Line 196: @@
 [[Category:1928 births]]
 [[Category:2010 deaths]]
-[[Category:African-American musicians]]
 [[Category:African-American songwriters]]
 [[Category:American bandleaders]]
 [[Category:American music industry executives]]
-[[Category:American record producers]]
+[[Category:Record producers from Mississippi]]
+[[Category:Record producers from Tennessee]]
 [[Category:American soul musicians]]
 [[Category:American trumpeters]]
+[[Category:American male trumpeters]]
 [[Category:Hi Records artists]]
 [[Category:Musicians from Mississippi]]
 [[Category:Soul-blues musicians]]
 [[Category:Musicians from Memphis, Tennessee]]
-[[Category:People from Benton County, Mississippi]]
+[[Category:People from Ashland, Mississippi]]
 [[Category:Songwriters from Tennessee]]
+[[Category:Songwriters from Mississippi]]
+[[Category:Bearsville Records artists]]
+[[Category:20th-century African-American musicians]]
+[[Category:21st-century African-American musicians]]
+[[Category:American male songwriters]]

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF FAST WorldCat
National	United States France BnF data Czech Republic Netherlands
Artists	MusicBrainz