Catalog

Willie Mitchell


Biography

Soul songwriter and producer, the late Willie Mitchell was credited with creating legendary recording artist Al Green’s signature sound and was integral in developing the distinctive ‘Memphis Soul’ sound. Mitchell worked extensively with Green, with whom he joined forces in 1968. Their 1971 hit “Let’s Stay Together” held the lead slot on Pop charts while they went on to collaborate on 13 Top 40 hits between the years of 1971 and 1976. In 2000s, they released two albums together, I Can’t Stop (2003) and Everything’s OK (2005), recorded at Mitchell’s Royal Studios recording studio. In addition to producing eternal hits for Green, Mitchell wrote and produced for Memphis mainstays Solomon Burke, Ann Peebles, and Syl Johnson, among others. His ...

Soul songwriter and producer, the late Willie Mitchell was credited with creating legendary recording artist Al Green’s signature sound and was integral in developing the distinctive ‘Memphis Soul’ sound. Mitchell worked extensively with Green, with whom he joined forces in 1968. Their 1971 hit “Let’s Stay Together” held the lead slot on Pop charts while they went on to collaborate on 13 Top 40 hits between the years of 1971 and 1976. In 2000s, they released two albums together, I Can’t Stop (2003) and Everything’s OK (2005), recorded at Mitchell’s Royal Studios recording studio. In addition to producing eternal hits for Green, Mitchell wrote and produced for Memphis mainstays Solomon Burke, Ann Peebles, and Syl Johnson, among others. His instantly recognizable works feature prominent horns, soft strummed guitars, and a hard-hitting drum beat. Seeking the famous Memphis sound, artists including Keith Richards, Rod Stewart, and Tom Jones traveled from all over the world to collaborate and record with Mitchell at his illustrious Royal Studios, where he was known as “Papa Willie” for his successful leadership style as a bandleader and producer.

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