Willie Mitchell

William Lawrence Mitchell (March 1, 1928 – January 5, 2010) 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 Mitchell moved to Memphis when he was in high school. He attended Rust College. 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 served in the US Army and moved back to Memphis in 1954. It peaked at number 43 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1968.

Through the 1980s, Mitchell ran his own independent record label, Waylo Records.

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.

In 2004, Willie Mitchell Boulevard was named for him. He was 81. 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 positionsUSUS R&BCANUK 1964"20-75" 31 32 32 —"Percolatin'" 85 — — — 1965"Buster Browne" 96 29 — —"Everything Is Gonna Be Alright" 126 — — — 1966"Bad Eye" 92 23 — —"Mercy" 127 — — — 1967"Slippin' and Slidin'" 96 — — — 1968"Soul Serenade"A 23 10 21 43"Prayer Meetin'" 45 23 78 —"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