Willie Mitchell | |
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Willie Mitchell in 1966
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Background information | |
Birth name | William Lawrence Mitchell |
Born |
Ashland, Mississippi, United States |
March 1, 1928
Origin | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
Died | January 5, 2010 Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
(aged 81)
Genres | Soul, R&B, rock and roll, pop, funk |
Occupation(s) | Singer, bandleader, record producer, arranger |
Instruments | Singing, trumpet |
Labels | Hi Records |
Website | www.williemitchell.com |
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 and Quiet Elegance.
Born and raised in Ashland, Mississippi, 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 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.