Library Rock's Backpages

Willie Mitchell

Willie Mitchell

19 articles

Audio interviews

Willie Mitchell (1985)

Interview by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages audio, October 1985

The legendary Memphis producer talks about the rise of Southern Soul and the Memphis Sound, meeting and producing Al Green and making all those fabulous hits for Hi Records

File format: mp3; file size: 48.5mb, interview length: 50' 30" sound quality: ****

List of articles in the library

By date | By writer | Most recently added

Willie Mitchell

Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 5 November 1971

THE SUCCESS story of the day in our music must lie in Memphis with that patient and ever consistent genius, Willie Mitchell. Since he became ...

Willie Mitchell: Sounds like it's Memphis

Profile and Interview by Roger St. Pierre, New Musical Express, 11 December 1971

IF ANY one man personifies the solid beat of Memphis soul then surely it's Willie Mitchell. Not only has he turned out 14 hit albums ...

Willie Mitchell

Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 22 June 1973

WILLIE MITCHELL. His name is synonymous with the rich brass sound that has become known worldwide as the Memphis Sound. For years, Willie as been ...

Willie Mitchell: Mr. Memphis

Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 15 January 1974

WHILST THE Philadelphia Sound has undoubtedly been the top sound of 1973, the nearest rival to it has been the Memphis Sound as carried out ...

Willie Mitchell: Memphis Maestro

Interview by Tony Cummings, Black Music, February 1975

Tony Cummings talks to WILLIE MITCHELL, man behind Al Green and that Memphis sound... ...

Willie Mitchell: Changing Sounds In Memphis

Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, 22 June 1976

Willie Mitchell's distinctive Memphis sound has been the driving force behind many golden hits over the years. Now he feels it's time for a change. ...

Willie Mitchell: Gettin' Hi High Again

Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 14 March 1978

Willie Mitchell has virtually forsaken his own career in favour of running Hi Records and putting the label back up there... ...

Willie Mitchell (1985) [transcript]

Audio transcript of interview by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages transcripts, 1985

This is a transcript of Barney's audio interview with Willie. Listen to the audio of this interview. ...

From Hi to Waylo: the Spirit of Memphis Soul

Report by Barney Hoskyns, unpublished, 1988

LOVERS OF authentic southern American soul are in for a major treat this weekend when a "Memphis Soul Revue" holds court at London's Town & ...

Hi Records: That Memphis Beat

Overview by Colin Escott, Record Hunter, July 1991

Long in the shadow of Sun and Stax, Memphis based Hi Records finally hit the big time with Al Green and set the '70s soul ...

Willie Mitchell: Tell’Em Willie Boy Was Here

Interview by Harvey Kubernik, MOJO, June 1995

Willie Mitchell, maestro of the Memphis soul sound that gave the world Al Green, has his life’s work celebrated by the box set Hi Times: ...

Various Artists: Royal Memphis Soul – Hi Records

Review by Barney Hoskyns, MOJO, July 1996

When Muscle Shoals went flabby and Stax couldn't pay their taxes, Hi Records took up the soul baton. Barney Hoskyns says hello to a collection ...

Al Green and Willie Mitchell: Let's Stay Together

Interview by Andria Lisle, Memphis Flyer, 13 November 2003

Singer Al Green and his legendary producer Willie Mitchell try to make magic once again. ...

Al Green: Soul Searching

Profile and Interview by Andria Lisle, MOJO, April 2004

In the late '70s, Al Green was a troubled superstar who abandoned the stage in favour of the pulpit. Then last winter, after 25 years, ...

Hi Rhythm: Love and Happiness

Retrospective and Interview by Andria Lisle, Memphis Flyer, 2 July 2004

Hi Rhythm, Memphis' other soul house band, made music into a family affair ...

R.I.P. Poppa Willie Mitchell

Comment by Andria Lisle, Memphis Flyer, 5 January 2010

EIGHTY-ONE-year old producer/trumpeter Poppa Willie Mitchell died at 7:25 a.m. today, at Methodist University Hospital. ...

Sunset Serenade: Saying Goodbye to Memphis Music Legend Willie Mitchell

Obituary by Andria Lisle, Memphis Flyer, 14 January 2010

AT 7:25 A.M. ON Tuesday, January 5th, 81-year-old producer "Poppa" Willie Mitchell died at Methodist University Hospital. An entire chunk of local music history died with ...

Let's Stay Together: Willie Mitchell on Al Green and Hi Records

Interview by Harvey Kubernik, Rock's Backpages, January 2022

IT'S BEEN OVER a half a century since Al Greene & the Soulmates [sic], then based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, released their first album Back ...

see also Al Green

see also Hi Rhythm

RSS

back to LIBRARY

COPYRIGHT NOTICE