Willie Mitchell, the producer from Mississippi who worked with Al Green on all those epic 1970s hits, died yesterday at the age of 81. Mitchel started his career at House Of Blues Records where he garnered a handful of R&B hits before joining Hi Records where produced the likes of Ann Peebles before teaming up with Al Green for some of the greatest albums of all, including the simple perfection of classic albums Let’s Stay Together and I’m Still In Love With You. If you don’t know these albums, you should, and if you don’t like these albums, give up claiming you care about music.
In 2003 Mitchell re-united with Al Green on my fave album of that year I Can’t Stop and though the follow-up wasn’t quite as good, cmon, it’s Al Green. How bad can it.
His last production was on Rod Stewart’s Soulbook which I apparently liked a lot more than the rest of the world.
RIP Papa Willie.