Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?

Willie Mitchell

Mitchell, right, helped make Al Green, left, a star of soul music on the Hi Records label

Willie Mitchell, who has died aged 81, was an icon of Memphis music. As producer, arranger and sometimes co-writer, he moulded the careers of the soul singers OV Wright, Otis Clay, Ann Peebles and, especially, Al Green. Out of his shabby studio at 1320 South Lauderdale came Wright's A Nickel and a Nail, Peebles's I Can't Stand the Rain and I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down, Syl Johnson's Take Me to the River, and Green's Let's Stay Together – recordings now regarded as imperishable classics of soul music.

via guardian.co.uk

Listen to Mitchell's instrumental gem Prayer Meetin' at Red Kelly's secondary blog, The "A" Side: http://redkelly2.blogspot.com/2010/01/willie-mitchell-prayer-meetin-hi-2147.html

About

The Minister is a middle-aged, middle-class, extra-large male living in the ‘Northern Home Counties’/East of England. When he has no option or excuse to do otherwise the Minister practices the dark art of the law.

The Minister prefers to write in black ink (utilising blue ink only when in a bad mood) and thinks very poorly of anyone who uses Arial font.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Minister is neither ordained nor a politician. Allegations to the contrary will be referred to the Ministry for Justice.