More importantly, he also became more involved in the production aspect of the studio. Hi’s studio was at 1320 South Lauderdale, the home of the old Royal movie theater. Stax was also in an old movie house. In the Fifties that new fad, TV, was stealing movie audiences, and many old theaters became inexpensive real estate investments that also made good recording studios. But it took some work. « We had to do a whole lot to the studio to make it sound like we wanted it to sound, » recalls Mitchell.

At Hi in the Sixties, Mitchell was already working with the core of what would become one of the world’s greatest rhythm sections — guitarist/leader Teenie Hodges, his organist brother Charles and bassist brother LeRoy. Known as Hi Rhythm, the Hodges Brothers, along with drummer Howard Grimes, remains the premier ongoing Memphis soul section.

The Willie Mitchell Orchestra also had its own vocal group, the Four Kings. The group recorded at Hi, cutting the minor hit, « Farmer John. »

But as the Sixties wore on, the Memphis Sound evolved into the soulful groove of Stax Records, spreading to Chips Moman’s hit factory at American Studios with Reggie Young and the studio’s stellar American rhythm section and all the way down to Alabama’s Muscle Shoals.

Not surprisingly, that same groove caught on at Hi. And the man chiefly responsible was a popular Memphis bandleader/trumpeter named Willie Mitchell. He’d been one of Memphis’ most accomplished bandleaders since 1954, a time when the city boasted many great bands, including such greats as Gene « Bowlegs » Miller and Ben Branch, both of whom also recorded at Hi.

Mitchell’s mix of jazz sophistication and down-home Southern blues — not to mention his ambition and work ethic — set him apart, and he and his streamlined, stripped-down big band were in demand at clubs and parties by black and white audiences alike. Playing grueling 9 p.m.-4 a.m. gigs at local nightspots like West Memphis’ Plantation Inn, Mitchell’s band turned out some of the finest musicians to come from Memphis, including jazz greats Charles Lloyd and Harold Mabern.

Mitchell’s modern approach found success at Hi backing singers as well as on instrumental hits like « Soul Serenade » and his first Hi success, « 20-75 ». More importantly, he also became more involved in the production aspect of the studio. Hi’s studio was at 1320 South Lauderdale, the home of the old Royal movie theater. Stax was also in an old movie house. In the Fifties that new fad, TV, was stealing movie audiences, and many old theaters became inexpensive real estate investments that also made good recording studios. But it took some work. « We had to do a whole lot to the studio to make it sound like we wanted it to sound, » recalls Mitchell.

At Hi in the Sixties, Mitchell was already working with the core of what would become one of the world’s greatest rhythm sections — guitarist/leader Teenie Hodges, his organist brother Charles and bassist brother LeRoy. Known as Hi Rhythm, the Hodges Brothers, along with drummer Howard Grimes, remains the premier ongoing Memphis soul section.

The Willie Mitchell Orchestra also had its own vocal group, the Four Kings. The group recorded at Hi, cutting the minor hit, « Farmer John ». But when three of the Kings abdicated, only Donald Bryant was left. Bryant adjusted and continued touring with the Mitchell band as a solo singer, covering R&B hits of the day. He also recorded for Hi, but though he made such fine records as 1965’s « Don’t Turn Your Back on Me », he couldn’t get a hit under his own name. He was considering a career as a songwriter when a young lady from St. Louis auditioned for Hi.

Ann Peebles had come to Memphis with her brother, who was visiting a girlfriend. They went to the Rosewood Club to see Bowlegs Miller’s band, and teen-aged Ann was asked to do a song with them. Bowlegs was impressed with her version of the old gospel favorite « Steal Away » and brought her to Mitchell for a possible Hi contract. Mitchell also liked what he heard.