Prince Phillip Mitchell (born June 27, 1944) – Oh How I Love You (1973)
The great songwriter and producer Mitchell wrote and produced this superb love anthem, recorded at Royal Studios in Memphis and released on Hi Records.
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Prince Phillip Mitchell is a multi-talented singer/songwriter, musician and producer who recorded for several labels including FAME Records, Muscle Shoals Sound, Hi Records, and Atlantic. He has written songs for or worked with artists such as Millie Jackson, Archie Bell and the Drells, the Average White Band with Ben E. King, Bobby Womack, Joe Simon, Candi Staton and Norman Connors.
Leroy Phillip Mitchell was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. A musical prodigy, he began singing and writing songs at a young age. Once he learned how to play the trumpet, he taught himself how to play the piano and guitar.
In 1969, he became a songwriter for the Muscle Shoals Sound label and wrote “It Hurts So Good” which was originally released by Katie Love. Millie Jackson covered it in 1973 and her version peaked at #3 R&B, the highest-charting single of her career. He recorded his own songs while there, including the upbeat, future Northern Soul classic “Free For All (Winner Takes All)” (1969), released on the Shout label. He next began writing songs for Stax Records.
After being signed by Hi Records in 1971, Willie Mitchell (no relation) produced several singles for him. But he also continued to produce his own material, like the superb love anthem “Oh How I Love You” (1973) which he wrote and produced. It was recorded at Royal Studio in Memphis.
In 1972, Mitchell and Ernie Shelby co-wrote the powerful message song “All The Black And White Children” for what was supposed to be Bettye LaVette’s debut album. It was recorded for Atco that November at Muscle Shoals but sadly not released for three decades.
He later produced for Archie Bell and the Drells and kept writing for Millie Jackson. Around this time he also wrote songs for Bobby Womack, Joe Simon and Candi Staton.
Mitchell returned to Louisville in the mid-seventies. In 1977, Norman Connors invited him to collaborate and tour with him. See our earlier post on Connors and his phenomenal jam “Once I’ve Been There,” which Mitchell wrote and sang lead on.
For his own 1978 LP on Atlantic Make It Good, Mitchell recorded the autobiographical masterpiece “Star In The Ghetto.” He had written it for the Average White Band and Ben E. King the year before, a #25 R&B hit for them.
It told the tale of his musical career, and how his mother once threw all his instruments away because “she wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer, or something like that.” He also recalled his return to Louisville:
“I decided I'd just go back home...back to the city of the big three. Kentucky Fried Chicken, Ali, and me.”
The album was co-arranged by Paul Riser and McKinley Jackson. Its all-star lineup included guitarists Melvin “Wah Wah Watson” Ragin of the Funk Brothers, Lee Ritenour of Friendship, and Craig McMullen, longtime guitarist for Curtis Mayfield; Paulinho Da Costa and Funk Brother Jack Ashford on percussion; James Gadson on drums; and the Jones Girls on backing vocals.
#soul #funk #disco #PrincePhillipMitchell