THE MEMPHIS ROYAL BROTHERS is a new(ish) music collective out of, you guessed it, Memphis Tennessee! The mastermind behind the project is Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer Boo Mitchell, son of the renowned producer Willie Mitchell – doyen of Hi Records and first custodian of Memphis’s Royal Studios.
Boo has put the “brothers” together and the line up includes the remarkable keyboard player, the Rev. Charles Hodges (a revered member of the Memphis music scene, whose songs and keyboards have graced any number of classic recordings by the Hi Records roster), guitarist Michael Toles (a multi-instrumentalist who’s worked with the late Willie Mitchell on albums by Isaac Hayes, The Bar-Kays, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Margie Joseph, Sam & Dave, Al Green, Otis Clay, Ann Peebles, William Bell, Johnny Taylor, and Al Green), keyboardist Lester Snell (another veteran of the Stax Records roster), drummer Steve Potts (whose credits includes playing behind the leading lights of the Hi Records stable) and bassist Jackie Clark (who’s played with Dionne Warwick, Angie Stone, Shalamar, Denise Williams, and Howard Hewett … his mother, by the way, was one of the singers in the renowned gospel group, The Clark Sisters). Factor in the Memphis Horns, led by Marc Franklin, and featuring saxophonists Lanny McMillian and Kirk Smothers and you have real Memphis Music Royalty !
With a stellar line up of guest vocalists, Boo and he band are preparing a long player for Summer release. While we wait expectantly, we can now enjoy the first single – a delightful cross genre affair, ‘Brand New Heart’. The song was written by Paul Williams and Wes Hamil. Williams, you might know, is an Oscar, Grammy, and Johnny Mercer Songwriter Hall of Fame winner, and the current President of ASCAP. The duo have crafted a classic slice of Americana – blending blues, gospel, Austin rock, Nashville country and Memphis soul with the cherry on the cake being the emotive vocal interplay between Wendy Moten and Jim Lauderdale (pictured below). It’s a joyous affair that speaks about finding real love.
THE MEMPHIS ROYAL BROTHERS; Brand New Heart… out now!