Grammy award winning producer Boo Mitchell from Royal Studios in Memphis, Tenn., will make your jaw drop and mouth water serving up some sweet memories of superstars who feasted on family meals while making beautiful music at this historic spot. Let’s start with a story about The Beatles and some Memphis barbecue.
Back in 1964
The historic brick building that’s home to Royal Studios began its life in 195 as a movie theater. Decades later, it was converted to a recording space for Hi Records. When the late Willie Mitchell took the reins in the late 1960s, he steered the studio with the savvy that comes from being a seasoned musician.
He recorded so many icons over the years, with Al Green at the top of the greatest hits list and includes Ann Peebles, Chuck Berry, Bobby Blue Bland, Keith Richards, Robert Cray, Tom Jones, Buddy Guy and many more. So many Grammys, countless gold records. So many lunches at soul food landmarks such as The Four Way and Stein’s.
Often, artists would end up coming over for a home-cooked meal with the family. “My grandmother, Barbara Ann, my mom, Lorraine and my auntie Von would cook for people like The Temptations all the time. Food and music bring people together. In Memphis, it’s like the secret ingredient nobody talks about,” Boo Mitchell said during a recent interview at Royal.
The Beatles did not come to Royal to record in 1964, but to rehearse.
“It was their first tour in the U.S. and the house band for Hi Records was the opening act, so they spent a week here, rehearsing. I remember Pops telling me ‘those boys wanted barbecue every day”, so he’d run out and pick up some at Brady and Lil’s. They couldn’t get enough.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
A tradition begins
Not long after Willie Mitchell passed away in 2010, an unofficial ritual began at Royal. “When Boz Scaggs was in town recording with his producer Steve Jordan (currently the drummer for The Rolling Stones), we figured out we shared a birthday (Jan. 14). My family cooked a dinner and brought a cake,” Boo recalled. It left a sweet impression and the soul food feasts began.
The meals — cooked from scratch with a whole lot of love — not only fueled the musicians, they have been inspirational.
“Bruno Mars finished writing Uptown Funk right here in the hallway after one of those lunches,” Boo said.
When lemon pound cake seals the deal
In 2016, Melissa Etheridge was making the rounds in the Bluff City, trying to decide where to record her album, Memphis Rock and Soul. “When she came by, I made sure she got a piece of my Aunt Von’s lemon pound cake. It’s divine,” Boo said. “She tried it and that was it. Later, my friends at the other studios asked what I said to persuade her to record at Royal. I said the lemon pound cake helped seal the deal.”
While recording, Aunt Von made a special meal for Etheridge that was pescatarian, organic and gluten-free. “But after she saw what the rest of the band was eating, she said I’ll have what they’re having,” said Boo with a laugh.
Aunt Von has been such a hit with the musicians, she started her own cooking show, which fans can find on YouTube. The pandemic put a pause on that fun mission, but there’s talk of a reboot.
Check out episode 1 of Yvonne Mitchell’s cooking show:
Flying high on wings
One final tasty tale… when rapper BJ the Chicago Kid was in town for a session, Boo volunteered to take him out for some wings. “Memphis is a wing town,” he said.
They hit up Crumpy’s, Don Don’s and D’bo’s. “Memphis and Chicago are like cousins,” Boo said. Competitive cousins at that.
So, Boo was mildly surprised at the high praise that BJ the Chicago Kid heaped on an order of honey hot wings. “He said those wings is blessed.”
Amen, and pass the napkins.
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