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Hi Rhythm Section

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Hi Records producer <a href="spotify:artist:3EkURHRbSZWjatYLo36NMS">Willie Mitchell</a> constructed his vaunted house rhythm section around three talented Hodges brothers during the late '60s: guitarist Mabon (nicknamed "Teenie"), bassist Leroy, and organist <a href="spotify:artist:3r7cyOnGHnqZRQcWah0KE3">Charles</a>. With drummer Howard Grimes (and on some of <a href="spotify:artist:3dkbV4qihUeMsqN4vBGg93">Al Green</a>'s sides, <a href="spotify:artist:6Rk7Z0q5s5GK0JApHf4nBA">MG's</a> trapsman <a href="spotify:artist:0pT3xQIs5s1rD6o47WJq95">Al Jackson Jr.</a>) rounding out the lineup, this skin-tight Memphis quartet laid down surging, simmering grooves behind the entire Hi stable during the label's 1970s heyday: <a href="spotify:artist:3dkbV4qihUeMsqN4vBGg93">Green</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5dM7jA0PXh0Ozz8LT2YOCB">Ann Peebles</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2jV8AcZ8W3TfiqInUGWwlL">Otis Clay</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6XItHNeKXecnFpkJHOn5JL">Syl Johnson</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3EkURHRbSZWjatYLo36NMS">Mitchell</a> himself, to name but a few. <a href="spotify:artist:3EkURHRbSZWjatYLo36NMS">Mitchell</a> had patiently molded the unit since when the Hodges Brothers were in their teens (Grimes was a bit older, having worked as a sideman over at rival Stax during the early '60s).

As the succinctly named Hi Rhythm, they recorded the 1976 LP On the Loose and remained a cohesive unit well into the '90s, providing luxurious backing on <a href="spotify:artist:6XItHNeKXecnFpkJHOn5JL">Johnson</a>'s wonderful 1994 comeback set for Delmark, Back in the Game. Meanwhile, as the Hodges Brothers, they released a 1994 disc called Perfect Gentlemen on the tiny Velvet Recordings of America logo that also featured a fourth brother, Fred, on keys and veteran soul singer Percy Wiggins on several tracks. ~ Bill Dahl, Rovi

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