UnCommon Gospel September 2015 | Page 36

An Tribute to the Late Bishop Hersey Lee Mitchell, Jr. By Bernadette Holder Interview (Excerpts) by Larry Katz As I began to pull together the articles and music for this new issue, I knew I wanted to introduce my father’s music to my UnCommon supporters. Just after Christmas, on December 28, 2014 we lost Dad. He had been ill for so long. When I thought about how I could possibly help to keep his voice and his music alive, I knew I had to share his amazing gift; his voice! It was only fitting that I use this platform to give you a glimpse of who he was. In doing so, I thought back to an article I came across in May 2015. The article was reposted. The initial interview, by Larry Katz was conducted in April 1998. I remember when it happened, my parents were so excited and it was such a great time to see someone recognize the work my Dad had done and the years he’d spent singing. After seeing the article again, I reached out to Mr. Katz and thanked him for acknowledging Dad. I told him I wanted to share it and he said I could. So, please take a look at a couple of excerpts in his own words and my Dad’s words. Lee Mitchell by Larry Katz In a parallel universe Lee Mitchell – not Al Green – emerged as the top male soul star of the ‘70s. Lee hooked up with producer Willie Mitchell (no relation) in Memphis and they recorded an album at Royal Studios. It was released on Willie Mitchell’s Hi Records. And Lee Mitchell became a household name, while Al Green never caught a break and turned to the ministry instead. The above scenario did not come to pass in our universe, where an unexpected death in the family kept Lee Mitchell from his date with Willie Mitchell and quite possibly from fame and fortune. When he told me about his blown opportunity, Lee Mitchell showed no trace of bitterness. On the contrary, he maintained his smiling, upbeat countenance, grateful to be where he was on that fine spring day in Boston in 1998 – and grateful for his ministry, his loving wife and children and his tidy home on a dead-end street in Dorchester, where his wife Mary served us fried chicken, french fried potatoes and salad for lunch. Lee Mitchell seemed a contented man. He had found his calling preaching and singing praises to the Lord. He was propelled to return to the church, ironically enough, after suffering the same fate as Al Green: a violent attack by an angry girlfriend. Both would forsake their R&B careers – Al in Memphis and Lee in Boston – and become reverends determined to lead their own congregations. I first heard of Lee Mitchell shortly after he recorded “I Dreamed of A City Called Glory,” the first of the three albums he made with the help of veteran Boston musician Barry Marshall, all released on Mitchell’s own Hersey Records label (his birth name was Hersey Lee.) “I Dreamed of A City Called Glory” was a gospel album, but musically it harked back to classic ‘60s and ‘70s soul. A few years later Marshall convinced Mitchell put out a non-gospel album, “Sings Songs of Love.” And finally, as Bishop Lee Mitchell, he released a set of twelve gospel originals, “I Found the Answer,” in 2009. It would be his final recording. After a period of declining health, Mitchell died on December 28, 2014 at age 75. 36