LETTERS FROM MISSISSIPPI

Eddie Hinton recording sessions were rare, often ill timed, but contained emotional classics that will stand for generations as the most authentic R&B Soul recordings by a white artist. "Letters From Mississippi" is the product of two groups of recording musicians working with Hinton in 1982, and again in late 1984. With Jimmy Johnson and the Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Sheffield, Al., in 1982, Hinton recorded six songs, "My Searching Is Over," "Everybody Meets Mr. Blue," "Sad And Lonesome," "I Want A Woman," "Wet Weather Man," and "I’ll Come Running (Back To You)." In 1984, Hinton worked with the Bama-Lama Band at Birdland Studio in Decatur, AL, and recorded, "Everybody Needs Love," "Letters From Mississippi," "It’s All Right," "Uncloudy Days," "Ting-A-Ling-Ling," and "I Will Always Love You." These recordings were instrumental in re-establishing Hinton’s career following a series of career and personal tragedies.

In both cases, Hinton wrote, performed and co-produced the recordings. Jimmy Johnson, guitarist and president of Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, led production duties for the first group of songs, played rhythm guitar on "I Want A Woman," and engineered with the assistance of Mary Beth McLemore. The songs were published by Muscle Shoals Sound Publishing Co., Inc., and feature Hinton on vocals, guitar and percussion, Roger Hawkins, drums, David Hood, bass, Clayton Ivey, keyboards, and Ronnie Eades arranging and performing all horn parts.