“Recording at Royal was amazing,” enthuses Bo-Keys leader Scott Bomar, who produced The Royal Sessions. “That place has a lot of history!” Bomar’s comment is a classic understatement – Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studio may very well be the longest-running recording facility in the world.

Built, like Stax, in a former movie theater, Royal has been in business for nearly five decades at 1320 South Lauderdale Street, just around the corner from Soulsville, U.S.A. Patriarch ‘Poppa’ Willie Mitchell, 75 years old last March, still calls the shots, as he has for decades, producing albums for his own Hi Records label on soul superstars like Al Green, Ann Peebles, Syl Johnson, and O.V. Wright.

Royal is considered a hub for the hard-working community that surrounds it. The lobby is often filled with folks just hanging out, glad to cool off in the air conditioned studio while checking out the latest bands – and, of course, the Bo-Keys session was no different. Once the word got out, dozens of men from the neighborhood dropped by, eager to hear the new sounds and talk up the old days when Stax and Hi were swinging.

Today, the studio features the best of old and new equipment. Ribbon mics like the RCA 77DX make the most of the warm sound, while high-end Neumann mics capture the funky rhythms that are essential to the Memphis sound. Royal hasn’t been renovated since the ‘60s, and strips of insulation hang from the well-padded ceiling, giving the room a tent-like feel.

Engineer Archie Mitchell (Poppa Willie’s son), a prominent producer on the local rap scene, brought a contemporary set of ears to the mix. “I didn’t want to make an exact copy of something old,” Bomar explains, “and Archie brought his own style into the session. He and I were the youngest guys there, and, like me, he’s been blessed to be around so many older musicians.”

Mitchell used 12 tracks to cut the Bo-Keys live on two-inch analog tape (“the best sound for the most funk,” he claims). The band came in with rough sketches of songs, depending on the studio experience to add spontaneity to the recordings. “Willie Hall and Skip Pitts have a way of cutting stuff that I never experienced before,” says Bomar, noting that the two logged plenty of studio time at Stax in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

“Willie is such an incredible drummer, and he’s definitely mastered the craft in the studio. He knew exactly how to get the drums on tape, using tricks that were perfected decades ago. He used his wallet to mute the snare on certain tracks, then duct taped his drum heads for other numbers,” Bomar says.

Amazingly, Pitts declined to rehearse with the group beforehand, preferring instead to deliver his guitar riffs instinctively and on impulse. “Skip is so good that he could pop right in,” Bomar marvels. Pitts alternated between his Silverface Fender Deluxe Reverb and a Fender Stratocaster, which he channeled through a Maestro Universal Synth System. “It looks like a control panel for a rocket ship,” Bomar laughs, adding “Skip loves playing through effects.”

The Bo-Keys easily laid down ten tracks, touching on classics like “Funky Good Time” and “Back To the Chicken Shack” as well as originals like “Under the Table” and “Comin’ Home Baby.” “Spanish Dance” showcases the Bo-Keys’ Latin side, while tunes like “Deuce and a Quarter” and “My Country Loves Me” fuse the band’s R&B fundamentals with elements of modern hip-hop. From 1320 South Lauderdale Avenue to your stereo, the Bo-Keys deliver The Royal Sessions with a stylish swagger and plenty of sultry Memphis soul. Listen and live.