Musical Praise Part 1

Big plans were devised for Al. What had caught Mitchell's ear was not so much Al's gritty soulfulness but rather his unique ability to sweeten a phrase and release it softly. It was exactly the voice capable of counterpunching with the legendary Memphis Horns as it floated above the Hi Rhythm section, the superb house band comprised of Howard Grimes on percussion and the Hodges brothers -- Teenie on guitar, Leroy on bass, and Charles on keyboards -- that formed the nucleus of the Hi sound. 
All the ingredients were in place for Al to offer a sweeter, more-refined take on the rawer formulas that, over time, were becoming worn, staid. Falling just shy of the towering achievements Al was soon to make, his debut album, Green is Blues, nevertheless was an impressive outing peppered with cover songs by the Beatles and Gershwin. Critics and astute fans alike took note, for here was an original voice that bore watching.