Mike Mitchell (musician)

Mike Mitchell
The Kingsmen in 1966 with Mitchell at top left.
The Kingsmen in 1966 with Mitchell at top left.
Background information
BornApril 16, 1944
Portland, Oregon, US
DiedApril 16, 2021(2021-04-16) (aged 77)
GenresRock
InstrumentGuitar
Years active1957–2021
Formerly ofThe Kingsmen

Mike Mitchell (April 16, 1944 — April 16, 2021) was an American musician. Mitchell was the guitarist for The Kingsmen from 1959 until his death in 2021. His guitar solo on "Louie Louie" is recognized as one of the most famous of all time.[1]

Early life

Mitchell was born in Portland, Oregon to a musical family and had two siblings, brother Dennis (twelve years younger) and sister Viva.[2] His father, who played country and western songs on guitar, taught him to play.[2] He attended David Douglas High School.[2]

Career

While in high school he met Lynn Easton who invited him into his band with Jack Ely, who went to Washington High School.[2] The trio then brought in Bob Nordby on bass and practiced in Mitchell's home garage.[2]

The band came to fame with their first single, a cover of Richard Berry’s[3] "Louie Louie". The song set the tone for the garage rock genre, [4] but also sparked controversy due to alleged obscene lyrics.[5] It was rumored that the vocals were slurred to cover up profanities and the song was soon banned by many American radio stations and was banned entirely by Indiana Governor Matthew E. Welsh.[6][7][8] The actual lyrics were not obscene. The vocals were slurred because the microphone was several feet up in the air and vocalist Jack Ely had to lean backwards to sing; he was also wearing braces.[9] An inconclusive FBI investigation into the song lasted for 31 months.

The Kingsmen’s version of the song influenced many and has been covered by The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, the Troggs, the Sonics, the Beatles, Mothers of Invention, Motörhead, Black Flag and Iggy Pop.[10] In a 1999 interview with Australian DJ, Mitchell said he was not bothered by the band only being known for "Louie Louie": "We're just happy to have any success, that we can still do this, It's actually a wonderful career that we've had".[11]

His "Louie Louie" guitar break has been called "iconic",[12] "blistering",[13] and "one of the most famous guitar solos of all time".[1] Guitar Player magazine noted, "Raw, lightning-fast, and loud, the solo's unbridled energy helped make the song a No. 2 pop hit, but also helped set the template for garage-rock – and later hard-rock – guitar."[14]

Personal life and death

Mitchell had a heart bypass operation in the early 1990s, but continued to tour after recovering.[2]

Mitchell died on his 77th birthday[15] on April 16, 2021.[16] His death was confirmed by Dick Peterson, Kingsmen drummer since 1963, in a statement to Rolling Stone that he died "peacefully".[11][17][4][10] A cause of death was not given.[18] At the time of his death, he was the last original member of the Kingsmen who was still in the band.[1][19][13] He is survived by two children, Samantha and Max, and two siblings.[2][20][18]

Guitarist Joe Walsh said of Mitchell: "My sincere condolences. I learned to play the guitar because of Mike Mitchell. I know every one of his solos, mistakes and all. We’re losing the good guys."[17][13]

References

  1. ^ a b c Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (2021-04-19). "Mike Mitchell, guitarist on the Kingsmen's Louie Louie, dies aged 77". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Cooper, Neil (2021-05-10). "Obituary: Mike Mitchell, guitarist on cult chart hit that FBI probed for hidden obscenities". The Herald. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  3. ^ Maxwell, Jackson (2021-04-19). "Mike Mitchell, Guitarist and Co-Founder of The Kingsmen, Dead at 77". Guitar Player. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  4. ^ a b Marple, Krista (2021-04-18). "RIP: Mike Mitchell of The Kingsmen and Guitarist on "Louie, Louie" Dead at 77 -". mxdwn Music. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  5. ^ Savage, Mark (2021-04-19). "Louie Louie guitarist Mike Mitchell dies, aged 77". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  6. ^ Petridis, Alexis (2014-01-23). "Louie Louie: the ultimate rock rebel anthem". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  7. ^ Blecha, Peter (February 15, 2003). "Louie Louie -- the Saga of a Pacific Northwest Hit Song". www.historylink.org. Archived from the original on 2016-05-18. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  8. ^ Higgins, Will (January 2, 2019). "That time Indiana teens ratted out dirty 'Louie Louie' lyrics, and the FBI got involved". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  9. ^ Perrone, Pierre (April 29, 2015). "Jack Ely: Singer whose sinew-stretching rendition of "Louie Louie" helped make it the second-most covered song in pop music". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2025-01-23. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  10. ^ a b Kreps, Daniel (2021-04-18). "Mike Mitchell, Guitarist on the Kingsmen's 'Louie Louie,' Dead at 77". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  11. ^ a b Reed, Ryan (2021-04-18). "Mike Mitchell, Guitarist on Kingsmen's 'Louie Louie,' Dies at 77". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  12. ^ Seah, David (April 19, 2021). "Mike Mitchell, Co-Founder of Kingsmen and Guitarist on Louie Louie, Dies at 77". Guitar.com. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  13. ^ a b c Owen, Matt (2021-04-19). "Mike Mitchell, The Kingsmen co-founder and Louie Louie guitarist, dies aged 77". Guitar World. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  14. ^ Maxwell, Jackson (April 19, 2021). "Mike Mitchell, Guitarist and Co-Founder of The Kingsmen, Dead at 77". Guitar Player. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  15. ^ Murray, Robin (2021-04-19). "The Kingsmen Guitarist Mike Mitchell Has Died". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  16. ^ Bloom, Madison (2021-04-18). "The Kingsmen's Mike Mitchell, Guitarist on "Louie Louie," Dies at 77". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  17. ^ a b Peacock, Tim (2021-04-19). "Mike Mitchell, Guitarist On The Kingsmen's 'Louie Louie' Dies At 77". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  18. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (2021-04-19). "Mike Mitchell, Guitarist For The Kingsmen, Dies at 77". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  19. ^ Rose, Andy (2021-04-18). "Mike Mitchell, a founding member of the band that recorded 'Louie Louie,' has died". CNN. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  20. ^ "Founding Kingsmen guitarist Mike Mitchell, who played on "Louie Louie," dead at 77". KIXI AM 880. 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
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