MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After winning a Grammy with Bruno Mars in 2016, Royal Studios partnered up with the pop artist again. This time it's for Mars' new band, Silk Sonic.
Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell said he got a call from Mars' team just after New Years Day 2021.
"This whole call went down in the bathroom," Mitchell said. "I get a call from Bruno's engineer Charles Moniz, he's my buddy."
Moniz put Mars on the phone and the pair talked about putting some Memphis flare on some music for the band.
"Nobody knew anything about Silk Sonic at the time. I didn't know what it was," Mitchell said. "He was like, 'man, we need some of those grimy Memphis horns.'"
After working on one song, Mars' camp asked for more and now Royal Studios horns can be heard on five songs from the album, An Evening with Silk Sonic, that released last Friday.
Silk Sonic is a collaboration between Mars' and rap artist Anderson .Paak. The band is a throwback of sorts mixing old school funk and soul.
Mitchell and Royal Studios are not the only Mid-south connection to the album. Mitchell said Memphis native Kameron Whalum is also a part of the Silk Sonic band and that it's an honor to be asked to collaborate again.
"It feels good for an artist like Bruno to remember you, remember your name or remember your craft," Mitchell said. "It also makes you, you got to keep working harder. So it's very gratifying and very motivating, as well."
An Evening with Silk Sonic can be found wherever music is sold.