Jim Mitchell in 1994
Jim Mitchell (ca. 1936-2016), sometimes credited as Jimmy Mitchell, was a guitarist who was an original member of Joe Raposo's Sesame Street band. He performed on the show for twenty six years, sometimes playing other strings (such as the banjo) as needed. He was interviewed in the 1990 documentary special Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music.
Mitchell worked with Joe Raposo on other projects, including the soundtrack to the Raposo-scored 1972 film Savages (on guitar and banjo) and The Electric Company. Mitchell was an active session player, backing Tony Bennett on several 1969-1970 singles and the album Tony Sings the Great Hits of Today. He has also accompanied the likes of Barbara Cook, Barbra Streisand, and Steve Lawrence and Edyie Gorme and performed on The Carol Burnett Show. A member of various jazz groups over the years, Mitchell later headed his own trio, The Jazz Guys.
Album credits[]
- The Sesame Street Monsters! (1975) - guitar
- The Count Counts (1975) - guitar
- Bert & Ernie Sing-Along (1975) - guitar
- Merry Christmas from Sesame Street (1975) - guitar (as The Sesame Street Festival Orchestra)
- Big Bird Leads the Band (1977) - guitar
- Happy Birthday from Sesame Street (1977) - guitar
- Numbers! (1977) - guitar
- The Sesame Street Fairy Tale Album (1977) - guitar
- Signs! (1977) - guitar (as The Signs of the Times orchestra)
- What Time Is It on Sesame Street? (1977) - guitar
- Let Your Feelings Show (1977) - guitar (as "The Emotional Outlet" orchestra)
- Sleepytime Bird (1977) - guitar
- Fair Is Fair (1978) - guitar
- Sesame Street Story Time (1978) - strings
- Every Body's Record (1979) - guitar
- The People in Your Neighborhood (1980) - guitar
- For the First Time (1982) - guitar
- Exercise! (1982) - guitar
- Sesame Street Sing-Along! (1982) - guitar
- The Gang's All Here (1983) - guitar
- Born to Add (1983) - guitar
- Surprise! (1983) - guitar
- Sing: Songs of Joe Raposo (1992) - band member
- Elmo's Favorite Sing-Alongs (1993) - electric guitar