Don Nix

Don Nix (born September 27, 1941, Memphis, Tennessee) is a songwriter, composer, arranger, musician, and author. Although cited as being "obscure", he is a key figure in several genres of Southern rock and Soul, R&B, and the Blues. He was instrumental in the creation of the trademark "Memphis soul" and Stax Records.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Nix began his career playing saxophone for The Mar-Keys, which also featured Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn and others. Don Nix came from a musical family, including his brother, Larry Nix, who became a mastering engineer for Stax and later, Ardent Recording Studios in Memphis, TN. The hit instrumental single "Last Night" (composed by the band as a whole) was the first of many successful hits to Nix's credit. Without Nix, The Mar-Keys later evolved into Booker T & The MG's.

As a producer, Nix worked with other artists and producers such as Leon Russell of Shelter Records, Gary Lewis and the Playboys in Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars, The Beatles' George Harrison and John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. One notable achievement was the collaboration with Harrison, Russell and many others in the production of The Concert for Bangladesh - a star-studded benefit concert at Madison Square Garden in 1971.

Throughout his career, Nix worked behind the scenes as producer, arranger, musician and many other roles for artists such as Lonnie Mack, Furry Lewis, Freddy King, Albert King, Delaney, Bonnie & Friends, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Eric Clapton and many others. He wrote and produced many solo albums and with groups Don Nix and the Alabama State Troupers, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Larry Raspberry and the Highsteppers.

The song "Goin' Down", originally released by the band Moloch on their eponymous album in 1969, became a blues standard and was covered by Freddie King, Jeff Beck, Deep Purple, JJ Cale, Marc Ford, Bryan Ferry, Pearl Jam, Gov't Mule, Sam Kinison, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Satriani, The Who, Led Zeppelin, and many others. Nix himself released a version of the song in 1972 as a single on Elektra Records. This song was also featured by Stan Webb on the 1972 Chicken Shack album Imagination Lady. The song "Black Cat Moan" was covered on the album Beck, Bogert & Appice.