Royal Studios is a recording studio located in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1956, it is one of the oldest continuously operated music recording studios in the world. It is widely known for producer, recording artist and owner, Willie Mitchell, and notable productions of Al Green, Chuck Berry, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, My Morning Jacket, Robert Cray, De La Soul, Otis Rush, Keith Richards, Solomon Burke, The Bo-Keys, Bobby Blue Bland, Ann Peebles, Ike & Tina Turner, Tom Jones, Anthony Hamilton, Rod Stewart, Paul Rodgers, Cody Chesnutt, Sam Moore as well as the Barnyard and Soul Men soundtracks. The studio is operated by the family of Willie Mitchell with son Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell serving as manager/engineer, son Archie Mitchell serving as an engineer and daughter Oona Mitchell serving as administrator. Establishment Royal Studios was founded in 1956 in Memphis, Tennessee, as the operating studio of Hi Records. The original structure was used as a movie theatre, with Shamrock Theatre opening at the location in 1915. Early theatres of this type showed silent movies and were called nickelodeon theatres because of their nickel admission. The Rex Theatre, a previously open-air theatre, took over the location and replaced the Shamrock Theatre. It was converted to sound in the early 1920s and renamed as Royal Theatre. Royal Theatre remained a neighborhood theatre until it closed in 1955. In 1956 the theatre was rented by Hi Records’ President Joe Cuoghi, his partners Quinton Claunch and John Novarese as well as three silent partners including Cuoghi's lawyer, Nick Pesce. Hi Records converted the theatre into Royal Recording Studios and opened the doors in 1956. History Soon after its establishment in 1956, Royal Studios became known as the “House of Instrumentals”. This name was due to its production of instrumentals hits including Bill Black Combo's “Smokie Part 2”, “Josephine”, “White Silver Sands” and “Don’t Be Cruel” with each selling over a million copies. In the early 1960s, Hi Records hired Willie Mitchell as a recording artist and producer. His involvement with Royal Studios steadily evolved over the 1960s. Hi Records founding president, Joe Cuoghi, died in 1970 and the Hi Records label had to restructure. Attorney Nick Pesce became President and Willie Mitchell was promoted to Vice President. The Royal Studios facility came under the direction of Willie Mitchell and was renamed Mitchell's Royal Sound Studio. In 1968, Willie Mitchell met Al Green and offered