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Memphis soul pioneer Teenie Hodges passed yesterday at the age of 68 in Dallas, Texas of emphysema-related complications. Hodges helped invent the soulful sound of Memphis as a member of the Hi Records rhythm section. He also established himself as a songwriter by co-writing a lot Al Green’s hit songs including, “Take Me To The River” “Love And Happiness” and “Here I Am.” His guitar-playing was just as important in the development of the sound that helped the careers of Al Green, Syl Johnson, Ann Pebbles and Otis Clay. Hodges’s curling rhythm guitar on “Love And Happiness” is just as iconic as the song itself. In 2013 the documentary, Mabon ‘Teenie’ Hodges: A Portrait of A Memphis Soul Original about his life was screened at various film festivals around the country. In recent times he worked with his nephew Drake and Mark Ronson. During the spring he was touring to promote the film, Take Me To The River, at SXSW.
