Joseph Kim Mitchell (born July 10, 1952) is a Canadian rock musician. He was the lead singer and guitarist for the band Max Webster before going on to a solo career. His 1984 single, "Go for Soda", was his only charted song on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 86. Several other singles such as "Patio Lanterns", "Rock and Roll Duty", and "Rockland Wonderland", reached the top 20 in Canada.

Early life

Mitchell attended St. Clair Secondary School in Sarnia, Ontario. During the 1970s, Mitchell began playing with local bands in Sarnia. After going through a few name changes with essentially the same band, Mitchell and "Zooom" headed for Toronto, Ontario. Zooom eventually dissolved, with Mitchell travelling to the Greek islands.

Career

1972–2003

On his return to Canada, he formed the band Max Webster with fellow Sarnia native Pye Dubois. Max Webster toured extensively and built a string of hits. Mitchell's solo career began after his departure from Max Webster in 1982, with session work and a succession of solo albums.

A new sound was tested on the club circuit and recorded on his 1982 self-titled mini-album.

2004–present

Mitchell entered the radio broadcasting industry, becoming an afternoon drivetime host on Toronto classic rock radio station Q107 (CILQ-FM) from April 2004 until August 2015.

On November 15, 2004, Mitchell was awarded the National Achievement Award by SOCAN at the 2004 SOCAN Awards in Toronto.

In 2006, Mitchell provided a guitar solo on the song "Wind It Up" from the Barenaked Ladies' album Barenaked Ladies Are Me.

Mitchell opened for Def Leppard at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto on July 16, 2007. His eighth studio album, Ain't Life Amazing, was released on July 17, 2007.

Mitchell has been on the same live bill with many acts over the course of his solo career including Sammy Hagar, Def Leppard, Aerosmith, and Van Halen.

In January 2016, Mitchell underwent emergency surgery for a heart attack.

On May 21, 2020, Mitchell was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, although due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada the honour was not formally presented to him until 2021.

On October 2, 2021, Mitchell performed a sold-out show at the "Sarnia OktBorderFest" in Point Edward, Ontario, followed by the Barenaked Ladies. It is estimated that over 6,000 people were in attendance over the two-night event.

Discography

thumb|right|upright|Mitchell at the Fergus Truck Show, 2008

Albums

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

! rowspan="2" | Year

! rowspan="2" | Album

! colspan="2" | Peak chart positions

! colspan="1" | Certifications

|-

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| CAN<br>

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US

! width="90" | CAN<br>

|-

|1984

|Akimbo Alogo

| align="center" | 23

| align="center" | 106

| align="center" |Platinum

|-

|1986

|Shakin' Like a Human Being

| align="center" | 6

| align="center" | —

| align="center" |3× Platinum

|-

|1989

|Rockland

| align="center" | 4

| align="center" | —

| align="center" |2× Platinum

|-

|1992

|Aural Fixations

| align="center" | 17

| align="center" | —

| align="center" |Gold

|-

|1994

|Itch

| align="center" | 55

| align="center" | —

| align="center" |

|-

|1999

|Kimosabe

| align="center" | —

| align="center" | —

| align="center" |

|-

|2007

|Ain't Life Amazing

| align="center" | —

| align="center" | —

| align="center" |

|-

|2020

| The Big Fantasize

| align="center" | —

| align="center" | —

| align="center" |

|-

|}

Extended plays

{|class="wikitable"

|-

! rowspan="2" | Year

! rowspan="2" | Title

! colspan="1" | Chart position

|- style="font-size: smaller;"

! width="90" | CAN

|-

|1982

|Kim Mitchell

| align="center" |38

|-

|}

Live albums

{|class="wikitable"

|-

! rowspan="2" | Year

! rowspan="2" | Title

! colspan="1" | Chart positions

! colspan="1" | Certifications

|- style="font-size: smaller;"

! width="90" | CAN

! width="90" | CAN<br>

|-

| 1982

|align="left" valign="top"|"Miss Demeanor"

| —

| —

| —

| —

| Kim Mitchell

|-

| rowspan="3"| 1984

|align="left"| "Lager & Ale"

| —

| —

| —

| —

| rowspan="3"| Akimbo Alogo

|-

|align="left" valign="top"|"Go for Soda"

| 22

| 1

| 86

| 12

|-

|align="left"| "All We Are"

| 79

| 10

| —

| —

|-

| rowspan="2"| 1986

|align="left"| "Patio Lanterns"

| 12

| 1

| —

| 36

| rowspan="4"| Shakin' Like a Human Being

|-

|align="left"|"Alana Loves Me"

| 31

| 4

| —

| —

|-

| rowspan="2"| 1987

|align="left"| "Easy to Tame"

| 32

| 2

| —

| —

|-

|align="left"| "In Your Arms"

| 97

| —

| —

| —

|-

| rowspan="2"| 1989

|align="left"| "Rock 'n' Roll Duty"

| 7

| 1

| —

| —

| rowspan="4"| Rockland

|-

|align="left"| "Rockland Wonderland"

| 10

| —

| —

| —

|-

| rowspan="4"| 1990

|align="left"| "Expedition Sailor"

| 20

| —

| —

| —

|-

|align="left"| "Lost Lovers Found"

| 78

| —

| —

| —

|-

|align="left"| "All We Are" <small>(Live)</small>

| 73

| —

| —

| —

| rowspan="2"| I Am a Wild Party

|-

|align="left"| "I Am a Wild Party" <small>(Live)</small>

| 43

| —

| —

| —

|-

| rowspan="4"| 1992

|align="left"| "Find the Will"

| 28

| —

| —

| —

| rowspan="5"| Aural Fixations

|-

|align="left"| "America"

| 3

| —

| —

| —

|-

|align="left"| "World's Such a Wonder"

| —

| 8

| —

| —

|-

|align="left"| "Pure as Gold"

| 21

| —

| —

| —

|-

| 1993

|align="left"| "Some Folks"

| 16

| —

| —

| —

|-

| rowspan="3"| 1994

|align="left"| "Acrimony"

| 40

| 2

| —

| —

| rowspan="4"| Itch

|-

|align="left"| "Wonder Where and Why"

| 63

| 8

| —

| —

|-

|align="left"| "Lemon Wedge"

| —

| 1

| —

| —

|-

| rowspan="3"| 1995

|align="left"| "The U.S. of Ache"

| 78

| —

| —

| —

|-

|align="left"| "Rainbow"

| 21

| —

| —

| —

| rowspan="2"| Greatest Hits

|-

|align="left"| "No More Walking Away"

| 35

| —

| —

| —

|-

| rowspan="2"| 2020

|align="left"| "Wishes"

|

|

|

|

| rowspan="2"|The Big Fantasize

|-

|align="left"| "2Up 2B Down"

|

|

|

|

|-

|}

Guest singles

{| class="wikitable"

! Year

! Title

! Artist

! Album

|-

| 2006

| "Young at Heart"

| Charlie Major

| Shadows and Light

|}

Juno Awards

Mitchell has been awarded several Juno Awards for his work:

  • 1983 – Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year
  • 1987 – Album of the Year: Shakin' Like A Human Being
  • 1990 – Male Vocalist of the Year

Television appearances

  • Mitchell made a cameo appearance on the show Twitch City.
  • In 2005, Mitchell played a taxi driver on the sixth episode of the third season of Puppets Who Kill, titled "Buttons and the Paternity Suit".
  • On the sixth episode of the seventh season of the Canadian sitcom Trailer Park Boys, Ricky (Robb Wells) plays one of Mitchell's songs, "Go For Soda", on 8 track, while exclaiming "Bubbles, while you rock a piss, I'll rock some Mitchell."
  • Mitchell appeared in a skit on the Canadian show The Kids in the Hall, teaching senior citizens how to tune the electric guitar.
  • "Go For a Soda" was in Season 2, Episode 5:Buddies, on Miami Vice

Family

Kim Mitchell has two sons, Josh and Jesse. Jesse works for his father as a drum tech and road manager.

He was the subject of the Rush song, "I Think I'm Going Bald".

See also

  • Max Webster
  • Canadian rock
  • Music of Canada
  • Juno Award

References

  • Kim Mitchell – The lovelorn troubadour
  • Kim Mitchell Music Summary
  • "Kim Mitchell" The Canadian Encyclopedia