Career
Although cited as being "obscure", he is a key figure in several genres of Southern rock and soul, Rhythm & Blues, and the blues. He was instrumental in the creation of the distinctive "Memphis soul" developed at Stax Records. Don Nix began his career playing saxophone for the March-Keys, which also featured Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn and others
The hit instrumental single "Last Night" (composed by the band as a whole) was the first of many successful hits to Nix"s cartulary-register
Without Nix, the March-Keys evolved into Booker T. & the M.G."son 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.
Throughout his career, Nix worked behind the scenes as producer, arranger, musician and in 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 albums for solo artists and for groups, such as 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 "Going Down", originally released by the band Moloch on their eponymous album in 1969, became a blues standard, having been covered by Freddie King, Jeff Beck, Deep Purple, JJ Cale, Marc Ford, Chicken Shack, Bryan Ferry, Pearl Jam, Government"t Mule, Sam Kinison, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Satriani, the Who, Led Zeppelin, Sammy Hagar and others
Nix himself released a version of the song in 1972 as a single on Elektra Records. The song "Black Cat Moan" was covered on the 1973 album Beck, Bogert & Appice. The Rolling Stones performed "Goin" Down" with John Mayer and Gary Clark, Junior. live on Pay-Per-View television on December 15, 2012, as part of the Stones" 50th Anniversary Tour.
