[2] After high school, he played in the rhythm & blues ensembles of Paul Williams, Earl Bostic, and Chuck Willis.

[2] Mitchell then joined the Horace Silver Quintet,[2] playing with tenor saxophonist Junior Cook, bassist Gene Taylor, and drummer Roy Brooks.

[2] From 1971 to 1973 Mitchell performed with John Mayall, appearing on Jazz Blues Fusion and subsequent albums.

[2] Other band leaders Mitchell recorded with are Lou Donaldson, Grant Green, Philly Joe Jones, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Johnny Griffin, Al Cohn, Dexter Gordon, and Jimmy Smith.

Mitchell performed with the Harold Land quintet[2] until he died from cancer on May 21, 1979, in Los Angeles, California, aged 49.