Carson Whitsett

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Carson Whitsett (born 1 May 1945) is a keyboardist, songwriter, and producer.

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Whitsett's joined his older brother Tim's band, Tim Whitsett & The Imperials (later The Imperial Show Band) on the B-3 organ. Following the break up of the band, Whitsett spent time in Canada playing with Eric Mercury before an invitation to Stax Records where Tim Whitsett was now in charge of the label's East Memphis publishing arm. Carson's playing inspired bassist Donald Dunn and drummer Al Jackson to reemerge, along with Stax session guitarist Bobby Manuel in place of Steve Cropper, as The MGs, releasing an album in 1973.

Whitsett moved to Malaco Records, where he played in the house band, appearing on Paul Simon's There Goes Rhymin' Simon album, one of the highest selling Blues albums of all time in Z.Z. Hill's Down Home Blues, and numerous albums by such legends as Bobby "Blue" Bland, Little Milton, and former Stax sensation Johnnie Taylor.

Whitsett's first major success as a songwriter came in 1980 with Fred Knoblach's "Why Not Me" and has followed this success with songs like "Dear Me", recorded by Lorrie Morgan, "Mississippi Moon", co-written with Tony Joe White and Solomon Burke's Don't Give Up On Me, co-written with Dan Penn and Hoy Lindsey.

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