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Steve Cropper

American musician and record producer (1941–2025) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Steve Cropper
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Steven Lee Cropper (October 21, 1941 – December 3, 2025), sometimes known as "The Colonel",[1] was an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He was the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor.[2] He also acted as the producer of many of these artists' records. He was later a member of the Blues Brothers band.[3] Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 36th on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists[4]. He won two Grammy Awards out of his seven nominations.[5][6]

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Early life

Cropper was born in Dora, Missouri, on October 21, 1941.[7] He was raised in Dora and West Plains before moving with his family to Memphis at age 9.[8] In Memphis, he was exposed to black church music, which had an impact on him musically.[8] Cropper acquired his first guitar at age 14.[8] He attended Messick High School.[9]

He admired guitarists including Tal Farlow, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed, Chet Atkins, Lowman Pauling of the The "5" Royales, Earl Cate of The Cate Brothers Band, and Billy Butler of the Bill Doggett band.[2]

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Career

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Cropper and guitarist Charlie Freeman formed the Royal Spades, who eventually became the Mar-Keys.[10] The name referred to the marquee outside Stax studios, known as Satellite Records at the time. Eventually, the Mar-Keys began playing on sessions and had a hit single of their own with "Last Night" in 1961.

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Cropper (second from right) with Booker T. & the M.G.'s, 1967

Besides being impressed with the young guitarist's playing, Stax Records president Jim Stewart saw professionalism and maturity beyond Cropper's years. When American Records founder Chips Moman left Stax, Cropper became the company's A&R man. He became a founding member of the Stax house band Booker T. & the M.G.'s, along with Hammond organ player Booker T. Jones, bassist Lewie Steinberg (who was replaced by Donald "Duck" Dunn soon thereafter) and drummer Al Jackson Jr.[11] As a house guitarist, he played on many recordings such as "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay", co-written with and performed by Otis Redding and Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" on which he was mentioned by name. When Cropper played on the song's remake by the Blues Brothers, lead singer John Belushi again mentioned Cropper. On the early Stax recordings, Cropper is known to have played a 1956 Fender Esquire and later used a blonde Fender Telecaster.[7]

At this time, Cropper's fame was not limited to the United States. The Beatles favored Cropper's playing, and his production on Otis Redding records. John Lennon and Paul McCartney made tentative plans to record in Memphis and to work with the guitarist. However Brian Epstein canceled the sessions, citing security problems.[12]

Along with influential work with Booker T & The MG's, Cropper co-wrote "Knock on Wood" with Eddie Floyd, "In the Midnight Hour" with Wilson Pickett and "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Otis Redding. In 1969, Cropper released his first solo album, With a Little Help from My Friends.[7]

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Cropper performing at the 2007 Hamar Music Festival

When Cropper left Stax in the fall of 1970,[13] the label lost one of its most successful producers and songwriters. Cropper then set up TMI Studios with Jerry Williams and former Mar-Key Ronnie Stoots. He worked with many musicians including Tower of Power, Rod Stewart, John Prine, José Feliciano, The Jeff Beck Group, Ringo Starr and John Lennon.

By 1975, Cropper had moved to Los Angeles and along with Jones, Jackson and Dunn, reformed Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Jackson, whom Cropper called "the greatest drummer to ever walk the Earth," was murdered in his Memphis home before the group could make their comeback.[7] In 1978, Cropper and Dunn became members of Levon Helm's RCO All-Stars and then went on to figure prominently in the Blues Brothers Band with drummer Willie Hall.[7] This led to two albums, appearances in the movies The Blues Brothers and Blues Brothers 2000, and the movies' soundtracks. Cropper also re-recorded "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" (1979) for Sammy Hagar. Cropper lived in Los Angeles for the next thirteen years before moving to Nashville and reuniting with the Blues Brothers Band in 1988.[7]

Cropper had a cameo in the "Weird Al" Yankovic mockumentary The Compleat Al (1985), where he plays a bit of "Soul Man" in an unsuccessful attempt to join Al's band.

In 1991, Cropper played on two separate nights of the Guitar Legends, Seville 1991 concerts as part of the celebration of Seville hosting the 1992 Expo exhibition. The concerts over five nights included some of the world's best guitarists such as Cropper, Keith Richards, BB King, Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, Brian May, Albert Collins, Bob Dylan, Joe Satriani, and Steve Vai.

In 1992, Booker T. & the M.G.'s were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Cropper appeared with a new line-up of the group for the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary concert, in October 1992 at Madison Square Garden, performing songs by and backing Dylan, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Chrissie Hynde, Sinéad O'Connor, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young. The concert was recorded and later released as The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (1993). Young later recruited this line up of Booker T. and the M.G's to tour with him and record as his studio band.

In 1996, Cropper was named "the greatest living guitar player" by Britain's Mojo magazine. When asked what he thought of Cropper, the guitarist Keith Richards said, "Perfect, man."[14] In February 1998, Cropper released The Interview – Play It, Steve! which included some of soul music's most enduring songs. The album title came from the "shout" of the title phrase by Moore on Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" and later by John Belushi (with the Blues Brothers).

In June 2004, Cropper appeared with Dunn and Jones as the backing band for Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival, held at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Others who appeared included Joe Walsh and David Hidalgo.[15] On June 9, 2005, Cropper was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[16]

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Cropper toured Australia with Guy Sebastian, playing on Sebastian's The Memphis Album tour in March 2008

He co-produced The Memphis Album (2007), recorded by Australian soul singer Guy Sebastian. Cropper also played guitar on the subsequent promotional tour, which was recorded and released two years later as The Memphis Tour. On March 2, 2008, Cropper and Sebastian were guests on the Vega Sunday Session with host Mark Gable from the rock band the Choirboys.[17] On July 29, 2008, Cropper and Felix Cavaliere released the album Nudge It Up a Notch. In August 2008, Cropper appeared at the Rhythm Festival alongside the Animals.[18]

On November 12, 2009, EMP/SFM presented Cropper with their "Founders Award". On October 17, 2010, Cropper was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.[19]

On August 9, 2011, Cropper released the album Dedicated which was his tribute to the "5" Royales. In 2013 he was a special guest at selected concerts as part of Peter Frampton's Guitar Circus Tour, including the first performance which featured Frampton, Robert Cray and Vince Gill.[20]

In April 2013, Cropper appeared with Jones, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, as well as Booker T. & the MG's at Eric Clapton's 4th Crossroads Guitar Festival at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

In November 2021, Cropper's Fire It Up was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category.[6]

In August 2024, under the band name Steve Cropper and the Midnight Hour, Cropper released the album Friendlytown. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top is featured on lead guitar throughout the album, while Brian May of Queen guests on the single "Too Much Stress.".[21]

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Death

Cropper died in Nashville on December 3, 2025, at the age of 84.[7][22]A cause of death was not immediately known. A few days before, he was at a rehabilitation facility in Nashville, recovering from a recent fall.[23]

Awards and nominations

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Discography

  • 1969: With a Little Help from My Friends[24]
  • 1969: Jammed Together (with Albert King and Pops Staples)[25]
  • 1971: This Is ... Steve Cropper & His Friends (compilation of With a Little Help from My Friends and Jammed Together, released in France only)
  • 1981: Playin' My Thang
  • 1982: Night After Night
  • 1998: The Interview — Play It, Steve!
  • 2008: Nudge It Up A Notch (with Felix Cavaliere)
  • 2010: Midnight Flyer (with Felix Cavaliere)
  • 2011: Dedicated — A Salute to the 5 Royales
  • 2017: Steve Cropper, Lou Marini and the Original Blues Brothers Band — The Last Shade of Blue Before Black
  • 2018: Telemasters (with Arlen Roth)
  • 2021: Fire It Up
  • 2024: Friendlytown
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Collaborations

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With Alabama

With Jimmy Barnes

With William Bell

  • The Soul of a Bell (Stax Records, 1967)
  • Bound to Happen (Stax Records, 1969)

With Barbi Benton

  • Something New (Polydor Records, 1976)

With Big Star

With Stephen Bishop

  • Bish (ABC Records, 1978)

With Frank Black

With Bobby and the Midnites

With Booker T. & the M.G.'s

With Ronnie Baker Brooks

  • Times Have Changed (Provogue Records, 2017)

With Jimmy Buffett

With Billy Burnette

  • Try Me (Curb, 1985)

With Brian Cadd

With Cate Brothers

  • Cate Bros. (Asylum Records, 1975)
  • In One Eye and Out the Order (Asylum Records, 1976)

With Chicago

With David Clayton-Thomas

  • David Clayton-Thomas (Columbia Records, 1972)

With A. J. Croce

  • Just Like Medicine (Compass Records, 2017)

With Patti Dahlstrom

  • Your Place or Mine (20th Century Records, 1975)

With Delaney & Bonnie

With Ned Doheny

  • Hard Candy (Columbia Records, 1976)
  • Prone (CBS Records, 1979)

With Yvonne Elliman

  • Rising Sun (RSO Records, 1975)
  • Night Flight (RSO Records, 1978)
  • Yvonne (RSO Records, 1979)

With José Feliciano

  • Compartments (RCA Victor, 1973)
  • For My Love... Mother Music (RCA Victor, 1974)

With Eddie Floyd

  • Knock on Wood (Stax Records, 1967)
  • Down to Earth (Stax Records, 1971)

With Peter Frampton

With Richie Furay

With Art Garfunkel

With Cyndi Grecco

With Richie Havens

  • The End of the Beginning (A&M Records, 1976)

With Levon Helm

With Chris Hillman

  • Slippin' Away (Asylum Records, 1976)

With Rebecca Lynn Howard

With Etta James

With Wynonna Judd

With Albert King

With B.B. King

  • King of the Blues: 1989 (MCA Records, 1988)

With Al Kooper

  • White Chocolate (Sony Records, 2008)

With John Lennon

With Ann-Margret

With Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.

  • Marilyn & Billy (Columbia Records, 1978)

With Craig Morgan

With Aaron Neville

  • The Tattoeed Heart (A&M Records, 1995)

With Wayne Newton

  • Tomorrow (Chelsea Records, 1976)

With Harry Nilsson

With John Oates

  • 1000 Miles of Life (Phunk Shui Records, 2008)

With Nigel Olsson

  • Nigel Olsson (The Rocket Record Company, 1975)

With Roy Orbison

With Dolly Parton

With Wilson Pickett

With Michel Polnareff

  • Michel Polnareff (Atlantic Records, 1975)

With John Prine

With Otis Redding

With Bruce Roberts

  • Bruce Roberts (Elektra Records, 1977)

With Leon Russell

With Sanford & Townsend

  • Duo-Glide (Warner Bros. Records, 1977)

With Leo Sayer

  • Here (Chrysalis Records, 1979)

With Poncho Sanchez

  • Raise Your Hand (Concord Records, 2007)

With Guy Sebastian

With Neil Sedaka

With Paul Shaffer

  • Coast to Coast (Capitol Records, 1989)

With Paul Simon

With Percy Sledge

With Broderick Smith

  • Suitcase (Mushroom Records, 1992)

With The Soul Children

  • Soul Children (Stax Records, 1968)

With The Staple Singers

  • Soul Folk in Action (Stax Records, 1968)

With Mavis Staples

With Ringo Starr

With Rod Stewart

With Livingston Taylor

With Carla Thomas

  • Memphis Queen (Stax Records, 1969)

With Mickey Thomas

  • As Long as You Love Me (MCA Records, 1977)

With Tower of Power

With The Manhattan Transfer

With Wendy Waldman

  • The Main Refrain (Warner Bros. Records, 1976)

With Dale Watson

  • Jukebox Fury (Cleopatra Records, 2022)

With Jerry Lynn Williams

  • Gone (Warner Bros. Records, 1979)
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Filmography

References

External links

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