Steve Cropper, Guitarist for booker T & the MG’s and Soul Music Icon, Dies
Memphis guitar legend Steve Cropper, a driving force behind the Stax Records sound and a key member of Booker T.& the MG’s, has died.He was 81. Cropper’s distinctive, understated guitar work underpinned countless soul classics by artists including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Wilson Pickett, shaping the landscape of American music.
Cropper’s passing marks the end of an era for Stax Records and the golden age of soul. As the guitarist for Booker T. & the MG’s, he wasn’t a frontman, but his instrumental contributions were foundational to the label’s signature sound – a raw, rhythmic blend of blues, jazz, and gospel. Beyond his work with the MG’s, Cropper was a prolific session musician, songwriter, and producer, leaving an indelible mark on generations of musicians.
Born in 1943, Cropper began playing guitar as a child and co-founded the MG’s with Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg, and al Jackson Jr. in the early 1960s.The group quickly became the house band at Stax Records, providing the instrumental backbone for hits like Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” Sam & Dave’s ”Soul Man,” and Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour.” Cropper co-wrote “Knock on Wood” with Eddie Floyd, and played on the track. He toured Europe with Sam & Dave,Floyd,and Arthur Conley in 1967 as part of a celebrated Stax package tour.
Near the end of his tenure at Stax, Cropper released two solo albums focused on his guitar work: ”With a Little Help From My Friends” (1969) and “Jammed Together” (1969), a collaboration with Pops Staples and Albert King. He left Stax in 1971 following disagreements with new chief executive Al Bell,and increasingly focused on production,working with artists like John prine,Jeff Beck,and Ringo Starr.
The classic MG’s quartet lineup dissolved, and drummer Al Jackson Jr. was murdered in 1975. Later iterations of the group, featuring Cropper, Jones, and Dunn with various drummers including Willie Hall and Steve Jordan, released three albums between 1976-77 and 1994. Drummer Steve Potts also contributed to late touring editions.
Cropper achieved further prominence as the guitarist in the Blues Brothers band, backing Dan Aykroyd and John belushi in their wildly popular “saturday Night Live” routines and subsequent albums and films.The “Briefcase Full of Blues” album (1978) went to No. 1, and included a remake of Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man” – a song Cropper and Dunn originally played on. The 1980 “Blues Brothers” soundtrack reached No. 13 and sold over a million copies, while the 1998 sequel’s soundtrack peaked at No.12.
In later years, the MG’s backed Bob dylan at his 1992 “30th Anniversary Concert” at Madison Square Garden, supported neil Young on his 1993 U.S.tour, and served as the house band at the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Cropper released four solo albums in the 21st century,including “Dedicated” (2011),a tribute to “5” Royales guitarist-songwriter Pauling.
He is survived by his second wife, Angel, and their two children, as well as two children from his frist marriage.
