Iconic Guitarist Steve Cropper of Booker T & the M.G.'s Passes Away at Age 84

Steve Cropper, the celebrated guitarist whose work defined R&B and soul music, passed away on Wednesday, December 3, in Nashville. He was 84. The news was shared by his son on Facebook, expressing profound grief and asking for support and prayers for the family.

As the guitarist for Booker T. & the M.G.s, the house band for Stax Records in the 1960s, Cropper crafted some of the eras most iconic guitar riffs. His playing shaped timeless songs such as Otis Reddings (Sittin On) The Dock of the Bay, Eddie Floyds Knock on Wood, Wilson Picketts In the Midnight Hour, and Sam & Daves Soul Man. Sam Moore famously honored him with the ad-lib Play It, Steve on Soul Man.

Steve Greenberg, producer of the Grammy-winning The Complete Stax-Volt Singles box set, described Cropper as a towering figure in rock and R&B history. His distinctive guitar style enriched classics from Green Onions to Rod Stewarts Tonights the Night, and his songwriting and production shaped some of the most memorable hits of the 1960s.

Greenberg also highlighted the band's significance in a racially divided era. Cropper, along with Duck Dunn, Al Jackson, and Booker T. Jones, formed a rare multiracial group that challenged segregation in the South. Their collaboration at Stax Studios during the civil rights movement produced an enduring legacy of American music.

Cropper was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 with Booker T. & the M.G.s and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005. He also won two Grammys, including one for co-producing (Sittin On) The Dock of the Bay shortly after Reddings death in 1967, and another for best pop instrumental performance in 1995 for Cruisin. He received nine Grammy nominations in total, including one in 2024 for his album Friendlytown.

In 1979, Cropper experienced renewed fame through his work with The Blues Brothers, advising John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd on adapting classic soul hits for a new audience. Their rendition of Soul Man reached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and introduced Croppers music to a younger generation.

His family noted, Every note he played, every song he wrote, and every artist he inspired ensures that his artistry will continue to resonate for generations. His contributions to American music, especially soul and R&B, are immeasurable. Pat Mitchell Worley, CEO of the Soulsville Foundation, added that Croppers guitar work and songwriting helped define an era and cemented his legacy as one of the most important guitarists in modern music history.

Cropper is survived by his wife, Angel Cropper, and their children Andrea, Cameron, Stephen, and Ashley.

Author: Noah Whitman