Steve Cropper passes away at age 84: Iconic Stax guitarist from Booker T. & The MG's and Blues Brothers Band

Steve Cropper, the celebrated guitarist known for his work with Booker T. & The MGs and The Blues Brothers band, has passed away at the age of 84. The news was confirmed by The Associated Press, citing a source close to Croppers family. Details regarding the time, place, and cause of his death have not been disclosed, though longtime associate Eddie Gore mentioned he was with Cropper at a Nashville rehabilitation center earlier this week following a recent fall.

A two-time Grammy Award winner, Cropper contributed his guitar talents to many iconic Stax Records recordings, supporting legendary artists including Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor. Nicknamed The Colonel, he played on numerous soul classics and crossover pop hits, co-writing Reddings posthumous hit (Sittin on) The Dock of the Bay and Sam & Daves Soul Man, famously being prompted with Play it, Steve!a line John Belushi would later echo in Blues Brothers performances.

Born on October 21, 1941, in Dora, Missouri, Cropper began playing guitar at 14 and performed in his teenage band The Royal Spades, which evolved into The Mar-Keys. Before hitting major success, he had already worked as a session musician for Sun Records and other labels. The Mar-Keys scored a Top 5 hit in 1961 with Last Night, featuring Cropper on organ. The group recorded for Satellite Records, which later became Stax Records after a legal dispute.

Cropper became a central figure at Stax, serving not only as a guitarist but also as a songwriter, producer, and A&R contributor. He co-wrote and performed on hits like Wilson Picketts In the Midnight Hour and Eddie Floyds Knock on Wood, the latter later topping the Billboard Hot 100 in a disco rendition by Amii Stewart.

In 1962, Cropper joined forces with keyboardist Booker T. Jones, drummer Al Jackson Jr., and bassist Lewie Steinberg for a Stax session that led to the creation of the instrumental masterpiece Green Onions. The group, christened Booker T. & The MGs, saw their single rise to No. 3 on the Hot 100, with their debut album reaching the Top 40. Childhood friend Donald Duck Dunn replaced Steinberg in 1964, and the band went on to release memorable tracks such as Time Is Tight and Hang Em High, along with numerous R&B hits including Boot-Leg, Hip Hug-Her, and Groovin.

Author: Olivia Parker