Legendary guitarist Steve Cropper, guitarist of Booker T and the MGs, has died aged 84
The legendary guitarist Steve Cropper, the celebrated guitarist with the iconic band Booker T & the MGs, has passed away at the age of 84.
The musician, who played on and collaborated on writing Otis Redding's Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay and the hit track In the Midnight Hour, passed away recently in Nashville.
Widely regarded among the finest backing bands in the history of soul music, the four-piece band Booker T & the MGs was the core musical unit of the influential Memphis label Stax and is most famous for their 1962 track Green Onions.
Cropper went on to join the comedy music group The Blues Brothers in the 1970s and played on their hit cover of Soul Man.
"Steve was a beloved musician, songwriter, and producer whose immense talent inspired generations around the world," his family expressed in a message.
"While we mourn the loss of a family man and friend, we find comfort knowing that Steve will endure through his music," they noted.
A reason for his passing was not immediately known.
An associate, Eddie Gore, recalled he was with Cropper recently in Nashville, where the guitarist was developing fresh material.
"He's such a kind human," Gore commented. "We were lucky to have him, for sure."
A Prolific Career
Named the runner-up for guitarist of all time by a British music magazine in 1996, Cropper started his career at Stax Records in 1961 at the age of 20.
A year later, the MGs came together, consisting of keyboardist Booker T Jones, drummer Al Jackson and bassist Lewie Steinberg - who was succeeded by Donald "Duck" Dunn in 1964.
The band was honored by inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
"I've always considered myself to be a rhythm player," Cropper said in a past interview. "I get off on the fact that I can play something over and over, while other guitar players avoid that approach. They won't even play the same lick twice."
Not only was he a guitarist, Cropper was a vastly creative songwriter, and alongside Dock of the Bay and In the Midnight Hour, he helped write Eddie Floyd's hit Knock on Wood.
According to historical accounts, he was "a part of virtually every record put out by Stax from 1961 through 1970".
"We would truly spend 15 hours a day in the studio," Cropper noted in an interview. "I think we had nearly 20 artists on the roster, so we had a very hectic schedule."