Steve Cropper – whose unmistakable guitar feel and behind-the-board creativity steered the course of Stax Records, Booker T. & the MGs, Otis Redding, the Blues Brothers, and some of the most defining soul and rock hits of the 20th century—has died at 84.
His economical phrasing became the backbone of Booker T. & the MGs and a signature element of the Stax Records sound. Beyond his role as the band’s guitarist, he produced, engineered, and co-wrote cornerstone tracks for Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd, Don Covay, Carla Thomas, and others who shaped the Memphis soul canon.
Cropper’s impact at Stax ran deep. After joining the label in the early ’60s, he became part of the creative engine behind a string of iconic recordings. His songwriting and guitar work can be heard on:
- “Green Onions,” “Soul-Limbo,” and “Time Is Tight” with Booker T. & the MGs
- Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and “Mr. Pitiful”
- Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour” and “634-5789”
- Eddie Floyd’s “Knock On Wood” and “Raise Your Hand”
- Don Covay’s “Seesaw” and “Sookie Sookie”
He also served as Stax’s A&R director and joined the label’s famed 1967 European tour, backing Redding, Sam & Dave, and others in a run that introduced Memphis soul to new audiences.
Cropper first came to national attention as a founding member of Booker T. & the MGs. What began as an off-the-cuff studio jam with Booker T. Jones, Al Jackson Jr., and Lewie Steinberg turned into “Green Onions,” the 1962 instrumental that topped the R&B charts and opened a path for the group’s long run of hits, including “Hip Hug-Her,” “Hang ’Em High,” and “Time Is Tight.”
To younger listeners, Cropper may be forever tied to the Blues Brothers. As the band’s lead guitarist both onscreen and onstage, he appeared in The Blues Brothers (1980), Blues Brothers 2000, and on several bestselling albums, including Briefcase Full of Blues. Their version of “Soul Man”—a track he originally played on with Sam & Dave—returned to the Top 20 in 1978.
His range and rhythmic sense made him a sought-after collaborator. Over the years he recorded or performed with Bob Dylan, Jeff Beck, Neil Young, Levon Helm, Ringo Starr, John Prine, and many others. Booker T. & the MGs continued to reunite through the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, and served as the house band for Dylan’s 30th Anniversary Concert in 1992—the same year the group entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Cropper is survived by his wife, Angel, their two children, and two children from a previous marriage.
