Steve Cropper

Stephen Lee Cropper (October 21, 1941 – December 3, 2025), sometimes known as "The Colonel", was an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He was the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, Johnnie Taylor and Neil Young. He also acted as the producer of many of these artists' records. He was later a member of the Blues Brothers band. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 36th on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists . He won two Grammy Awards out of his seven nominations.

Early life Cropper was born in Dora, Missouri, on October 21, 1941. There, he was exposed to black gospel music, which had an impact on him musically.

Cropper got his first guitar at age 14, Eventually, the Mar-Keys began playing on sessions and had a hit single of their own with "Last Night" in 1961.

Cropper (second from right) with Booker T. & the M.G.'s, 1967

Besides being impressed with the young guitarist's playing, Stax Records president Jim Stewart saw professionalism and maturity beyond Cropper's years. When American Records founder Chips Moman left Stax, Cropper became the company's A&R man. He became a founding member of the Stax house band Booker T. & the M.G.'s, along with Hammond organ player Booker T. Jones, bassist Lewie Steinberg (who was replaced by Donald "Duck" Dunn soon thereafter) and drummer Al Jackson Jr. As a house guitarist, he played on many recordings such as "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay", co-written with and performed by Otis Redding and Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" on which he was mentioned by name. When Cropper played on the song's remake by the Blues Brothers, lead singer John Belushi again mentioned Cropper. On the early Stax recordings, Cropper is known to have played a 1956 Fender Esquire and later used a blonde Fender Telecaster.

Along with influential work with Booker T & The M.G.'s, Cropper co-wrote "Knock on Wood" with Eddie Floyd, "In the Midnight Hour" with Wilson Pickett and "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Otis Redding. In 1969, Cropper released his first solo album, With a Little Help from My Friends. Cropper then set up TMI Studios with Jerry Williams and former Mar-Key Ronnie Stoots. He worked with many musicians including Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, John Prine, and Jeff Beck.

By 1975, Cropper had moved to Los Angeles and along with Jones, Jackson, and Dunn, reformed Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Jackson, whom Cropper called "the greatest drummer to ever walk the Earth," was murdered in his Memphis home before the group could make their comeback.

In 1991, Cropper played on two separate nights of the Guitar Legends, Seville 1991 concerts as part of the celebration of Seville hosting the 1992 Expo exhibition. The concerts over five nights included some of the world's best guitarists such as Cropper, Keith Richards, BB King, Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, Brian May, Albert Collins, Bob Dylan, Joe Satriani, and Steve Vai.

In 1992, Booker T. & the M.G.'s were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Cropper appeared with a new line-up of the group for the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary concert, in October 1992 at Madison Square Garden, where they performed Dylan's songs in tribute. The concert was recorded and later released as The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (1993).

In 1996, Cropper was named "the greatest living guitar player" by Britain's Mojo magazine. When asked what he thought of Cropper, the guitarist Keith Richards said, "Perfect, man." In February 1998, Cropper released The Interview – Play It, Steve! which was a series of recording meant to reflect on his own career. The album title came from the "shout" of the title phrase by Moore on Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" and later by John Belushi (with the Blues Brothers). On June 9, 2005, Cropper was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

He co-produced The Memphis Album (2007), recorded by Australian soul singer Guy Sebastian. Cropper also played guitar on the subsequent promotional tour, which was recorded and released two years later as The Memphis Tour. On March 2, 2008, Cropper and Sebastian were guests on the Vega Sunday Session with host Mark Gable from the rock band the Choirboys. On July 29, 2008, Cropper and Felix Cavaliere released the album Nudge It Up a Notch. In August 2008, Cropper appeared at the Rhythm Festival alongside the Animals.

On November 12, 2009, EMP/SFM presented Cropper with their "Founders Award". On October 17, 2010, Cropper was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

On August 9, 2011, Cropper released the album Dedicated which was his tribute to the "5" Royales. In 2013, he was a special guest at selected concerts as part of Peter Frampton's Guitar Circus Tour, including the first performance which featured Frampton, Robert Cray, and Vince Gill. Cropper appeared in April of that year with Jones, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, as well as Booker T. & the MG's at Eric Clapton's 4th Crossroads Guitar Festival at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

In November 2021, Cropper's Fire It Up was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category.

Death Cropper died in Nashville on December 3, 2025, at the age of 84. A cause of death was not immediately known. A few days before, he was at a rehabilitation facility in Nashville recovering from a recent fall.

Awards and nominations Year Ceremony Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1967 Grammy Awards Best Rhythm and Blues Group Recording, Vocal or Instrumental Hip Hug-Her

1967 Grammy Awards Best Rhythm and Blues Recording Try A Little Tenderness

1968 Grammy Awards Best Rhythm and Blues Song (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay

1994 Grammy Awards Best Pop Instrumental Performance Cruisin|

1995 Grammy Awards Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal A Change Is Gonna Come

2008 Grammy Awards Best Pop Instrumental Performance Love Appetite

2022 Grammy Awards Best Contemporary Blues Album Fire It Up

Discography

1969: With a Little Help from My Friends 1969: Jammed Together (with Albert King and Pops Staples) 1971: This Is ... Steve Cropper & His Friends (compilation of With a Little Help from My Friends and Jammed Together, released in France only) 1981: Playin' My Thang 1982: Night After Night 1998: The Interview — Play It, Steve! 2008: Nudge It Up A Notch (with Felix Cavaliere) 2010: Midnight Flyer (with Felix Cavaliere) 2011: Dedicated — A Salute to the 5 Royales 2017: Steve Cropper, Lou Marini and the Original Blues Brothers Band — The Last Shade of Blue Before Black 2021: Fire It Up 2024: Friendlytown (as Steve Cropper & the Midnight Hour)

Collaborations With Alabama Southern Star (RCA Records, 1989)With Jimmy Barnes Soul Searchin' (Liberation Music, 2016)With William Bell The Soul of a Bell (Stax Records, 1967) Bound to Happen (Stax Records, 1969)With Barbi Benton Something New (Polydor Records, 1976)With Big Star Third/Sister Lovers (PVC, 1978)With Stephen Bishop Bish (ABC Records, 1978)With Frank Black Honeycomb (Cooking Vinyl, 2005) Fast Man Raider Man (Cooking Vinyl, 2006)With Bobby and the Midnites Where the Beat Meets the Street (Columbia Records, 1984)With Booker T. & the M.G.'s Green Onions (Stax Records, 1962) Soul Dressing (Stax Records, 1965) And Now! (Stax Records, 1966) In the Christmas Spirit (Stax Records, 1966) Hip Hug-Her (Stax Records, 1967) Doin' Our Thing (Stax Records, 1968) Soul Limbo (Stax Records, 1968) UpTight (Stax Records, 1969) The Booker T. Set (Stax Records, 1969) McLemore Avenue (Stax Records, 1970) Melting Pot (Stax Records, 1971) Universal Language (Asylum Records, 1977) That's the Way It Should Be (Columbia Records, 1994)With Ronnie Baker Brooks Times Have Changed (Provogue Records, 2017)With Jimmy Buffett Hot Water (MCA Records, 1988)With Billy Burnette Try Me (Curb, 1985)With Brian Cadd White on White (Capitol Records, 1976)With Cate Brothers Cate Bros. (Asylum Records, 1975) In One Eye and Out the Order (Asylum Records, 1976)With Chicago Chicago XXXIII: O Christmas Three (Chicago Records, 2011)With David Clayton-Thomas David Clayton-Thomas (Columbia Records, 1972)With A. J. Croce Just Like Medicine (Compass Records, 2017)With Patti Dahlstrom Your Place or Mine (20th Century Records, 1975)With Delaney & Bonnie Home (Stax Records, 1969) D&B Together (Columbia Records, 1972)With Ned Doheny Hard Candy (Columbia Records, 1976) Prone (CBS Records, 1979)With Yvonne Elliman Rising Sun (RSO Records, 1975) Night Flight (RSO Records, 1978) Yvonne (RSO Records, 1979)With José Feliciano Compartments (RCA Victor, 1973) For My Love... Mother Music (RCA Victor, 1974)With Eddie Floyd Knock on Wood (Stax Records, 1967) Down to Earth (Stax Records, 1971)With Peter Frampton Where I Should Be (A&M Records, 1979)With Richie Furay I've Got a Reason (Asylum Records, 1976)With Art Garfunkel Breakaway (Columbia Records, 1975)With Cyndi Grecco Making Our Dreams Come True (Private Stock Records, 1976)With Richie Havens The End of the Beginning (A&M Records, 1976)With Levon Helm Levon Helm & the RCO All-Stars (ABC Records, 1977) Levon Helm (ABC Records, 1978)With Chris Hillman Slippin' Away (Asylum Records, 1976)With Rebecca Lynn Howard Rebecca Lynn Howard (Universal Music, 2000)With Iron City Houserockers Blood on the Bricks (MCA Records, 1981)With Etta James Seven Year Itch (Island Records, 1988) The Right Time (Elektra Records, 1992)With Wynonna Judd Tell Me Why (Curb Records, 1993)With Albert King Born Under a Bad Sign (Stax Records, 1967) Years Gone By (Stax Records, 1969)With B. B. King King of the Blues: 1989 (MCA Records, 1988)With Al Kooper White Chocolate (Sony Records, 2008)With John Lennon Rock 'n' Roll (Apple Records, 1975)With Ann-Margret Born to Be Wild (Cleopatra Records, 2023)With Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. Marilyn & Billy (Columbia Records, 1978)With Craig Morgan Craig Morgan (Atlantic Records, 2000)With Aaron Neville The Tattoeed Heart (A&M Records, 1995)With Wayne Newton Tomorrow (Chelsea Records, 1976)With Harry Nilsson Flash Harry (Mercury Records, 1980)With John Oates 1000 Miles of Life (Phunk Shui Records, 2008)With Nigel Olsson Nigel Olsson (The Rocket Record Company, 1975)With Roy Orbison Mystery Girl (Virgin Records, 1989)With Dolly Parton Heartbreak Express (RCA Records, 1982)With Wilson Pickett In the Midnight Hour (Atlantic Records, 1965) The Exciting Wilson Pickett (Atlantic Records, 1966)With Michel Polnareff Michel Polnareff (Atlantic Records, 1975)With John Prine Common Sense (Atlantic Records, 1975)With Otis Redding Pain in My Heart (Atco Records, 1964) The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads (Atco Records, 1965) Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul (Stax Records, 1965) The Soul Album (Stax Records, 1966) Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul (Stax Records, 1966) King & Queen (Stax Records, 1967) The Dock of the Bay (Stax Records, 1968)With Bruce Roberts Bruce Roberts (Elektra Records, 1977)With Leon Russell Will O' the Wisp (Shelter Records, 1975)With Sanford & Townsend Duo-Glide (Warner Bros. Records, 1977)With Leo Sayer Here (Chrysalis Records, 1979)With Poncho Sanchez Raise Your Hand (Concord Records, 2007)With Guy Sebastian The Memphis Album (Sony BMG, 2007)With Neil Sedaka The Hungry Years (The Rocket Record Company, 1975) Steppin' Out (Polydor Records, 1976)With Paul Shaffer Coast to Coast (Capitol Records, 1989)With Paul Simon Songs from The Capeman (Warner Bros. Records, 1997)With Percy Sledge Blue Night (Sky France Records, 1994)With Broderick Smith Suitcase (Mushroom Records, 1992)With The Soul Children Soul Children (Stax Records, 1968)With The Staple Singers Soul Folk in Action (Stax Records, 1968)With Mavis Staples Mavis Staples (Volt Records, 1969) Only for the Lonely (Volt Records, 1970)With Ringo Starr Ringo (Apple Records, 1973) Goodnight Vienna (Apple Records, 1974) Vertical Man (Mercury Records, 1998)With Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing (Warner Bros. Records, 1975) A Night on the Town (Warner Bros. Records, 1976) Foot Loose & Fancy Free (Warner Bros. Records, 1977) Every Beat of My Heart (Warner Bros. Records, 1986)With Livingston Taylor Man's Best Friend (Epic Records, 1980)With Carla Thomas Memphis Queen (Stax Records, 1969)With Mickey Thomas As Long as You Love Me (MCA Records, 1977)With Tower of Power We Came to Play! (Columbia Records, 1978)With The Manhattan Transfer Pastiche (Atlantic Records, 1978)With Wendy Waldman The Main Refrain (Warner Bros. Records, 1976)With Dale Watson Jukebox Fury (Cleopatra Records, 2022)With Jerry Lynn Williams''' Gone (Warner Bros. Records, 1979)

Filmography

1980: The Blues Brothers as himself 1988: Satisfaction as Sal 1999: Blues Brothers 2000 as himself 2008: Be Kind Rewind as himself 2017: Rock 'n' Roll Guns for Hire: The Story of the Sidemen'' as himself