Steve Cropper, the influential guitarist, songwriter, and record producer, died on Wednesday in Nashville at the age of 84. Known for his work with Booker T. and the M.G.'s at Stax Records, Cropper's family confirmed his death to Pat Mitchell Worley, president and CEO of the Soulsville Foundation. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed, though Cropper had recently been in a rehabilitation facility following a fall.
Cropper's distinctive guitar style, characterized by its precise licks and rhythmic contributions, was a defining element of Memphis soul music. He co-wrote several seminal songs, including "Green Onions," "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay," and "In the Midnight Hour."
Career and Collaborations
Born near Dora, Missouri, Cropper relocated to Memphis at nine years old and received his first guitar at 14. His early musical influences included Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed, and Chet Atkins.
He joined Satellite Records, which later became Stax Records, initially as part of the instrumental band the Mar-Keys. Members of this group, including Cropper, subsequently formed Booker T. and the M.G.'s.
The racially integrated band, comprising Cropper, keyboardist Booker T. Jones, bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, and drummer Al Jackson, produced hit instrumentals such as "Green Onions," "Hang 'Em High," and "Time Is Tight." The group also served as the primary backing band for numerous Stax artists, including Otis Redding and Sam & Dave. Cropper's guitar work was famously acknowledged in Sam & Dave's 1967 song "Soul Man" with the line, "Play it, Steve!"
He collaborated with Otis Redding on "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay," a track completed shortly before Redding's death in December 1967. Cropper also contributed to the songwriting for Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour." Beyond his studio work, he appeared as "The Colonel" in the films "The Blues Brothers" (1980) and "Blues Brothers 2000."
Recognition and Legacy
Cropper was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of Booker T. and the M.G.'s. He received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2007 and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 39th on its list of 100 Greatest Guitarists.
In a 2020 interview, Cropper described his approach to playing: "I listen to the other musicians and the singer... I play around all that stuff. That's what I do. That's my style." He continued to record music throughout his later years, with his 2024 album "Friendlytown" earning a Grammy nomination. Earlier this year, he received the Tennessee Governor's Arts Award.