The iconic guitarist Steve Cropper, musician of the famed band Booker T & the MGs, has passed away at the age of 84
Esteemed musician Steve Cropper, the celebrated guitarist with the iconic band Booker T & the MGs, has left us at the age of 84.
The musician, who contributed to and collaborated on writing the classic song Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay and the hit track In the Midnight Hour, died recently in Nashville.
Widely regarded among the best supporting groups in soul music, the four-piece band Booker T & the MGs was the resident studio band of the groundbreaking Memphis label Stax/Volt and is primarily known for their 1962 track Green Onions.
Cropper went on to join the blues revival band The Blues Brothers in the late '70s and featured on their successful version of Soul Man.
"Steve was a beloved artist, writer, and producer whose extraordinary talent touched millions of lives around the world," his family stated in a release.
"While we grieve the loss of a family man and friend, we take solace knowing that Steve will live forever through his music," they continued.
A reason for his passing was not released at this time.
An associate, Eddie Gore, stated he was with Cropper just the day before in Nashville, where the guitarist was developing fresh material.
"He's such a good human," Gore remarked. "We were fortunate to have him, for sure."
An Illustrious Journey
Ranked the number two guitarist of all time by a music periodical in 1996, Cropper started his career at Stax in 1961 at the age of 20.
A year later, the MGs were founded, featuring organist 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 thought of myself as a rhythm guitarist," Cropper explained in a previous conversation. "I enjoy the fact that I can play something repeatedly, while other guitar players avoid that approach. They are reluctant to repeat the same phrase twice."
In addition to being a guitarist, Cropper was a vastly creative songwriter, and besides Dock of the Bay and In the Midnight Hour, he co-wrote Eddie Floyd's hit Knock on Wood.
According to historical accounts, he was "involved in nearly all record put out by Stax from the fall of 1961 through 1970".
"We would often spend 15 hours a day in the studio," Cropper said. "I think we had 17 or 18 artists on the roster, so we had a pretty busy schedule."
