The iconic guitarist Steve Cropper, member of Booker T and the MGs, has died at the age of 84
Esteemed musician Steve Cropper, the renowned guitarist with the iconic band Booker T & the MGs, has left us at the age of 84.
The guitar virtuoso, who performed on and helped pen the classic song Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay and Wilson Pickett's In the Midnight Hour, passed away this past Wednesday in the city of Nashville.
Often cited among the best supporting groups in soul music, the group Booker T. Jones and the MGs was the core musical unit of the historic Memphis label Stax/Volt and is most famous for their classic 1962 track Green Onions.
Cropper later became a member of the comedy music group The Blues Brothers in the late '70s and played on their popular rendition of Soul Man.
"Steve was a beloved guitarist, composer, and producer whose extraordinary talent touched countless people around the world," his family expressed in a message.
"While we mourn the loss of a husband, father, and friend, we are consoled knowing that Steve will be remembered through his music," they added.
A reason for his passing was not disclosed.
A friend, Eddie Gore, recalled he was with Cropper on Tuesday in Nashville, where the guitarist was developing fresh material.
"He's such a kind human," Gore remarked. "We were lucky to have him, for sure."
An Illustrious Journey
Ranked the number two guitarist of all time by a music periodical in 1996, Cropper first found employment at Stax in 1961 at the age of 20.
A year later, the MGs were founded, featuring 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 guitarist," Cropper remarked in a past interview. "I take pride in the fact that I can play something over and over, while other guitar players avoid that approach. They refuse to play the same phrase twice."
As well as a guitarist, Cropper was a prolific songwriter, and besides Dock of the Bay and In the Midnight Hour, he collaborated on Eddie Floyd's hit Knock on Wood.
According to available information, he was "integral to the majority of record issued by Stax from 1961 through the end of 1970".
"We would often spend marathon sessions in the studio," Cropper once recalled. "I think we had 17 or 18 artists on the roster, so we had a pretty busy schedule."
