The iconic guitarist Steve Cropper, member of the famed band Booker T & the MGs, has passed away aged 84
Steve Cropper, the renowned guitarist with the seminal soul group Booker T & the MGs, has passed away at the age of 84.
The guitar virtuoso, who contributed to and helped pen Otis Redding's Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay and the hit track In the Midnight Hour, died recently in the city of Nashville.
Often cited among the greatest studio bands in soul and R&B, the group the MGs was the house band of the influential Memphis label Stax Records and is primarily known for their classic 1962 track Green Onions.
Cropper also joined the comedy music group The Blues Brothers in the 1970s and played on their successful version of Soul Man.
"Steve was a beloved guitarist, composer, and producer whose extraordinary talent touched countless people around the world," his family said in a release.
"While we mourn the loss of a husband, father, and friend, we find comfort knowing that Steve will be remembered through his music," they continued.
A reason for his passing was not disclosed.
A colleague, Eddie Gore, stated he was with Cropper just the day before in Nashville, where the guitarist was developing fresh material.
"He's such a wonderful human," Gore said. "We were fortunate to have him, for sure."
An Illustrious Journey
Ranked the second-best guitarist of all time by a British music magazine in 1996, Cropper first found employment at Stax in 1961 at the age of 20.
A year later, the MGs came together, consisting of 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 considered myself to be a rhythm guitarist," Cropper explained in a past interview. "I get off on the fact that I can play something repeatedly, while other guitar players wouldn't consider it. They won't even play the same phrase twice."
As well as a guitarist, Cropper was a productive songwriter, and alongside 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 "a part of the majority of record put out by Stax from the fall of 1961 through 1970".
"We would often spend long days in the studio," Cropper said. "I think we had nearly 20 artists on the roster, so we had a pretty busy schedule."
