Steve Cropper, the guitarist who shaped the Stax Records sound and co-wrote soul classics like “Dock of the Bay,” has died peacefully in Nashville aged 84.
WASHINGTON: Memphis soul guitar legend Steve Cropper has died at the age of 84.
His family announced his peaceful passing on Wednesday in Nashville via a statement on his official Facebook page.
“Steve was a beloved musician, songwriter, and producer whose extraordinary talent touched millions of lives around the world,” the statement said.
It added that his “influence on American music is immeasurable.”
As a key architect of the Stax Records sound, Cropper accompanied iconic artists including Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Sam & Dave.
He was a core member of the house band Booker T. & the MG’s, serving as both a guitarist and a prolific songwriter.
He co-wrote timeless instrumentals for the group like “Green Onions” and “Soul Limbo.”
Cropper also co-wrote Otis Redding’s classic “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour.”
Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 45th on its list of the 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2023.
The magazine noted his “signature sound” was the “quintessence of soul guitar.”
Cropper later became the lead guitarist for the Blues Brothers band formed by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.
He played on their hit 1978 album “Briefcase Full of Blues” and appeared in the two “Blues Brothers” films.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of Booker T. and the M.G.’s.
