Legendary guitarist who played with soul music greats dies at 84

Guitarist Steve Cropper — a legendary soul guitarist who played with the likes of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Sam & Dave and more — has died. He was 84.

Cropper’s son confirmed his father’s death to Variety on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

Born Oct. 21, 1941, in Dora, Missouri, Cropper began playing the guitar at 14. Among his influences were Lowman Pauling of the R&B group the “5” Royales, Billy Butler of organist Bill Doggett’s combo and Bobby “Blue” Bland’s longtime accompanist Wayne Bennett, according to Variety.

The musician rose to fame in the early ‘60s after forming the interracial collective Booker T. & the MG’s. The group played on with dozens of soul greats such as the Staple Singers, Aretha Franklin, Rufus and Carla Thomas and Eddie Floyd. Overall, Cropper’s bass playing has appeared on 400 recordings, according to AllMusic.

Crooper was also an accomplished songwriter, producer and arranger. He wrote several hits for Booker T. & the MG’s including “Green Onions,” “Soul-Limbo” and “Time is Tight.” He was also responsible for many soul classics such as Redding’s “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” and “Mr. Pitiful,” Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour” and “634-5789,” Floyd’s “Knock On Wood” and “Raise Your Hand” and Don Covay’s “Seesaw” and “Sookie Sookie.”

Cropper released his solo debut album, “With a Little Help from My Friends,” in 1969 and released five more albums over the next 29 years (until 1998). He spent most of the ‘70s producing for other artists, and was a driving force behind the return of the vintage Stax Records sound in the ‘80s when he was asked to work with the Blues Brothers.

Cropper was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside Booker T. & the MG’s in 1992 and, in 1996, British music monthly Mojo named him the second-greatest guitarist of all time, behind Jimi Hendrix.

“Cropper puts everything he’s got, which is considerable, at the disposal of the artist and the song: metronome-crisp timing; deadly-accurate chops; earth-moving bottom-line riffs; sharp, nasty little licks and grace notes,” the outlet wrote. “His solos never outstay their welcome or leave you wanting less.”

Cropper continued to make music in the 21st century. He released seven albums between 2008 and 2024.

The musician is survived by his second wife Angel and their two children, and by two children from his first marriage, per Variety.