Steve Cropper
| Steve Cropper | |
|---|---|
Steve Cropper, April 2007
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Steven Lee Cropper |
| Born |
October 21, 1941 Dora, Missouri, U.S. |
| Genres | Rhythm and blues, soul, funk, electric blues, blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, producer, actor |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1958–present |
| Labels | Stax |
| Associated acts | Booker T. & the M.G.'s, the Mar-Keys, the Blues Brothers, Otis Redding, the Jeff Beck Group, Sam and Dave, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Carla Thomas, Tower of Power, Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd, Ambergris, Albert King |
| Website | www |
| Notable instruments | |
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Peavey Steve Cropper Classic Fender Telecaster |
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Steven Lee Cropper (born October 21, 1941) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas and Johnnie Taylor. He also acted as the producer of many of these records. He was later a member of the Blues Brothers band.Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 39th on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
Born on a farm near Dora, Missouri, Cropper moved with his family to Memphis at the age of nine. Bitten by the music bug, Cropper acquired his first mail order guitar at the age of 14.
Personal guitar heroes included Tal Farlow, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed, Chet Atkins, Lowman Pauling of the Five Royales and Billy Butler of the Bill Doggett band.
Cropper and guitarist Charlie Freeman formed the Royal Spades, who eventually became the Mar-Keys. The name referred to the marquee outside Stax studios, known as Satellite Records at the time. Eventually the Mar-Keys began playing on sessions and had a hit single of their own with "Last Night" in 1961.
Besides being impressed with the young guitarist's playing, Stax Records president Jim Stewart saw professionalism and maturity beyond Cropper's years. When American Records founder Chips Moman left Stax, Cropper became the company's A&R man. He became a founding member of the Stax house band Booker T. & the M.G.'s, along with Hammond organ player Booker T. Jones, bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn and drummer Al Jackson Jr.. As a house guitarist he played on many recordings such as "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay," co-written with and performed by Otis Redding, and Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" on which he was mentioned by name. When Cropper played on the song's remake by the Blues Brothers, lead singer John Belushi again mentioned Cropper.
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Wikipedia