Steve Cropper, the guitarist whose work defined the sound of Memphis soul as a member of Booker T. & the M.G.’s and a Stax Records icon, has died at the age of 84. He passed away on Wednesday in Nashville, the Associated Press reported, citing a source close to his family.
Renowned as one of popular music’s great rhythm guitarists and songwriters, Cropper’s playing and co-writing credits helped shape a generation of hits, most famously Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour.”
Booker T. & the M.G.’s—the quartet featuring keyboardist Booker T. Jones, drummer Al Jackson Jr., bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn, and Cropper on guitar—served as the house band for the influential Stax label. Their 1962 instrumental “Green Onions” became an enduring classic. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
Cropper’s family said in a statement to Rolling Stone: “Steve was a beloved musician, songwriter, and producer whose extraordinary talent touched millions of lives around the world… While we mourn the loss of a husband, father, and friend, we find comfort knowing that Steve will live forever through his music.” A cause of death was not immediately released.
In a 2021 interview, Cropper described his style simply: “I’ve always thought of myself as a rhythm player. I get off on the fact that I can play something over and over and over.”
Beyond his foundational role at Stax, Cropper enjoyed a late-career resurgence as a member of the Blues Brothers in the late 1970s, performing on their hit cover of “Soul Man.” He continued to write, record, and perform into his 80s. Associate Eddie Gore told the AP he was with Cropper in Nashville as recently as Tuesday, working on new music.
“He’s such a good human,” Gore said. “We were blessed to have him, for sure.”
Cropper’s legacy is etched into the grooves of soul music itself—a master of groove, restraint, and timeless melody whose work continues to resonate.
By James Kisoo
