“He came up with the guitar parts we all studied. He produced the records we all worshipped”: Guitar community pays tribute to legendary guitarist Steve Cropper, who has died aged 84
Steve Cropper, the legendary guitarist for Booker T. & the MGs and key architect of the Stax Records sound, has died at the age of 84.
A statement shared on Cropper’s official Facebook page confirms that the musician passed away “peacefully in Nashville” on Wednesday (3 December): “Steve was a beloved musician, songwriter, and producer whose extraordinary talent touched millions of lives around the world,” the statement reads.
“While we mourn the loss of a husband, father, and friend, we find comfort knowing that Steve will live forever through his music. Every note he played, every song he wrote, and every artist he inspired ensures that his spirit and artistry will continue to move people for generations.”
Born in 1941 in Dora, Missouri, Cropper rose to prominence as the guitarist for Booker T. & the MGs, the house band for Stax Records in Memphis. Often hailed as one of the finest backing bands in soul, the group helped define the label’s signature grooves, with Cropper’s distinctive guitar work featuring in many of Stax’s hit tracks.
In the ’60s, Cropper co-composed the famed instrumental Green Onions and (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay, the latter of which won the first Grammy Award for Best R&B Song in 1969. As a member of the MGs, he was inducted into the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame in 1992.
Beyond the band, Cropper also collaborated with legends like Otis Redding, Queen’s Brian May, and John Lennon, co-writing and producing tracks that remain staples in American music.
Tributes have poured in from across the guitar and music community following news of the musician’s passing.
Describing Cropper as a “true great”, Joe Bonamassa writes, “Words fail me in describing Steve Cropper’s impact on music. He was on the session when history was made. He came up with the guitar parts we all studied. He produced the records we all worshipped. He was my friend and a true great. Rest in peace. This one really hurts.”
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Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, too, calls Cropper “one of the most influential guitar players of our time”, saying “Thank you for all your beautiful music… and for being so kind to me, coming to my camp in Memphis.”
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Tyler Bryant, who performed at Cropper’s Songwriters Hall of Fame induction in 2005, also recalls the experience: “I was so nervous that I wrote the lyrics to Midnight Hour on the top of my guitar. I knew the song by heart, but I etched them into the top of my favourite guitar anyways,” he states. “The guitar got stolen and the lyrics were sanded off. After many years, the guitar came back to me. I think about that night every time I play it. Some things just live on, especially when they are pure. The way Steve Cropper made music was pure.”
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View more tributes below.
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In Memoriam: “Play it, Steve!” Immortalized with a shout-out in Sam and Dave’s “Soul Man,” 1992 Inductee Steve Cropper was one of music’s most recognized and in-demand guitarists. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/hwRAXPgOvQ
— Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (@rockhall) December 3, 2025
RIP Steve Cropper… a blues brother to the end. pic.twitter.com/QPpJDFOWdx
— ✭Marc✭ (@marcmonster76) December 3, 2025
The post “He came up with the guitar parts we all studied. He produced the records we all worshipped”: Guitar community pays tribute to legendary guitarist Steve Cropper, who has died aged 84 appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
