On December 3, 2025, Steven Lee Cropper died aged 84. He was musician, songwriter, record producer and actor, known as “The Colonel”. He was the guitarist of the “Stax Records” house band, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor. He was also member of the Blues Brothers Band, and recorded and performed with many other artists including Alabama, Jimmy Barnes, William Bell, Barbi Benton, Big Star, Stephen Bishop, Frank Black, Bobby and the Midnites, Booker T. & MG.’s, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Jimmy Buffett, Billy Burnette, Brian Cadd, Cate Brothers, Chicago, David Clayton Thomas, A. J. Croce, Patti Dahlstrom, Delaney & Bonnie, Ned Doheny, Yvonne Elliman, Jose Feliziano, Eddie Floyd, Peter Frampton, Richie Furay, Art Garfunkel, Cyndi Grecco, Levon Helm, Chris Hillman, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Etta James, Wynonna Judd, Albert King, B.B. King, Al Kooper, John Lennon, Ann Margret, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr., Craig Morgan, Aaron Neville, Wayne Newton, Harry Nilsson, John Oates, Nigel Olsson, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Wilson Pickett, Michel Polnareff, John Prine, Otis Redding, Bruce Roberts, Leon Russell, Sanford & Townsend, Leo Sayer, Poncho Sanchez, Guy Sebastian, Neil Sedaka, Paul Shaffer, Paul Simon, Percy Sledge, Broderick Smith, The Soul Children, The Staple Singers, Mavis Staple, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Livingston Taylor, Carla Thomas, Mickey Thomas, Wendy Waldman, Tower of Power, The Manhattan Transfer, Dale Watson and Jerry Lynn Williams. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked him 36th on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists”. Cropper won two “Grammy Awards”, and as leader or co-leader Cropper released 13 albums.
Tag Archives: actor
Jimmy Cliff
On November 24, 2025, James Chambers (aka Jimmy Cliff) died aged 81. He was singer, musician (guitar, piano, keyboards, congas) and actor, one of the most important figures in worldwide promotion of the Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae music. He was the only living reggae musician to hold the “Order of Merit”, the highest honor that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievements in the arts and sciences. In 2010, Jimmy Cliff was inducted in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”.
David Johansen
On February 28, 2025, David Roger Johansen aka David Johansen, died aged 75. He was songwriter, singer and actor, also known for his work under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter. Hansen was member of the bands Vagabond Missionaries, and David Johansen and The Harry Smiths, but was best known as singer and songwriter of The New York Dolls. Under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter he released four album.
Kriss Kristofferson
On September 28, 2024, Kristoffer Kristofferson died aged 88 years. He was musician (guitar, harmonica), singer, composer and actor. His best known songs are “Me and Bobby McGee”, “For the Good Times”, “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”, and “Help Me Make It Through the Night”. Kristofferson has won three “Grammy Awards” and received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2014. As leader he released twenty-one albums.
Peter Tork
On February 21, 2019, Peter Halsten Thorkelson aka Peter Tork, died aged 77. He was musician (keyboards, piano, bass guitar, banjo, guitar), songwriter and actor, performed with James Lee Stanley and his band Shoe Suede Blues, recorded wit George Harrison, formed the band Peter Tork Release, but was best known as keyboards and bass player of The Monkees. As leader Tork released one album.
Meat Loaf
On January 20, 2022, Michael Lee Aday aka Meat Loaf died aged 74. He was singer, song writer and actor, one of the best-selling musicians of all times. His “Bat Out of Hell” trilogy (“Bat Out of Hell”, “Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell”, and “Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose”), has sold more than 65 million albums worldwide. The first album stayed on the charts more than nine years, making it one of the best-selling albums in history of modern music. Loaf received “Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance” for the song “I’d Do Anything for Love”. In 1994, in United Kingdom he received the “Brit Award: for Best Selling Album and Single”. On VH1’s list of “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock”, he is ranked at number 96.
Michael Nesmith
On December 10, 2021, Robert Michael Nesmith died aged 78. He was musician (guitar), singer, songwriter, actor, producer, and novelist. Nesmith was member of the bands The Strangers and The First National Band, but was known as member of The Monkees. In 1981, he won the first “Grammy Award” given for “Video of the Year” for his hour-long television show “Elephant Parts”.
Joe Lala
On March 18, 2014, Joseph Anthony Lala died aged 66. He was musician (percussion), singer and actor, worked with many musicians and bands including The Byrds, Ringo Starr, Bill Wyman, Stephen Stills, Barbra Streisand, Dan Fogelberg, Manassas, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Neil Young, Dione Warwick, The Stills-Young Band, Rod Stewart, Graham Nash, The Bee Gees, Neil Diamond, Jackson Browne, Whitney Houston and Joe Walsh, but was best known as founding member and leader of the band Blues Image.
Johnny Hallyday
On December 5, 2017, Jean-Philippe Léo Smet aka Johnny Hallyday died aged 74. He was musician (piano, guitar), singer and actor, the pioneer of the French rock and roll scene. He was called “The French Elvis”, and described as “The biggest rock star you’ve never heard of in English-speaking countries”. In 1997, he was made “Chevalier of the Legion of Honour”, and in 2001, Officer of the “Order of the Crown” in Belgium. In his more than four decades long career he worked with many famous musicians including Mick Jones, Jimmy Page, Tony Joe White, Dalida, Bon Jovi, Michael Bolton, Sylvie Vartan, Bono, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Tommy Brown, Connie Francis, and Laura Pausini. In his lifetime Hallyday released 81 studio and live albums.
Sacha Distel
On July 22, 2004, Alexandre “Sacha” Distel died aged 71. He was musician (guitar), singer and actor, during his career worked with Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, Kenny Clarke, Jimmy Gourley, Lionel Hampton, Slide Hampton, Bobby Jaspar, Barney Kessel, John Lewis, Pierre Michelot, Bernard Peiffer, Henri Renaud, Fats Sadi, Art Simmons, Martial Solal, René Urtreger, and Barney Wilen. In 1997, Distel was made “Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d’honneur”.
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