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: Billy Davis Jr.
The 5th Dimension: Love’s Lines, Angles And Rhymes
On February 1, 1971, “Bell” label released “Love’s Lines, Angles and Rhymes”, the sixth 5th Dimension (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1970, at “Wally Heider” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Bones Howe.
Personnel:
- Marilyn McCoo – lead and backing vocals
- Florence LaRue – lead and backing vocals
- Billy Davis Jr. – lead and backing vocals
- Lamonte McLemore – backing vocals
- Ron Townson – backing vocals
- Dennis Budimir, Fred Tackett, Mike Deasy, Michael Anthony – guitar
- Jimmy Rowles – piano
- Larry Knechtel, Gary Illingworth – keyboards
- Joe Osborn, Max Bennett – bass guitar
- Hal Blaine – drums
- Jack Arnold, Larry Bunker, Victor Feldman – percussion
- Jim Horn, Tom Scott, Pete Christlieb, Lanny Morgan – saxophone
- Bud Brisbois, Chuck Findley, Oliver Mitchell, Ray Triscari – trumpet
- Lew McCreary, Bob Edmondson – trombone
- Catherine Gothoffer – harp
- The Sid Sharp String Section – strings
Track listing:
- Time and Love – Laura Nyro
- Love’s Lines, Angles and Rhymes – Dorothea Joyce
- What Does It Take – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Vernon Bullock
- Guess Who – Jesse Belvin, JoAnne Belvin
- Viva Tirado – Gerald Wilson, Norman Gimbel
- Light Sings – Gary William Friedman, Will Holt
- The Rainmaker – Bill Martin, Harry Nilsson
- He’s a Runner – Laura Nyro
- The Singer – Elliott Willensky, Lamonte McLemore
- Every Night – Paul McCartney n
The 5th Dimension: Earthbound
In August 1975, “ABC” label released “Earthbound”, the twelfth 5th Dimension (The) album. It was recorded in 1975, at “Sunset Sound” and “Village Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Jimmy Webb.
Personnel:
- Billy Davis Jr. – baritone vocals
- Florence LaRue – alto vocals
- Marilyn McCoo – soprano vocals
- Lamonte McLemore – bass vocals
- Ron Townson – tenor vocals
- Larry Coryell – acoustic guitar solos
- Fred Tackett – guitar
- Jesse Ed Davis – guitar
- Dennis Budimir – guitar
- Dan Ferguson – guitar
- Bill Como – ARP synthesizer
- John Myles – keyboards
- David Paich – keyboards
- Paul Stallworth – bass
- Harvey Mason – drums
- Jeff Porcaro – drums
- Harvey Mason – percussion
- Michael Lawrence – brass
- David Duke – French horn
- Vincent DeRosa – French horn
- Sid Sharp – strings
- John Myles – vocal arrangements and special vocal backgrounds
- Jimmy Webb – arrangements
- John Haeny – engineer
- Alan O’Duffy – engineer
- Wally Heider – mixing
- ABC Recording Studios Inc. – mastering
- Carole Rubinstein – cover painting
Track listing:
All tracks by Jimmy Webb, except where noted.
- Prologue – Jimmy Webb / Be Here Now – George Harrison
- Don’t Stop for Nothing – James C. Johnson
- I’ve Got a Feeling – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
- Magic in My Life – James C. Johnson
- Walk Your Feet in the Sunshine
- When Did I Lose Your Love
- Lean On Me Always
- Speaking With My Heart
- Moonlight Mile – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
- Epilogue
Jimmy Webb: El Mirage
In May 1977, “Atlantic” label released “El Mirage”, the sixth Jimmy Webb album. It was recorded in 1977, at “Cherokee Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by George Martin.
Personnel:
- Jimmy Webb – vocals, keyboards
- Fred Tackett – guitar
- Dean Parks – guitar
- Lowell George – slide guitar
- Herb Pedersen – banjo, 12-string guitar, backing vocals
- George Martin – keyboards, synthesizer, arrangements, conductor
- David Paich – keyboards, synthesizer
- David Hungate – bass
- Larry Knechtel – bass
- Dee Murray – bass
- Nigel Olsson – drums
- Jim Gordon – drums
- Harvey Mason – percussion
- Kenny Loggins – vocals
- Billy Davis Jr. – vocals
- George Hawkins – vocals
- Sherlie Matthews – backing vocals
- Susan Webb – backing vocals
- Clydie King – backing vocals
- Harry Bluestone – concertmaster
- John H. R. Mills – engineer
- John Mills – engineer
- George Tutko – engineer
- Bob Fisher – mastering
- Bob Defrin – art direction
- Steve Smith – photography
- Henry Diltz – cover photography
- Richie Unterberger – liner notes
Track listing:
All tracks by Jimmy Webb, except where noted.
- The Highwayman
- If You See Me Getting Smaller I’m Leaving
- Mixed-Up Guy
- Christian, No
- Moment in a Shadow
- Sugarbird
- Where the Universe Are
- P.F. Sloan
- Dance to the Radio – Fred Tackett
- The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
- Skylark (A Meditation) – Jimmy Webb, Paul A. Skylar
The 5th Dimension: The Magic Garden
In December 1967, “Soul City Records” label released “The Magic Garden”, the second 5th Dimension (The) album. It was recorded July – November 1967, and was produced by Jimmy Webb and Bones Howe.
Personnel:
- Billy Davis, Jr.– lead and backing vocals
- Florence LaRue– lead and backing vocals
- Marilyn McCoo– lead and backing vocals
- Lamonte McLemore– backing vocals
- Ron Townson– backing vocals
- Jimmy Webb– orchestra conductor, music arranger
- Bones Howe– engineer
- Armin Steiner – engineer
- Elliot Federman – mastering
- Woody Woodward – art director
- Ron Wolin – design
- Wayne Kimbell – illustrations
- Ed Osborne – photography
- George Rodriguez – photography
- Mike Ragogna – liner notes
Track listing:
All tracks by Jimmy Webb, except where noted.
- Prologue
- The Magic Garden
- Summer’s Daughter
- Dreams/Pax/Nepenthe
- Carpet Man
- Ticket to Ride – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
- Requiem: 820 Latham
- The Girls’ Song
- The Worst That Could Happen
- Orange Air
- Paper Cup
- Epilogue
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