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: Brian Cadd
Dee Murray
On January 15, 1992, David Murray Oates aka Dee Murray died aged 45. He was musician (bass), was member, recorded and performed with The Mirage, Spencer Davis Group, Elton John, Procol Harum, Alice Cooper, Beth Nielsen Chapman, John Prine, Jimmy Webb, Yvonne Elliman, Ronnie Hawkins, Shaun Cassidy, Bernie Taupin, Brian Cadd, but was best known as the bass player of the Elton John Band.
Lawrence Knechtel
On August 20, 2009, Lawrence William Knechtel died aged 69. He was a musician (keyboards, bass), a member of the Wrecking Crew, a collection of Los Angeles-based session musicians, and the band Bread. He recorded with big number of renowned artists including Elvis Presley, The Byrds, Barbra Streisand, The Beach Boys, The Doors, Cher, Simon & Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Mamas & the Papas, The Monkees, the Partridge Family, Paul Simon, Chet Baker, Jerry Garcia, Dave mason, Nancy Sinatra, Howard Roberts, Thelma Houston, Glen Campbell, Peter Allen, Barry Mann, Lalo Schifrin, Jimmy Webb, José Feliciano, Jackie DeShannon, Brian Cadd, Bobby Darin, Art Garfunkel, Stephen Bishop, David Clayton-Thomas, Billy Joel, Barry McGuire, Paul Young, Dolly Parton, Al Kooper, Johnny Rivers, John Denver, Chet Atkins, Helen Reddy, Joan Baez, Alen Roth, and Neil Diamond. Knechtel released two solo albums.
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