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: Frank Black
Frank Black: Pistolero
On March 9, 1999, “spinART Recirds” label released “Pistolero”, the second Frank Black album. It was recorded in 1998, at “Sound City Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Nick Vincent.
Personnel:
- Frank Black – vocals, guitar
- Rich Gilbert – lead guitar, backing vocals
- David McCaffery – bass, backing vocals
- Scott Boutier – drums
- Billy Joe Bowers – engineer
- Nick Raskulinecz – engineer assistant
- Eddy Schreyer – mastering
- Inertia – design
Track listing:
All tracks by Frank Black
- Bad Harmony
- I Switched You
- Western Star
- Tiny Heart
- You’re Such a Wire
- I Love Your Brain
- Smoke Up
- Billy Radcliffe
- So Hard to Make Things Out
- 85 Weeks
- I Think I’m Starting to Lose It
- I Want Rock & Roll
- Skeleton Man
- So. Bay
Frank Black: Dog in the Sand
On January 30, 2001, “Cooking Vinyl” and “What Are Records?” label released “Dog in the Sand”, the third Frank Black studio album. It was recorded March – April 2000, at “Sound City Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Nick Vincent.
Personnel:
- Frank Black – vocals, acoustic guitar, guitar
- Eric Drew Feldman – vocals, electric piano, piano, clavioline
- Rich Gilbert – vocals, guitar, pedal steel guitar, dobro
- Dave Phillips – vocals, acoustic guitar, guitar, pedal steel guitar, slide guitar
- Joey Santiago – guitar
- Moris Tepper – vocals, banjo, bihuela
- David McCaffery – vocals, bass
- Scott Boutier – drums
- Nick Vincent – percussion
- Billy Joe Bowers – recording
- Mike Terry – engineer assistant
- Eddy Schreyer – mastering
- Andrew Swainson – design
- Steve Gullick – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Frank Black.
- Blast Off
- I’ve Seen Your Picture
- St. Francis Dam Disaster
- Robert Onion
- Stupid Me
- Bullet
- The Swimmer
- Hermaphroditos
- I’ll Be Blue
- Llano del Rio
- If It Takes All Night
- Dog in the Sand
Art Brut: Art Brut vs. Satan
On April 20, 2009, “Cooking Vinyl” label released “Art Brut vs. Satan”, the third Art Brut album. It was recorded in 2009, and was produced by Frank Black.
Personnel:
- Eddie Argos- vocals
- Ian Catskilkin – guitar
- Jasper Future – guitar
- Freddy Feedback – bass guitar
- Mike Breyer – drums
Track listing:
- Alcoholics Unanimous
- DC Comicsand Chocolate Milkshake
- The Passenger
- Am I Normal
- What a Rush
- Demons Out
- Slap Dash for No Cash
- The Replacements
- Twist and Shout
- Summer Job
- Mysterious Bruises
Mike Watt: Ball – Hog or Tugboat?
On February 28, 1995, “Columbia” label released “Ball-Hog or Tugboat?”, the debut Mike Watt solo album. It was recorded May – September 1994, and was produced by Mike Watt.
Personnel:
- Mike Watt – lead and backing vocals, spoken word, bass
- Eddie Vedder- lead and backing vocals, guitar
- Nels Cline – slide, lead and nylon guitar
- Curt Kirkwood, Gary Lee Conner- lead guitar
- J Mascis- guitar, drums
- Joe Baiza, Zander Schloss, John Strohm, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Butler, Todd Rigione- guitar
- Keith McCaw- acoustic guitar
- Epic Soundtracks- tambourine
- Cris Kirkwood- banjo
- Dave Grohl – drums, guitar
- Paul Roessler- piano
- Bernie Worrell- B3 organ
- Krist Novoselic- Farfisa organ
- Flea- Lead Bass, Pocket trumpet
- Michael Preussner, Bob Lee- drums
- Stephen Perkins – drums, percussion
- Steve Shelley, Wayne Griffin, Brock Avery, John Molo, Richie West – drums
- Adam Horovitz- drums, guitar, backing vocals
- Danny Frankel- percussion
- Carla Bozulich- lead and backing vocals
- Frank Black, Henry Rollins, Mark Lanegan, Michael Diamond, Pat Smear, Dave Pirner, Tiffany Anders- vocals
- Evan Dando- vocals
- Vince Meghrouni – lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion, tenor saxophone
- Tony Atherton- alto saxophone
- Ronda Rindone- bass clarinet
- Petra Haden – violin, backing vocals
- Spot- mandolin, viola
- Tony Maxwell- cello
- Anna Waronker, Rachel Haden, Coco Hayley Gordon Moore, Mario Caldato Jr.- backing vocals
- Kathleen Hanna- spoken word
Track listing:
All tracks by Mike Watt; except where noted.
- Big Train – Tony Kinman, Chip Kinman
- Against The 70’s
- Drove Up From Pedro
- Piss-Bottle Man
- Chinese Firedril – Mike Watt, Joe Carducci
- Intense Song For Madonna To Sing
- Tuff Gnarl – Sonic Youth
- Sexual Military Dynamics – Mike Watt, Henry Rollins
- Max And Wells
- E-Ticket Ride
- .. One Reporter’s Opinion
- Song For Igor
- Tell ‘Em Boy!
- Sidemouse Advice
- Heartbeat
- Maggot Brain – George Clinton, Eddie Hazel
- Coincidence Is Either Hit Or Miss
Frank Black: Fast Man Raider Man
On June 20, 2006, “Back Porch” label released “Fast Man Raider Man”, the thirteen Frank Black album. It was recorded in 2000, in Nashville, Pasadena and Chicago, and was produced by Jon Tiven.
Personnel:
- Frank Black- lead vocals, guitar, ukulele
- Steve Cropper- guitar
- Carol Kaye- guitar, bass guitar
- Buddy Miller- guitar, mandoguitar, backing vocals
- Rich Gilbert- pedal steel guitar
- Duane Jarvis- guitar
- Lyle Workman- guitar, arrangements
- Reggie Young– guitar
- Dave Phillips- pedal steel guitar
- F. Sloan- piano, backing vocals
- Al Kooper- organ
- Ian McLagan- keyboards
- Mark Jordan – keyboards
- Spooner Oldham- keyboards, backing vocals
- Jack Kidney- harmonica, tenor saxophone
- Tom Petersson- bass guitar
- Bob Babbitt- bass guitar, backing vocals
- Marty Brown- bass guitar, backing and duet vocal
- David Hood- bass guitar
- Billy Block- drums, backing vocals
- Steve Ferrone- drums
- Levon Helm- drums, percussion
- Jim Keltner- drums, percussion
- Simon Kirke- drums, percussion
- Akil Thompson- drums
- Chester Thompson- drums
- Jon Tiven- alto saxophone, guitar, percussion, piano, backing vocals
- Wayne Jackson- trumpet, trombone, fluegelhorn
- Violet Clark-Thompson- backing vocals
- Jack Clement- dobro, backing vocals
- Rick Duvall- backing vocals
- James Griffin – backing vocals
- Bobby Bare Jr.- backing vocals
- Ellis Hooks- backing vocals
- Billy Swan- backing vocals
- Planet Swan- backing vocals
- Sierra Swan- backing vocals
- Brooks Watson- backing vocals
- Lyle Workman – arrangements
Track listing:
All tracks by Frank Black, except where noted.
- If Your Poison Gets You
- Johnny Barleycorn
- Fast Man
- You Can’t Crucify Yourself
- Dirty Old Town – Ewan MacColl
- Wanderlust
- Seven Days
- Raider Man
- The End of the Summer – music adapted from Gabriel Fauré’s Sicilienne, Op. 78,
- Dog Sleep – co-written by Reid Paley
- When the Paint Grows Darker Still
- I’m Not Dead (I’m in Pittsburgh) – co-written by Reid Paley
- Golden Shore – co-written byReid Paley
- In the Time of My Ruin
- Down to You – co-written byReid Paley
- Highway to Lowdown
- Kiss My Ring
- My Terrible Ways
- Fitzgerald
- Elijah
- It’s Just Not Your Moment
- The Real El Rey
- Where the Wind Is Going
- Holland Town
- Sad Old World
- Don’t Cry That Way
- Fare Thee Well
Frank Black And The Catholics: Same
On September 9, 1997, “Spin Art” released the self-titled, debut Frank Black and the Catholics. album It was recorded in March 1997, and was produced by Frank Black.
Personnel:
- Frank Black– vocals, guitar
- Lyle Workman– lead guitar
- David McCaffery– vocals, bass
- Scott Boutier– drums
- Billy Bowers – recording
Track listing:
All tracks by Frank Black, except where noted.
- All My Ghosts
- Back to Rome
- Do You Feel Bad About It?
- Dog Gone
- I Gotta Move
- I Need Peace
- King & Queen of Siam
- Six-Sixty-Six – Larry Norman
- Solid Gold
- Steak ‘n’ Sabre
- Suffering
- The Man Who Was Too Loud
Frank Black and the Catholics: Devil’s Workshop
On August 20, 2002, “SpinART” label released “Devil’s Workshop”, the second of a pair of albums by Frank Black and the Catholics to be simultaneously released in 2002. It was recorded March – April 2002, and was produced by Frank Black, Scott Boutier, David McCaffery, Dave Philips, Rob Laufer and Ben Mumphrey.
Personnel:
- Frank Black– vocals, guitar
- Dave Philips – vocals, guitar, pedal steel guitar
- Rob Laufer – keyboards
- David McCaffery – vocals, bass
- Scott Boutier – vocals, drums
- Eric Drew Feldman– keyboards
- Stan Ridgway– keyboards
- Joey Santiago– guitar
- Lyle Workman– guitar
- Moris Tepper– guitar
- Ben Mumphrey– maracas
Track listing:
All tracks by Frank Black.
- Velvety
- Out of State
- His Kingly Cave
- San Antonio, TX
- Bartholomew
- Modern Age
- Are You Headed My Way?
- Heloise
- The Scene
- Whiskey in Your Shoes
- Fields of Marigold
Frank Black and the Catholics: Black Letter Days
On August 20, 2002, “SpinART” label released “Black Letter Days”, the first of two albums by Frank Black and the Catholics simultaneously released in 2002. It was recorded from October 2001 – January 2002, and was produced by Nick Vincent. The title implies the opposite of the term “Red Letter Days” which are holidays – a “black letter day” being all the ordinary days in a given month.
Personnel:
- Frank Black – vocals, guitar
- Rich Gilbert – vocals, guitar, pedal steel guitar, keyboards, saxophone
- David McCaffery – vocals, bass
- Eric Drew Feldman – vocals, keyboard, synthesizer
- Scott Boutier – vocals, drums
- Dave Phillips – vocals, guitar, pedal steel guitar
- Moris Tepper – vocals, guitar
- Nick Vincent – maracas
- Ben Mumphrey – engineer
Track listing:
All tracks by Black Francis; except where noted.
- The Black Rider – Tom Waits
- California Bound
- Chip Away Boy
- Cold Heart of Stone
- Black Letter Day
- Valentine and Garuda
- How You Went So Far
- End of Miles
- 1826
- The Farewell Bend
- Southbound Bevy
- I Will Run After You
- True Blue
- Jane the Queen of Love
- Jet Black River
- 21 Reasons
- Whispering Weeds
- The Black Rider – Tom Waits
Frank Black: Honeycomb
On July 19, 2005, “Back Porch Records” released “Honeycomb”, the tenth Frank Black studio album. It was recorded in 2005, and was produced by Jon Tiven.
Personnel:
- Frank Black– vocals, guitar
- Steve Cropper- lead guitar
- Buddy Miller- guitar
- Reggie Young- guitar
- Spooner Oldham – vocals, keyboards, bells
- Jon Tiven- harmonica
- David Hood- bass guitar
- Billy Block- drums
- Anton Fig- drums
- Akil Thompson- drums
- Chester Thompson- drums
- Jean Black – duet vocal
- James Griffin – vocals
- Ellis Hooks- vocals
- Dan Penn- vocals, tracking engineer
- Earl Drake- mixing
Track listing:
All tracks by Frank Black, except where noted.
- Selkie Bride
- I Burn Today
- Lone Child
- Another Velvet Nightmare – Frank Black, Reid Paley
- Dark End of the Street – Dan Penn, Chips Moman
- Go Find Your Saint
- Song of the Shrimp – Roy C. Bennett, Sid Tepper
- Strange Goodbye
- Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day – Doug Sahm
- Honeycomb
- My Life Is in Storage
- Atom in My Heart
- Violet”
- Sing For Joy
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