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: Harry Nilsson
Harry Nillson: Nillson Schmillson
On November 11, 1971, “RCA” label released “Nilsson Schmilsson”, the seventh Harry Nilsson studio album. It was recorded January – June 1971, at “Trident” and “Island” in London, “RCA” in Hollywood, and was produced by Richard Perry.
Personnel:
- Harry Nilsson – vocals; piano, mellotron, organ, harmonica, electric piano
- John Uribe – acoustic and lead guitar
- Chris Spedding – guitar
- Caleb Quaye – guitar
- Ian Duck – acoustic guitar
- Bill Linnane – piano
- Jim Webb – piano
- Roger Coulam – organ
- Gary Wright – piano, organ
- Henry Krein – accordion
- Klaus Voormann – bass guitar, rhythm and acoustic guitar
- Herbie Flowers – bass guitar
- Jim Gordon – drums, percussion
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Roger Pope – drums
- Richard Perry – percussion, mellotron
- Bobby Keys – saxophone
- Jim Price – trumpet, trombone, horn arrangements
- Paul Buckmaster – string and horn arrangements
- George Tipton – string and horn arrangements
- Robin Geoffrey Cable – engineer
- Richie Schmitt – engineer
- Phill Brown – additional engineering
- Acy Lehman – graphics
- Dean Torrence – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Harry Nilsson, except where noted.
- Gotta Get Up
- Driving Along
- Early in the Morning – Leo Hickman, Louis Jordam, Dallas Bartley
- The Moonbeam Song
- Down
- Without You – Pete Ham, Tom Evans
- Coconut
- Let the Good Times Roll – Shirley goodman, Leonard Lee
- Jump into the Fire
- I’ll Never Leave You
Ringo Starr: Ringo
On November 2, 1973, “Apple” label released “Ringo”, the third Ringo Starr studio album. It was recorded March – July 1973, at “Apple” and “EMI” in London, “Sunset Sound”, “A&M”, “Burbank”, “Sound Lab”, “Producers Workshop” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Richard Perry.
Personnel:
- Ringo Starr – lead vocals, drums, percussion
- George Harrison – acoustic and electric guitar, backing vocals
- Vini Poncia – acoustic and electric guitar, percussion, backing vocals
- Jimmy Calvert – acoustic and electric guitar
- Steve Cropper – electric guitar
- Robbie Robertson – electric guitar
- Marc Bolan – guitar
- Levon Helm – mandolin
- David Bromberg – banjo, fiddle
- James Booker – piano
- Nicky Hopkins – piano
- Tom Hensley – piano
- Paul McCartney – “kazoo” vocal solo, piano, synthesizer, backing vocals, flute and strings arrangements
- John Lennon – piano, backing vocals
- Billy Preston – organ, piano
- Garth Hudson – accordion
- Klaus Voormann – bass guitar
- Rick Danko – fiddle
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Milt Holland – percussion, marimba
- Lon & Derrek Van Eaton – percussion
- Tom Scott – horns, arrangements
- Chuck Findley – horns
- Bobby Keys – saxophone
- Linda McCartney – backing vocals
- Harry Nilsson – backing vocals
- Martha Reeves – backing vocals
- Merry Clayton – backing vocals
- Richard Perry – backing vocals
Track listing:
- I’m the Greatest – John Lennon
- Have You Seen My Baby – Randy Newman
- Photograph – Richard Starkey, George Harrison
- Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond) – George Harrison
- You’re Sixteen – Bob Sherman, Dick Sherman
- Oh My My – Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia
- Step Lightly – Graham Starkey
- Six O’Clock – Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
- Devil Woman – Graham Starkey, Vini Poncia
- You and Me (Babe) – George Harrison, Mal Evans
Michael Nesmith: Nevada Fighter
In May 1971, “RCA Victor” label released “Nevada Fighter”, the third Michael Nesmith album. It was recorded October 1970 – January 1971, and was produced by Michael Nesmith.
Personnel:
The First National Band:
- Michael Nesmith – vocals, guitar
- Red Rhodes – pedal steel guitar
- John London – bass guitar
- John Ware – drums
- Al Casey – guitar
- James Burton – guitar
- Glen Hardin – keyboards
- Michael Cohen – keyboards
- Joe Osborn – bass guitar
- Max Bennett – bass guitar
- Ron Tutt – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Michael Nesmith, except where noted.
- Grand Ennui
- Propinquity (I’ve Just Begun to Care)
- Here I Am
- Only Bound
- Nevada Fighter
- Texas Morning – Mike Murphy, Boomer Castleman
- Tumbling Tumbleweeds – Bob Nolan
- I Looked Away – Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock
- Rainmaker – Harry Nilsson, Bill Martin
- René – Red Rhodes
Bobbie Gentry: Fancy
On April 6, 1970, “Capitol” label released “Fancy”, the sixth Bobbie Gentry studio album. It was recorded in April – August 1969 – January 1970, at “Fame Recording Studios” in Muscle Shoals, “Capitol Recording Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Rick Hall and Bobby Gentry.
Personnel:
- Bobbie Gentry – vocals
- Tommy Oliver – arrangements
- Jimmie Haskell – string arrangements
- Don Lee Keith – liner notes
Track listing:
- Fancy – Bobby Gentry
- I’ll Never Fall in Love Again – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
- Delta Man – Leon Russell
- Something in the Way He Moves – James Taylor
- Find ‘Em, Fool ‘Em and Forget ‘Em – George Jackson, Rick Hall
- He Made a Woman Out of Me – Fred Burch, Don Hill
- Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
- If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody – Rudy Clark
- Rainmaker – Harry Nilsson, Bill Martin
- Wedding Bell Blues – Laura Nyro
Mary Hopkin: Post Card
On February 21, 1969, “Apple” label released “Post Card”, the debut Mary Hopkin studio album. It was recorded October – November 1968, at “EMI Studios”, “Trident” and “Morgan” in London, and was produced by Paul McCartney.
Personnel:
- Mary Hopkin – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar
- Paul McCartney – acoustic guitar, bass
- Donovan – acoustic guitar
- Derek Griffiths – guitar
- George Martin – piano
- Jim Rodford – bass
- Bernie Higginson – drums
- Nick Newell – saxophone
- Mike Cotton – trumpet
- John Beecham – trombone
- London Welsh Choir – choir
- Richard Hewson – arrangements
- Ken Scott – engineer, mixing
- Malcolm Toft – engineer
- Gordon House – graphics
- Linda Eastman – photography
Track listing:
- Lord of the Reedy River – Donovan
- Happiness Runs (Pebble and the Man) – Donovan
- Love Is the Sweetest Thing – Ray Noble
- Y Blodyn Gwyn – Richard H. Jones, Edward John Hughes
- The Honeymoon Song – William Sansom, Mikis Theodorakis
- The Puppy Song – Harry Nilsson
- Inchworm – Frank Loesser
- Voyage of the Moon – Donovan
- Lullaby of the Leaves – Bernice Petkere, Joe Young
- Young Love – Ric Cartey, Carole Joyner
- Someone to Watch Over Me – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
- Prince en Avignon – Jean-Pierre Bourtayre
- The Game – George Martin
- There’s No Business Like Show Business – Irving Berlin
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 Monkees: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
On November 6, 1967, “Colgems” label released “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.”, the fourth Monkees (The) album. It was recorded April – October 1967, at “RCA Victor” in Hollywood, “RCA Victor” in New York, “Western Recorders No. 1” in Hollywood, “American Recording Company” in Studio City, “United Recorders A” in Hollywood, and was produced by Chip Douglas.
Personnel:
- Michael Nesmith – lead and backing vocals, guitar, shaker, acoustic and electric guitar, tremolo electric guitar, percussion
- Micky Dolenz – lead and backing vocals, harmony vocals, percussion, drums, Moog synthesizer, intro chatter
- Davy Jones – lead and backing vocals, percussion, tambourine, intro chatter
- Peter Tork – lead and backing vocals, spoken word, organ, keyboards, piano
- Chip Douglas – acoustic guitar, nylon-string guitar, guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals
- Eddie Hoh – drums, percussion, claves
- Kim Capli – guitar, piano, bass guitar, drums, shaker, cowbell, claves, other percussion
- Doug Dillard – banjo
- Bill Chadwick – acoustic guitar
- Bob Rafelson – piano intro
- Bill Martin – intro chatter
- Charlie Rockett – intro chatter
- Paul Beaver – Moog synthesizer
- Jim Horn – baritone sax
- Pete Candoli – trumpet
- Al Porcino – trumpet
- Manny Stevens – trumpet
- Dick Noel – trombone
- Dick Leith – bass trombone
- Philip Teele – bass trombone
- Bobby Knight – bass trombone
- Ted Nash – reeds, winds
- Tom Scott – reeds, winds
- Bud Shank – reeds, winds
- Vincent DeRosa – French horn
- Ollie Mitchell – flugelhorn
- Anthony Terran – flugelhorn
- Leonard Atkins – violin
- Arnold Belnick – violin
- Nathan Kaproff – violin
- Wilbert Nuttycombe – violin
- Jerome Reisler – violin
- Darrel Terwilliger – violin
- Edgar Lustgarten – cello
Track listing:
- Salesman – Craig Vincent Smith
- She Hangs Out – Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
- The Door into Summer – Chip Douglas, Bill Martin
- Love Is Only Sleeping – Barry Mann, Cynthia Well
- Cuddly Toy – Harry Nilsson
- Words – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
- Hard to Believe – Davy Jones, Kim Capli, Eddie Brick, Charlie Rockett
- What Am I Doing Hangin’ Round? – Michael Martin Murphey, Owen Castleman
- Peter Percival Patterson’s Pet Pig Porky – Peter Tork
- Pleasant Valley Sunday – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
- Daily Nightly – Michael Nesmith
- Don’t Call on Me – Michael Nesmith, John London
Al Kooper: You Never Know Who Your Friends Are
In September 1969, “Columbia” label released “You Never Know Who Your Friends Are”, the second Al Kooper studio album. It was recorded in 1969, and was produced by Al Kooper.
Personnel:
- Al Kooper – vocals, piano, organ, guitar, ondioline, arrangements
- The Al Kooper Big Band under the direction of Charlie Calello
- Ralph Casale, Stu Scharf, Eric Gale – guitar
- Ernie Hayes, Paul Griffin, Frank Owens – piano, organ
- Walter Sears – Moog synthesizer
- Chuck Rainey, Jerry Jemmott, John Miller – electric bass
- Bernard Purdie, Al Rogers – drums
- George Young, Sol Schlinger, Seldon Powell, Joe Farrell – saxophone
- Bernie Glow, Ernie Royal, Marvin Stamm – trumpet
- Ray Desio, Jimmy Knepper, Bill Watrous, Tony Studd – trombone
- Hilda Harris, Connie Zimet, Albertine Robinson, Lois Winter, Michael Gately, Lou Christie, Robert John, Charlie Calello – backing vocals
- Glen Kolotkin, Roy Segal, Stan Tonkel – engineer
- Ron Coro – cover art direction, design
Track listing:
All tracks by Al Kooper, except where noted.
- Magic in My Socks
- Lucille
- Too Busy Thinkin’ ’bout My Baby – Norman Whitfield, Janie Bradford
- First Time Around
- Loretta (Union Turnpike Eulogy)
- Blues, Part IV
- You Never Know Who Your Friends Are
- The Great American Marriage / Nothing
- I Don’t Know Why I Love You – Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Paul Riser, Stevie Wonder
- Mourning Glory Story – Harry Nilsson
- Anna Lee (What Can I Do for You)
- I’m Never Gonna Let You Down
Herbie Flowers
On September 5, 2024, Brian Keith “Herbie” Flowers died aged 86. He was musician (bass, double bass, tuba), member of bands Blue Mink, T. Rex and Sky. He played on more than 500 hit recordings, including ones for Elton John, Camel, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Roy Harper, David Essex, Al Kooper, Bryan Ferry, Harry Nilsson, Cat Stevens, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Chanter Sisters, Allan Clarke, Jeff Wayne, Roger Daltrey, Steve Harley, Tim Rose, Cliff Richard, Sally Oldfield, Olivia Newton – John, Melanie, Hazel O’Connor and Jane Wiedlin. As leader, Flowers released four albums.
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