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: Leon Russell
Aretha Franklin: Laughing on the Outside
On August 12, 1963, “Columbia” label released “Laughing on the Outside”, the fourth Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded in April – June 1963, at “Columbia Recording Studios” in New York and Hollywood, and was produced by Robert Mersey.
Personnel:
- Aretha Franklin – vocals
- Robert Mersey – arrangements, conductor
- Don Arnome, Tommy Tedesco, Billy Strange – guitar
- Earl Van Dyke, Dave Grusin, Andrew Acker, Leon Russell – piano
- C. Bosler, Ray Pohlman, Melvin Pollan – bass guitar
- Hindel Butts, Hal Blaine – drums
- Plas Johnson – saxophone
- Jimmy Nottingham – trumpet
- Robert Ascher – trombone
- Bernard Eichenbaum, Julius Schacter, Leo Kahn, Berl Senofsky, Felix Gigol, Max Pollikoff, George Ockner, John Rublowsky, Sid Sharp, Tibor Zelig, George Poole, Irving Lipschultz, Irving Weinper, Darrel Terwilliger – violin
- R. Dickler, Theodore Israel, Jacob Glick – viola
- Jesse Erlich, Anthony Twardowsky, Joseph Tekula – cello
Track listing:
- Skylark – Johnny Mercer, Hoagy Carmichael
- For All We Know – Sam M. Lewis, J. Fred Coots
- Make Someone Happy – Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Jule Styne
- I Wonder (Where Are You Tonight) – Aretha Franklin, Ted White
- Solitude – Duke Ellington, Eddie DeLange, Irving Mills
- Laughing on the Outside – Bernie Wayne, Ben Raleigh
- Say It Isn’t So – Irving Berlin
- Until The Real Thing Comes Along – Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin, L. E. Freeman
- If Ever I Would Leave You – Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe
- Where Are You? – Harold Adamson, Jimmy McHugh
- Mr. Ugly – Norman Mapp
- I Wanna Be Around – Johnny Mercer, Sadie Vimmerstedt
Willie Nelson: Shotgun Willie
On June 11, 1973, “Atlantic” label released “Shotgun Willie”, the 16th Willie Nelson studio album. It was recorded in February 1973, at “Atlantic” in New York City, “Quadrafonic” in Nashville, Tennessee, “Sam Phillips” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Arif Mardin, Jerry Wexler and David Briggs.
Personnel:
- Willie Nelson – vocals, acoustic guitar
- Steve Burgh – acoustic and electric guitar
- James Clayton Day – dobro, pedal steel guitar, backing vocals
- Red Lane – acoustic guitar
- Dave Bromberg – electric guitar
- John Goldthwaite – electric guitar
- Doug Sahm – electric guitar, backing vocals
- Waylon Jennings – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
- Augie Meyers – acoustic guitar
- Bobbie Nelson – piano
- Mickey Raphael – harmonica
- Jeff Gutcheon – electric piano, organ
- Johnny Gimble – fiddle
- Hugh McDonald – bass guitar
- Jack Barber – bass guitar
- Dan “Bee” Spears – bass guitar
- Paul English – drums
- George Rains – drums
- Steve Mosley – drums
- Andrew Love – tenor saxophone
- James Mitchell – baritone saxophone
- Willie Bridges – baritone saxophone
- Wayne Jackson – trumpet
- Jack Hale Sr. – trombone
- Dee Moeller – backing vocals
- Larry Gatlin – backing vocals
- Jessi Colter – backing vocals
- Arif Mardin – string arrangements
- Donny Hathaway – string arrangements
Track listing:
All tracks by Willie Nelson, except where noted.
- Shotgun Willie
- Whiskey River – Johnny Bush, Paul Stroud
- Sad Songs and Waltzes
- Local Memory
- Slow Down Old World
- Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer) – Bob Wils, Tommy Duncan
- Devil in a Sleepin’ Bag
- She’s Not for You
- Bubbles in My Beer – Tommy Duncan, Cindy Walker, Bob Wills
- You Look Like the Devil – Leon Russell
- So Much to Do
- A Song for You – Leon Russell
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
The Beach Boys: Shut Down Vol. 2
On March 2, 1964, “Capitol” label released “Shut Down Volume 2”, the fifth Beach Boys (The) studio album. It was recorded January – February 1964, at “Western” and “Gold Star” in Hollywood, and was produced by Brian Wilson.
Personnel:
- Carl Wilson – lead and backing vocals, electric guitar
- Brian Wilson – lead and backing vocals, piano, Hammond B-3 organ
- Mike Love – lead and backing vocals, tenor saxophone
- Al Jardine – bass guitar, electric rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Dennis Wilson – lead and backing vocals, drums, floor tom
- Bill Pitman – archtop acoustic guitar
- Tommy Tedesco – electric guitar
- Leon Russell – piano, tack piano
- Al de Lory – piano
- Ray Pohlman – 6-string bass guitar, bass guitar
- Jimmy Bond – double bass
- Hal Blaine – drums, tambourine, bell-tree, percussion, timpani
- Frank Capp – glockenspiel, temple blocks, castanets
- Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone
- Plas Johnson – tenor saxophone
- Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone
Track listing:
- Fun, Fun, Fun – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
- Don’t Worry Baby – Brian Wilson, Roger Christian
- In the Parkin’ Lot – Brian Wilson, Roger Christian
- ‘Cassius’ Love vs Sonny Wilson – Mike Love, Brian Wilson
- The Warmth of the Sun – Mike Love, Brian Wilson
- This Car of Mine – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
- Why Do Fools Fall in Love – Frankie Lymon, George Goldner
- Pom, Pom Play Girl – Brian Wilson, Gary Usher
- Keep an Eye on Summer – Brian Wilson, Bob Norberg
- Shut Down, Part II – Carl Wilson
- Louie, Louie – Richard Berry
- Denny’s Drums – Dennis Wilson
Tucky Buzzard: Same
On September 26, 1971, “Capitol” label released the self-titled, second Tucky Buzzard studio album. It was recorded 1969 – 1971, at “Olympic Studios” in London, and was produced by Bill Wyman.
Personnel:
- Jimmy Henderson – lead vocals
- Terry Taylor – guitars
- Nicky Graham – lead vocals, keyboards
- Dave Brown – lead vocals, bass
- Chris Johnson – drums
- Mick Taylor – guitar
Track listring:
- There Will Be Your Doctor – Paul Francis, Nicky Graham, David Leonard Brown
- Stainless Steel Lady – Nicky Graham, David Leonard Brown, Jimmy Henderson, Terry Taylor
- Sally Shotgun – David Leonard Brown, Terry Taylor
- Gu Gu Gu – Nicky Graham, David Leonard Brown, Terry Taylor
- My Friend – Paul Francis, Nicky Graham, David Leonard Brown, Terry Taylor
- Pisces Apple Lady – Leon Russell
- She’s Meat – Nicky Graham, David Leonard Brown, Jimmy Henderson, Terry Taylor
- Ace the Face – Paul Francis, Nicky Graham, David Leonard Brown, Terry Taylor
- Whiskey Eyes – Paul Francis, Nicky Graham, Jimmy Henderson, Terry Taylor
B. B. King: B. B. King & Friends 80
On September 13, 2005, “Geffen” label released “B. B. King & Friends: 80”, the forty-first B.B. King album. It was recorded in 2005, at “Avatar Studios” and “Right Track Recording” in New York City, “Caesar’s Palace Showroom” in Las Vegas, Nevada, “Conway Recording Studios” in Los Angeles, “O’Henry Studios” in Burbank, California, “Ocean Way Recording” and “Olympic Studios” in London. At the 48th “Annual Grammy Awards”, “B. B. King & Friends: 80” won “Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album”.
Personnel:
- B. B. King – vocals, guitar
- Van Morrison – vocals, harmonica
- Billy F Gibbons – vocals, guitar
- John Mayer – vocals, guitar
- Glenn Frey – vocals, guitar
- Eric Clapton – guitar
- Clem Clempson – guitar
- Mark Knopfler – guitar
- Davey Johnstone – guitar
- Larry Campbell – guitar
- Dean Parks – rhythm guitar
- Elton John – vocals, piano
- Chris Stainton – keyboards
- Brian Mitchell – keyboards
- Guy Babylon – keyboards
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards, Hammond organ
- Luke Smith – Hammond organ
- Sheryl Crow – vocals
- Bob Birch – bass guitar
- Leland Sklar – bass guitar
- T-Bone Wolk – bass guitar
- Yolanda Charles – bass guitar
- Russ Kunkel – drums
- Billy Ward – drums
- Ian Thomas – drums
- Nigel Olsson – drums
- John Mahon – percussion
- Brandon Fields – saxophone
- Jerry Hey – trumpet
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trumpet
- Gary Grant – trumpet
- Nathaniel Kunkel – shaker
Track listing:
- Early in the Morning – Dallas Bartley, Louis Jordan, Leo Hickman
- Tired of Your Jive – Janet Despenza, Johnny Pate
- The Thrill is Gone – Roy Hawkins, Rick Darnell
- Need Your Love So Bad – Little Willie John, Mertis John Jr.
- Ain’t Nobody Home – Jerry Ragovou
- Hummingbird – Leon Russell
- All Over Again – Carl B. Adams
- Drivin’ Wheel – Roosevelt Sykes
- There Must Be a Better World Somewhere – Doc Pomus, Mac Rebennack
- Never Make Your Move Too Soon – Stix Hooper, Will Jennings
- Funny How Time Slips Away – Willie Nelson
- Rock This House – James A. Lane
Joe Cocker: Mad Dogs & Englishmen
In August 1970, “A&M” label released “Mad Dogs & Englishmen”, the third Joe Cocker album. It was recorded in March 1970, at “Filmore East” in New York City, and was produced by Denny Cordell and Leon Russell. In 2021, “Mad Dogs & Englishmen” was inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”.
Personnel:
- Joe Cocker, Rita Coolidge, Donna Weiss, Donna Washburn, Claudia Lennear, Denny Cordell, Daniel Moore, Pamela Polland, Matthew Moore, Nicole Barclay, Bobby Jones – vocals
- Leon Russell – vocals, lead guitar, piano, backing vocals, arrangements
- Don Preston – vocals, guitar, backing vocals
- Chris Stainton – organ, piano
- Carl Radle – bass guitar
- Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, Chuck Blackwell – drums
- Chuck Blackwell, Sandy Konikoff, Bobby Torres – percussion
- Jim Horn, Bobby Keys – saxophone
- Jim Price – trumpet
- Chris Stainton – arrangements
- Edwin Kramer – engineer
- Craig Braun – design concept
- Ron Wolin – illustration
- Tom Wilkes – design
- Jim McCrary – cover photography
- Cosmina Andee Cohen, Linda Wolf – tour photographer
Track listing:
- Introduction
- Honky Tonk Women – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
- Introduction
- Sticks and Stones – Titus Turner, Henry Glover
- Cry Me a River – Arthur Hamilton
- Bird on the Wire – Leonard Cohen
- Feelin’ Alright – Dave Mason
- Superstar – Leon Russell, Delaney Bramlett
- Introduction
- Let’s Go Get Stoned – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Josephine Armstead
- Blue Medley
- Till Drown in My Own Tears – Henry Glover
- When Something Is Wrong with My Baby – Isaac Hayes, David Porter
- I’ve Been Loving You Too Long – Otis Redding, Jerry Butler
- Introduction
- Girl from the North Country – Bob Dylan
- Give Peace a Chance – Leon Russell, Bonnie Bramlett
- Introduction
- She Came in Through the Bathroom Window – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
- Space Captain – Matthew Moore
- The Letter – Wayne Carson Thompson
- Delta Lady – Leon Russel
Del Shannon: This Is My Bag
In July 1966, “Liberty” label released “This Is My Bag”, the seventh Del Shannon studio album. It was recorded in 1966, and was produced by Snuff Garrett.
Personnel:
- Del Shannon – vocal
- Leon Russell – arrangements
- Nick De Caro – arrangements
- Dave Hassinger – engineer
- Henry Lewy – engineer
- Joe Sidore – lacquer cut
- Woody Woodward – art direction
- Ivan Nagy – cover photography
Track listing:
- The Big Hurt – Wayne Shanklin
- Kicks – Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil
- For a Little While – Del Shannon
- Lightnin’ Strikes – Lou Christie, Twyla Herbert
- When You Walk in the Room – Jackie DeShannon
- The Cheater – John Krenski
- Oh, Pretty Woman – Roy Orbison, Bill Dees
- Everybody Loves a Clown – Snuff Garrett, Gary Lewis, Leon Russell
- Never Thought I Could – Del Shannon
- It’s Too Late – Bobby Goldsboro
- Hey! Little Star – Del Shannon
- Action – Tommy Boyce, Steve Venet
Carpenters: A Song For You
On June 13, 1972, “A&M” label released “A Song for You”, the fourth Carpenters studio album. It was recorded in 1972, at “A&M” in Hollywood, and was produced by Jack Daugherty Productions.
Personnel:
- Karen Carpenter – lead and backing vocals, drums
- Richard Carpenter – lead and backing vocals, piano, Wurlitzer electronic piano, Hammond organ, celesta, orchestration, remastering
- Tony Peluso – lead guitar
- Louie Shelton – guitar
- Red Rhodes – steel guitar
- Buddy Emmons – pedal steel guitar
- Joe Osborn – bass guitar
- Hal Blaine – drums
- Gary Coleman – percussion
- Bob Messenger – tenor saxophone, flute, alto flute
- Earl Dumler – oboe, English horn
- Tim Weisberg – bass flute
- Norm Herzberg – bassoon
- Bernie Grundman – remastering
Track listing:
- A Song for You – Leon Russell
- Top of the World – John Bettis, Richard Carpenter
- Hurting Each Other – Gary Geld, Peter Udell
- It’s Going to Take Some Time – Carole King, Toni Stern
- Goodbye to Love – John Bettis, Richard Carpenter
- Intermission – Richard Carpenter
- Bless the Beasts and Children – Perry Botkin Jr., Harry DeVorzon
- Flat Baroque – Richard Carpenter
- Piano Picker – Randy Edelman
- I Won’t Last a Day Without You – Roger Nichols, Paul Williams
- Crystal Lullaby – John Bettis, Richard Carpenter
- Road Ode – Gary Sims, Dan Woodhams
- A Song for You (reprise) – Leon Russell
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