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: Levon Helm
The Band: Jericho
On November 2, 1993, “Rhino Entertainment” label released “Jericho”, the eighth Band (The) studio album. It was recorded 1985, 1990 – 1993, at “Levon Helm Studios”, “NRS Studios”, “Neressa Studios”, “BearTracks Studios”, “Bearsville Studios”, “Woodstock Studios”, and was produced by John Simon, Aaron L. Hurwitz, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Randy Ciarlante.
Personnel:
- Rick Danko – vocals, guitars, bass guitar, fiddle, trombone, keyboards
- Garth Hudson – organ, keyboards, accordion, electric piano, saxophones, synthesizers, horns
- Richard Manuel – vocals, piano, keyboards
- Levon Helm – vocals, drums, percussion, mandolin, guitar
- Randy Ciarlante – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Rick Bell – keyboards, organ, piano, accordion, backing vocals
- Jim Weider – guitars, backing vocals
- Tommy Spurlock – steel guitar
- Artie Traum – acoustic guitar
- Eric Bazilian – mandolin
- Stan Szelest – electric piano
- John Simon – electric piano, horns, saxophones
- Champion Jack Dupree – piano
- Rob Hyman – keyboards
- Rob Leon – bass guitar
- Steve Jordan – drums
- Bobby Strickland – tenor and baritone saxophones
- Dave Douglas – trumpet
- Vassar Clements – fiddle
- Jules Shear – backing vocals
- Colin Linden – backing vocals
- Aaron “Professor Louie” Hurwitz – engineer
- Chris Andersen – engineer
- Steve Churchyard – engineer
- John Roper – engineer
Track listing:
- Remedy – Colin Linden, Jim Weider
- Blind Willie McTell – Bob Dylan
- The Caves of Jericho – Richard Bell, Levon Helm, John Simon
- Atlantic City – Bruce Springsteen
- Too Soon Gone – Jules Shear, Stan Szelest
- Country Boy – Marshall Barer, Fred Brooks
- Move to Japan – Joe Flood, Levon Helm, John Simon, Stan Szelset, Jim Weider
- Amazon (River of Dreams) – Artie Traum
- Stuff You Gotta Watch – Muddy Waters
- Same Thing – Willie Dixon
- Shine a Light – Marty Grebb, Daniel Moore
- Blues Stay Away from Me – Alton & Rabon Delmore, Henry Glover, Wayne Raney
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
Bob Dylan And The Band: The Basement Tapes
On June 26, 1975, “Columbia” label released “The Basement Tapes”, the second Bob Dylan and the Band album (sixteenth Bob Dylan album overall). It was recorded June – September 1967, 1968 and 1975, and was produced by Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Rick Danko and Levon Helm.
Personnel:
- Bob Dylan – vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
- Robbie Robertson – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, backing vocals
- Garth Hudson – Lowrey organ, clavinet, accordion, tenor saxophone, piano
- Richard Manuel – vocals, piano, drums, harmonica, vocals
- Rick Danko – bass guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
- Levon Helm – vocals, drums, mandolin, bass guitar
- Bob Cato – art director
- Reid Miles – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Bob Dylan, except where noted.
- Odds and Ends
- Orange Juice Blues (Blues for Breakfast) – Richard Manuel
- Million Dollar Bash
- Yazoo Street Scandal – Robbie Robertson
- Goin’ to Acapulco
- Katie’s Been Gone – Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson
- Lo and Behold!
- Bessie Smith – Rick Danco, Robbie Robertson
- Clothes Line Saga
- Apple Sucking Tree
- Please, Mrs. Henry
- Tears of Rage – Bob Dylan, Richard Manuel
Neil Young: Homegrown
On June 19, 2020, “Reprise” label released “Homegrown”, the 42nd Neil Young studio album. The album consists of material recorded June – December 1974, January 1975, at “Quadrafonic” in Nashville, “Broken Arrow Ranch” in Redwood City, “Village Recorders” in Los Angeles, “Ramport” in London, and was produced by Neil Young, Elliot Mazer, Tim Mulligan and Ben Keith.
Personnel:
- Neil Young – lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano, wine glass, piano strings, narration
- Emmylou Harris – vocal, backing vocals
- Sandy Mazzeo – vocal
- Ben Keith – vocals, pedal steel guitar, lap slide guitar, dobro, wine glass, piano strings, narration
- Robbie Robertson – guitar
- Stan Szelest – piano, Wurlitzer piano
- Joe Yankee – piano
- Tim Drummond – vocals, bass
- Levon Helm – drums
- Karl T. Himmel – drums
- Sandy Mazzeo – backing vocals
- Tom Wilkes – cover art
- John Hanlon – assembly, pre-mastering, restoration
Track listing:
All tracks by Neil Young.
- Separate Ways
- Try
- Love Is a Rose
- Homegrown
- Florida
- Kansas
- We Don’t Smoke It No More
- White Line
- Vacancy
- Little Wing
- Star of Bethlehem
The Band: Northern Lights-Southern Cross
In November 1975, “Capitol” label released “Northern Lights – Southern Cross”, the sixth Band (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1975, at “Shangri-La Studios” in Zuma Beach, California, and was produced by Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson.
Personnel:
- Robbie Robertson – guitars, piano, clavinet, melodica, percussion, mixing
- Garth Hudson -organ, keyboards, accordion, saxophones, synthesizers, piccolo, woodwind, chanter, bass, brass, mixing
- Richard Manuel – vocals, acoustic and electric piano, keyboards, organ, drums, clavinet, percussion
- Rick Danko – vocals, bass, guitar, violin, harmonica, mixing
- Levon Helm – vocals, drums, guitar, percussion
- Byron Berline – fiddle
- Nat Jeffrey – engineer, mixing
- Rob Fraboni – engineer, mixing
- Ed Anderson – engineer
Track listing:
All tracks by Robbie Robertson.
- Forbidden Fruit
- Hobo Jungle
- Ophelia
- Acadian Driftwood
- Ring Your Bell
- It makes No Difference
- Jupiter Hollow
- Rags and Bones
Mavis Staples & Levon Helm: Carry Me Home
On May 20, 2022, “Anti-Made” label released “Carry Me Home”, album by Mavis Staples and Levon Helm. It was recorded in 2011, at Helm’s studio, and was produced by Larry Campbell.
Personnel:
- Levon Helm – drums, vocals, executive production
- Larry Campbell – guitar, mandolin, harmony vocals
- Jim Weider – guitar
- Brian Mitchell – piano, keyboards
- Byron Isaacs – bass guitar
- Jay Collins – tenor saxophone
- Erik Lawrence – baritone saxophone
- Steven Bernstein – trumpet
- Clark Gayton – trombone
- Amy Helm – harmony vocals
- Teresa Williams – harmony vocals
Mavis Staples Band
- Mavis Staples – vocals, executive production
- Rick Holmstrom – guitar
- Jeff Turmes – bass guitar
- Stephen Hodges – drums
- Donny Gerrard – harmony vocals
- Vicki Randle – harmony vocals
- Yvonne Staples – harmony vocals
- Justin Guip – engineer
- Brendan McDonough – assistant engineering
- Mark Chalecki – mastering
- Landon Speers – photography
Track listing:
- This Is My Country – Curtis Mayfield
- Trouble in My Mind – Richard M. Jones
- Farther Along – W. B. Stevens
- Hand Writing on the Wall – Dottie Peoples, Harvey Lee Watkins, Jr.
- I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free – Dick Dallas, Bill Taylor
- Move Along Train – Roebuck “Pops” Staples
- This May Be the Last Time – Roebuck “Pops” Staples
- When I Go Away – Larry Campbell
- Wide River to Cross – Buddy Miller, Julie Miller
- You Got to Move – Mississippi Fred McDowell
- You Got to Serve Somebody – Bob Dylan
- The Weight – Robbie Robertson
VA: The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams
On October 4, 2011, “Egyptian Records”, “Columbia”, “Country Music Foundation Records” and “Third Man Records” labels, released “The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams”, album by various artists. It was recorded at “Emerald Sound Studios”, “Minutia Studios”, “The Village Studios”, “Levon Helm Studio”, “Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research”, “Blackbird Studio” and “Odditorium Studio”.
Personnel:
- Mark Wilder – mastering
- Coco Shinomiya – art direction, design
- Jim Sherraden (Hatch Show Print) – art direction, design
- Alan Messer, Autumn De Wilde, David Gahr, Dino Perrucci, James Minchin III, Jim McGuire, Jo McCaughey, Mark Seliger, Pam Springesteen, Russ Harrington, Tony Baker – photography
- Michael McCall – liner notes
- Mary Martin – producer
- Jeff Rosen – executive producer
- Debbie Sweenie – production coordinator
Track listing:
All lyrics by Hank Williams, Sr., all music as noted.
- Alan Jackson – You’ve Been Lonesome, too – music by Alan Jackson
Bruce Watkins – acoustic guitar
Paul Franklin – steel guitar
Brent Mason – electric guitar
Duncan – fiddle
Gary Paczosa – recording, mixing
Brendon Bell, Greg Lawrence – recording assistant, mixing assistant
Matt Rovey – additional engineering
Hank Williams – mastering
Keith Stegall – producer
Jason Campbell – production coordinator
2. Bob Dylan – The Love That Faded – music by Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan – vocal, guitar
Denny Freeman – guitar
Stu Kimball – guitar
Donnie Herron – steel guitar, violin
Tony Garnier – bass
George Receli – drums
Chris Shaw – engineer
Greg Calbi – mastering
Jack Frost – producer
3. Norah Jones – How Many Times Have You Broken My Heart? – music by Norah Jones
Dave Rawlings – vocals, guitar
Gilliam Welch – vocals, guitar
Paul Kennerley – engineer
Tom Schick – mixing
4. Jack White – You Know That I Know – music by Jack White
Jack White – vocals, electric guitar, mixing, producer
Donnie Herron – steel guitar
Dean Fertita – acoustic bass
Dominic John Suchyta – upright bass
Carla Azar – drums
Joe Chiccarelli – engineer, mixing
Lowell Reynolds – engineer assistant
5. Lucinda Williams – I’m So Happy That I Found You – music by Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams – vocals, guitar, producer
Eric Liljestrand – recording, mixing
Ghian Wright – second engineer
Jolie Levine – project coordinator
6. Vince Gill and Rodney Crowell – I Hope You Shed a Million Tears – music by Vince Gill and Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell – vocals, guitar
Vince Gill – vocals, guitar
Don Helms – pedal steel guitar
Dennis Crouch – bass
Kenny Sears – fiddle
7. Patty Loveless – You’re Through Following Me – music by Emory Gordy Jr. and Patty Loveless
Buddy Minnix – acoustic guitar
Leigh Cochran – electric guitar
Butch Lee – lap steel guitar
Deanie Richardson – fiddle
Emory Gordy Jr. – bass, producer
Kerlan Spur – drums
Elerry Durgin – recording, mixing
Lauren Koch – contractor
8. Levon Helm – You’ll Never Be Mine Again – music by Levon Helm and Larry Campbell
Levon Helm – lead vocal, drums
Larry Campbell – acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, producer
Mike Merritt – bass
Amy Helm, Teresa Williams – backing vocals
Justin Guip – recording, mixing
9. Holly Williams – Blue Is My Heart – music by Holly Williams
Holly Williams – acoustic guitar
Vince Gill – acoustic guitar
Tom Bucovac – steel guitar
Chris McHugh – percussion
Justin Niebank – recording, engineer, mixing
10, Jakob Dylan – Oh Mama, Come Home – music by Jakob Dylan
Jakob Dylan – vocal, guitar
Jason Lader – recording, mixing
11. Sheryl Crow – Angel Mine – music by Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow – vocals
Bill Bottrell – guitar, mixing, producer
Roger Fritz – guitar
Gene Parsons – pedal steel guitar
Steven Bates – mandolin
David Hayes – bass
James Preston – drums
Dave Sinclair – trumpet
Calvin Turnbull – engineer
Steve Marcantonio – additional engineering
Mimi Parker – Pro Tools engineer
12. Merle Haggard – The Sermon on the Mount – music by Merle Haggard
Red Lane – guitar
Reggie Young – guitar
Scott Joss – guitar
Doug Colosio – piano
Kevin Williams – bass
Rob Ickes – dobro
George Receli – drums
Muddy Waters: The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album
In April 1975, “Chess” label released “The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album”, the twelve Muddy Waters album. It was recorded in February 1975, at “Levon Helm Studio” in Woodstock, New York, and was produced by Henry Glover. In 1976, the album won “Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording”.
Personnel:
- Muddy Waters – vocals, guitar
- Bob Margolin – guitar
- Pinetop Perkins – piano
- Garth Hudson – organ, accordion, saxophone
- Paul Butterfield – harmonica
- Howard Johnson – saxophone
- Fred Carter Jr. – bass, guitar
- Levon Helm – drums, bass
Track listing:
All tracks by McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters), except where noted.
- Why Are People Like That – Bobby Charles
- Going Down to Main Street
- Born with Nothing
- Caledonia – Fleecie Moore
- Funny Sounds
- Love, Deep as the Ocean
- Let the Good Times Roll – Fleecie Moore, Sam Theard
- Kansas City – Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Howard Johnson
On January 11, 2021, Howard Lewis Johnson died aged 79. He was musician (tuba, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, trumpet), member and leader of the tuba ensembles Tuba Libre, Substructure, and Gravity. He recorded and performed with some of the world best known musicians and bands, including George Gruntz, Hank Crawford, Gil Evans, Charles Mingus, Hank Crawford, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Archie Shepp, Hank Mobley, Levon Helm, Tomasz Stanko, Gary Burton, Gábor Szabó, Bob Thiele, Charlie Haden, Jazz Composers, Andrew Hill, Leon Thomas, Johnny Coles, Taj Mahal, Charles Tolliver, The Band, Carla Bley, John Lennon, Sam Rivers, Gato Barbieri, Jaco Pastorius, Muddy Waters, Dexter Gordon, Clifford Jordan, David “Fathead” Newman, James Taylor, Jack De Johnette, Jimmy Heath, Franco Ambrosetti, George Gruntz, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, NDR Big Band, Ray Anderson, Barbara Dennerlein, John Scofield, T. S. Monk, Mario Pavone, and Chet Baker. As leader he released four albums.
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