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: Livingston Taylor
Michael Franks: Blue Pacific
On May 31, 1990, “Reprise” label released “Blue Pacific”, the eleventh Michael Franks album. It was recorded 1989 – 1990, at “JHL Sound” in Pacific Palisades, California, “Studio Ultimo” and “Soundworks West” in Los Angeles, “Ground Control Studios” in Burbank, California, “Ocean Way” and “Cherokee Studios” in Hollywood, “Larrabee Sound Studios” and “Schnee Studios” in North Hollywood, and was produced by Walter Becker, Tommy LiPumma and Jeff Lorber.
Personnel:
- Michael Franks – vocals
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars
- Buzz Feiten – guitars, acoustic guitar
- Dean Parks – electric guitar
- Larry Carlton – guitars
- Michael Thompson – guitars
- Jeff Lorber – keyboards, programming, arrangements
- John Beasley – keyboards
- Joe Sample – acoustic piano
- Larry Williams – synthesizer programming, synthesizer arrangements
- Neil Stubenhaus – bass
- ‘Ready’ Freddie Washington – bass
- John Patitucci – bass
- Sean Franks – cymbals
- Peter Erskine – drums
- John Guerin – drums
- Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
- Luis Conte – percussion
- Alex Acuña – percussion
- Michael Fisher – percussion
- Marc Russo – alto saxophone
- Bob Sheppard – tenor saxophone
- Kirk Whalum – tenor saxophone
- Bunny Hull – backing vocals
- Brenda Russell – backing vocals
- Kareem – backing vocals
- Livingston Taylor – backing vocals
- Jeff Lorber – recording
- Eric Rudd – recording assistant
- Roger Nichols – recording, mixing
- Al Schmitt – recording, additional recording
- Chris Fuhrman – additional recording assistant
- Tom Hardisty – recording assistant
- Scott Ralston – recording assistant
- Clif Norrell – recording assistant
- Joey Wolpert – additional recording
- Ed Torgerson – additional recording assistant
- Gabe Moffat – additional recording assistant
- Bill Schnee – mixing
- Alan Meyerson – mixing
- Neal Pogue – mixing assistant
- Ken Allardyce – mixing assistant
- Doug Sax – mastering
- Sonny Abelardo – production coordinator
- Carol Parks – production coordinator
- Jeri and John Heiden – art direction, design
- Kip Lott – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Michael Franks.
- The Art of Love
- Woman in the Wave
- All I Need
- Long Slow Dance
- Vincent’s Ear
- Speak to Me
- On the Inside
- Chez Nous
- Blue Pacific
- Crayon Sun (Safe at Home)
Linda Ronstadt: Same
On January 17, 1972, “Capitol” label released the self-titled, third Linda Ronstadt studio album. It was recorded in 1971, at “The Troubadour”, “Muscle Shoals” in Sheffield. Alabama, “Quadrafonic Sound” in Nashville, Tennessee, “United Western” in Hollywood, and was produced by John Boylan.
Personnel:
- Linda Ronstadt – lead vocals, tambourine, arrangements
- John Boylan – guitar, arrangements
- Glenn Frey – guitar, arrangements, backing vocals
- Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar
- Richard Bowden – electric guitar
- Tippy Armstrong – guitar
- Weldon Myrick – steel guitar
- Bernie Leadon – guitar, backing vocals
- Herb Pedersen – guitar, banjo, backing vocals
- Dean Webb – mandolin
- Moon Martin – guitar, backing vocals
- Buddy Emmons – pedal steel guitar
- Barry Beckett – keyboards
- Michael Bowden – bass guitar
- David Hood – bass guitar
- Wesley Pritchett – bass guitar
- Randy Meisner – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Lyle Ritz – bass guitar
- Don Henley – drums, backing vocals
- Roger Hawkins – drums
- Mike Botts – drums
- Jimmie Fadden – harmonica
- Gib Guilbeau – fiddle, backing vocals
- JD Souther – lead, harmony and backing vocals
- Merry Clayton – backing vocals
- Dianne Davidson – backing vocals
- Miss Ona – backing vocals
- Don Blake – engineer
- Larry Hamby – engineer
- Ray Thompson – engineer
- Rudy Hill – engineer
- Wally Heider – engineer
- Mike Shields – engineer, mixing, mastering
- John Hoernle – art direction
- Dean Torrence – design
- Ed Caraeff – photography
- Al Coury – production coordinator
Track listing:
- Rock Me on the Water – Jackson Brown
- Crazy Arms – Ralph Mooney, Chuck Seals
- I Won’t Be Hangin’ Round – Eric Kaz
- I Still Miss Someone – Johnny Cash, Roy Cash Jr.
- In My Reply – Livingston Taylor
- I Fall to Pieces – Hank Cochran, Harlan Howard
- Ramblin’ Round – Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, John A. Lomax
- Birds – Neil Young
- I Ain’t Always Been Faithful – Eric Andersen
- Rescue Me – Raynard Miner, Carl Smith
Livingston Taylor: There You Are Again
On January 24, 2006, “Coconut Bay” label released “There You Are Again”, the 17th Livingston Taylor album. It was recorded in 2005, at “Paragon Studios”, “Vertical Sound Studio”, “Skylight Studio” and “Oxford recording Studio” in Nashville, “Avatar Studio”, “Dark Horse Recording”, “The Tracking Room”, “Sound Kitchen”, “Verité Music”, “Hiatus Studios”, “Q Division Studios” and “ Parr Audio”, and was produced by Glenn Rosenstein.
Personnel:
- Livingston Taylor – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
- Carly Simon – lead vocal
- Take 6 – lead vocals
- James Taylor – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
- Jeffrey Mirinof – acoustic and electric guitar
- George Marinelli – electric guitar
- Danny Toroll – electric guitar
- Chris Rodiguez – electric guitar
- Vince Gill – electric guitar
- Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar
- Dan Dugmore – pedal steel guitar
- Aybrie Haynie – mandolin
- Shane Keister – piano, Hammond organ
- Matt Rollings – piano, organ
- Gary Corbett – Hammond organ
- Glenn Worf – bass
- Leland Sklar – bass
- Tommy Sims – bass
- Chad Cromwell – drums
- Steve Gadd – drums
- Bashiri Johnson, Ken Lewis – percussion
- Gary Burton – vibraphone
- David Sanborn – saxophone
- Jerry Vivino – tenor saxophone
- Lew Soloff – trumpet
- Tony Kadleck – trumpet
- Rich Rosenberg – trombone
- Gary Corbett – glockenspiel
- Paul Franklin – dobro
- Tim Davis – backing vocals, vocal arrangements
- New Day Jubilee Choir – backing vocals
- Kim Flemming, Kim Mont, Vicki Hampton, Kate Taylor, Pam Tillis, Lisa Cochran, Marabeth Jordan – backing vocals
- Mark Kibble – vocals arrangements
- Andraé Crouch – choir arrangements, conductor
- Sheldon Mirowitz – strings arrangements, conductor
- Jimmy Vivino – horn arrangements
- Glenn Rosenstein, Joe Ferla, Steve Bishir, John Jaszcz, Mark Kibble, Jim Parr – engineer
- Allen Ditto, Kris Smith – additional engineer
- Brian Montgomery – Pro Tools engineer
- Kevin Edlin – engineer assistant
- Fred Paragano – editing
- George Massenburg – mixing, mastering
- Bart Henderson – photography
- Sandra Flach, Traci Bishir – coordinator
- Greg Manocherian – executive producer
Track listing:
All tracks by Livingston Taylor.
- Best of Friends
- There I’ll Be
- Yes
- My baby Don’t Mind
- Step by Step
- There You Are Again
- Tuesday Lullaby
- Tell Jesus (To Come to My House)
- Blame it on Me
- My Perfect Christmas Day
- Wish I Were a Cowboy
- You’re the Boss of Me
Kate Taylor: Sister Kate
In January 1971, “Cotillion” label released “Sister Kate”, the debut Kate Taylor album. It was recorded in 1970, at “Sunset Sound” and “Crystal Sound” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Peter Asher.
Personnel:
- Kate Taylor — lead vocals, clapping
- Peter Asher— lead and backing vocals, clapping
- John Beland, Bernie Leadon, James Taylor – guitar
- Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar— guitar, percussion, conga, backing vocals
- D. Souther— guitar, vocals, clapping
- John Hartford— banjo
- Carole King — lead and backing vocals, piano, string arrangements
- Ralph Schuckett — organ, piano, accordion, keyboards
- Charles Larkey, Leland Sklar— bass
- Russ Kunkel, Joel O’Brian — drums
- Sandra Crouch — percussion, tambourine
- Abigale Haness — vocals
- Merry Clayton — lead and backing vocals
- Oma Drake — lead and backing vocals
- Donna Prater — lead and backing vocals
- Linda Ronstadt— lead and backing vocals
- Gail Haness — backing vocals
- Wayne Jackson— horns, horn arrangements
- Andrew Love, The Memphis Horns — horns, horn arrangements
- John Tartaglia — strings, string arrangements
Track listing:
- Home Again – Carole King
- Ballad of a Well Known Gun – Elton John, Bernie Taupin
- Be That Way – Livingston Taylor
- Handbags and Gladrags – Mike d’Abo
- You Can Close Your Eyes – James Taylor
- Look at Granny Run, Run – Jerry Ragovoy, Mort Shuman
- Where You Lead – Carole King, Toni Stern
- White Lightning – Jape Richardson
- Country Comfort – Elton John, Bernie Taupin
- Lo and Behold/Jesus Is Just All Right – James Taylor, A. Reid Reynolds
- Do I Still Figure in Your Life – Pete Dello
- Sweet Honesty – Beverley Martyn
Livingston Taylor: Liv
In November 1972, “Capricorn” label released “Liv”, the second Livingston Taylor studio album. It was recorded in 1971, and was produced by Jon Landau.
Personnel:
- Livingston Taylor — vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, piano, keyboards
- Greg Prestopino — vocals, backing vocals
- Tommy Talton — acoustic guitar, guitar
- Robert Popwell— bass, guitar
- Walter Robinson — bass, acoustic bass
- Johnny Sandlin — bass, guitar
- Bill Stewart — drums
- David Woodford — flute, tenor saxophone, wind
- George Marino- mastering
Track listing:
All tracks by Livingston Taylor; except where noted.
- Get Out of Bed
- May I Stay Around
- Open Up Your Eyes
- Gentleman
- Easy Prey
- Be That Way
- Truck Driving Man
- Mom, Dad
- On Broadway – Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
- Caroline
- I Just Can’t Be Lonesome No More
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