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: Sam & dave
Anthony Jackson
On October 19, 2025, Anthony Claiborne Jackson died aged 73. He was musician (electric bass, contrabass, guitar), bassist, regarded as “one of the masters of the instrument”. He performed live in more than 30 countries and recorded in more than 3000 sessions on more than 500 albums, with Al Di Meola, Billy Paul, Carlos Garnett, Roberta Flack, Patti Austin, Alex Bugnon, Michel Camilo, Jorge Dalto, Mandoki Soulmates, Will Downing, Carlos Franzetti, Jun Fukamachi, Eric Gale, Terumasa Hino, Garland Jeffreys, Chaka Khan, Steve Khan, Tania Maria, Harvey Mason, Michel Petrucciani, Buddy Rich, Lee Ritenour, Mike Stern, Hiromi Uehara, Grover Washington Jr., Monty Alexander, Peter Allen, Gabriela Anders, Ashford & Simpson, Fahir Atakoglu, Anita Baker, Bob Baldwin, Gato Barbieri, Thereza Bazar, Jim Beard, Bee Gees, George Benson, Warren Bernhardt, Randy Bernsen, Rory Block, Perry Botkin Jr., Ralph Bowen, Till Brönner, Peabo Bryson, Jimmy Buffett, Dina Carroll, Dennis Chambers, Sandeep Chowta, John Clark, Norman Connors, Chick Corea, Hank Crawford, Randy Crawford, Lou Courtney, Eddie Daniels, Michael Davis, Rainy Davis, Eumir Deodato, Devonsquare, Paul Dresher, Ned Rothenberg, Gene Dunlap, Eliane Elias, Pee Wee Ellis, Jon Faddis, Donald Fagen, Joe Farrell, Rachelle Ferrell, Barry Finnerty, Sonny Fortune, Hiroshi Fukumura, Four Tops, Henry Gaffney, Carlos Garnett, Stephane Grappelli, Urbie Green, Michael Gregory, Dave Grusin, Kit Hain, Delores Hall, Lionel Hampton, Gene Harris, Takehiro Honda, Lena Horne, Miki Howard, Bobbi Humphrey, Phyllis Hyman, Masaru Imada, Freddie Jackson, Joe Jackson, Rebbie Jackson, Al Jarreau, Quincy Jones, Ryo Kawasaki, Earl Klugh, Kahoru Kohiruimaki, Wayne Krantz, Bireli Lagrene, Yusef Lateef, Webster Lewis, Dave Liebman, Reggie Lucas, Ralph MacDonald, Teo Macero, Madonna, Teena Marie, Sleepy Matsumoto, Maureen McGovern, Sergio Mendes, Pat Metheny, Bette Midler, Barry Miles, Russell Morris, Gerry Mulligan, Milton Nascimento, David “Fathead” Newman, Maxine Nightingale, Claude Nougaro, The O’Jays, Jeffrey Osborne, Phil Perry, Peter, Paul & Mary, Esther Phillips, Simon Phillips, Noel Pointer, Jesse Rae, Ernest Ranglin, Lou Rawls, Jess Roden, Diana Ross, Ray Russell, Sam & Dave, David Sanborn, Arturo Sandoval, Alejandro Sanz, Lalo Schifrin, Helen Schneider, John Scofield, John Sebastian, Doc Severinsen, Carly Simon, Edward Simon, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Kathy Sledge, Lonnie Liston Smith, Steve Smith, Phoebe Snow, Bert Sommer, David Spinozza, Steely Dan, Jeremy Steig, Charles Sullivan, Ximo Tebar, Nino Tempo, John Tropea, Michal Urbaniak, Dave Valentin, Luther Vandross, Harold Vick, Roch Voisine, Martha Wash, Kazumi Watanabe, Sadao Watanabe, Frank Weber, Dave Weckl, James D-Train Williams, Vanessa Williams, Nancy Wilson, Bernie Worrell and Akiko Yano. As co – leader Jackson released three albums.
Sam & Dave: Hold On, I’m Comin’
On April 1, 1966, “Stax” label released “Hold On, I’m Comin’”, the debut Sam & Dave studio album. It was recorded 1965 – 1966, and was produced by Jim Stewart.
Personnel:
- Samuel Moore – vocals
- Dave Prater – vocals
- Booker T. & the M.G.’s and the Mar-Key Horns – instrumentation:
- Steve Cropper – guitar
- Booker T. Jones – keyboards
- Isaac Hayes – Hammond organ
- Donald Dunn – bass guitar
- Al Jackson Jr. – drums
- Wayne Jackson – trombone, trumpet
- Charles “Packy” Axton – tenor saxophone
- Don Nix – baritone saxophone
- Ronnie Stoots – cover artwork
- Deanie Parker – liner notes
Track listing:
All tracks by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, except where noted.
- Hold On, I’m Comin’
- If You Got the Loving – Steve Cropper, Isaac Hayes, David Porter
- I Take What I Want – Isaac Hayes, Mabon “Teenie” Hodges, David Porter
- Ease Me
- I Got Everything I Need – Steve Cropper, Eddie Floyd, Alvertis Isbell
- Don’t Make It So Hard on Me – Eddie Floyd, Willia Dean “Deanie” Parker
- It’s a Wonder
- Don’t Help Me Out
- Just Me – Randall Catron, Mary Frierson, William Dean “Deanie” Parker
- You Got It Made
- You Don’t Know Like I Know
- Blame Me (Don’t Blame My Heart) – Steve Cropper, Alvertis Isbell
Billy Preston: Encouraging Words
On September 11, 1970, “Apple” label released “Encouraging Words”, the fifth Billy Preston studio album. It was recorded February – December 1969 – April 1970, at “trident Studios” and “Olympic Sound Studios” in London, and was produced by George Harrison and Billy Preston.
Personnel:
- Billy Preston – lead and backing vocals, organ, piano, electric piano, harmonica, backing vocals
- George Harrison – electric guitar, Moog synthesizer, backing vocals
- Eric Clapton – electric guitar
- Delaney Bramlett – electric guitar, backing vocals
- Klaus Voormann – bass guitar
- Carl Radle – bass guitar
- Jim Gordon – drums
- Ringo Starr – drums
- Bobby Keys – saxophones
- Jim Price – trumpet, trombone, horn arrangements
- The Edwin Hawkins Singers – backing vocals
- Members of the Temptations’ tour band – electric guitar, bass guitar, drums
- Members of Sam & Dave’s tour band – bass guitar, drums
- Richard Polak – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Billy Preston, except where noted.
- Right Now
- Little Girl
- Use What You Got
- My Sweet Lord – George Harrison
- Let the Music Play – Billy Preston, Joe Greene, Jesse Kirkland
- The Same Thing Again – Billy Preston, James Herndon
- I’ve Got a Feeling – John Lennon and Paul McCartney
- Sing One for the Lord – George Harrison, Billy Preston
- When You Are Mine
- I Don’t Want You to Pretend
- Encouraging Words
- All Things Must Pass – George Harrison
- You’ve Been Acting Strange – Ronnie Lee Williams
Andrew Love
On April 12, 2012, Andrew Love died aged 70. He was musician (saxophone), best known for being a member of The Memphis Horns. He was session musician at “Stax Records”, and together with trumpet player Wayne Jackson, he created the signature of Stax horn sound. Love has recorded and toured with many famous artists such as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Neil Diamond, Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield, The Doobie Brothers, Jimmy Buffett and Robert Cray.
Donald Duck Dunn
On May 13, 2012, Donald “Duck” Dunn died aged 70. He was musician (bass guitar), session musician, record producer, and songwriter, best known for his 1960’s recordings with Booker T. & the M.G.’s and as a session bassist for “Stax Records”. He has performed and recorded with big number of famous musicians including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and The Blues Brothers Band. In 1992, Dunn was inducted in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” as a member of Booker T. & the M.G.’s. “Bass Player” magazine ranked him at number 40 on its list of “The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time”.
The Bottom Line
On February 12, 1974, “The Bottom Line” club opened in New York City. Owned by Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowsky, during the 70’s and 80’s, the club was a major space for small-scale music performances. The club stoped working in 2004. Some of the artists who performed in the club were Miles Davis, Gato Barbieri, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Mose Allison, Muddy Waters, Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Ray Barretto, Peter Gabriel, Al Kooper, Tom Waits, Melvin Van Peebles, Neil Sedaka, Billy Joel, Suzi Quatro, Patti Smith, Flo & Eddie, Toots and the Maytals, Cheech & Chong, Tower of Power, Tim Hardin, Roger McGuinn, JJ Cale, The Meters, Greg Kihn Band, Ry Cooder,Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Sam & Dave, Asım Can Gündüz, The Ronettes, John Cale, Gong, Peter Bardens, The Violent Femmes, Eric Clapton, Carl Perkins, Linda Ronstadt,The Police, Richard Marx, Prince, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Van Morrison, The Stone Poneys, Chuck Mangione, Emmylou Harris, Clinn Rippy, Neil Young, Barry Manilow, Laura Nyro, Loudon Wainwright III, New York Dolls, Lyle Lovett, The Electric Flag, Pat Martino, Todd Rundgren, Graham Parker, Grayson Hugh, Stan Ridgway, Horslips, Dire Straits,Chris Hillman, Hawkwind, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Tracy Nelson, The Pointer Sisters, Betty Carter, Ravi Shankar, Ramones and Michael Hedges.
Sam & Dave: Soul Man
On October 26, 1967,”Stax” label released “Soul Men”, the third Sam & Dave album. It was recorded August – October 1967, and was produced by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. The album featured the single “Soul Man” that became one of the R&B classics and won Sam & Dave a “Grammy” in 1967 for” Best R&B Group, Vocal or Instrumental”.
Personnel:
- Sam Moore- vocals
- Dave Prater- vocals
- Booker T. & the MG’sand the Mar-Key Horns – instrumentation
- Booker T. Jones- keyboards
- Steve Cropper- guitar
- Donald “Duck” Dunn- bass guitar
- Al Jackson, Jr.- drums
- Charles “Packy” Axton- tenor saxophone
- Don Nix- saxophone
- Wayne Jackson- trombone, trumpet
- Isaac Hayes- organ
- Loring Eutemey – design
- Jean-Pierre Leloir – photography
- Soul Man – Isaac Hayes, David Porter
- May I Baby – Isaac Hayes, David Porter
- Broke Down Piece of Man – Steve Cropper, Joe Shamwell
- Let It Be Me – Gilbert Bécaud, Mann Curtis, Pierre Delanoé
- Hold It Baby – Bonnie “Mack” Rice
- I’m With You – Lowman Pauling
- Don’t Knock It – Isaac Hayes, David Porter
- Just Keep Holding On – Alvertis Isbell, Booker T. Jones
- The Good Runs the Bad Away – Wayne Jackson, Andrew Love
- Rich Kind of Poverty – Isaac Hayes, Paul Selph
- I’ve Seen What Loneliness Can Do – Homer Banks, Allen Jones
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