Steve Cropper ✝

Steven Lee Cropper (born October 21, 1941) is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.\'s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas and Johnnie Taylor. He also acted as the producer of many of these records. He was later a member of the Blues Brothers band. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 39th on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.\n', ' Born on a farm near Dora, Missouri, Cropper moved with his family to Memphis at the age of nine. Cropper acquired his first mail order guitar at the age of 14.\n', ' He admired guitarists including Tal Farlow, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed, Chet Atkins, Lowman Pauling of the Five Royales and Billy Butler of the Bill Doggett band.\n', '