Steve Cropper, Guitar Legend Who Soundtracked Soul and Rock, Dies at 84

03 December 2025

Steve Cropper in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2020. (AP: Mark Humphrey)

The music world is mourning the loss of Steve Cropper, the legendary guitarist, songwriter and producer whose understated playing helped define the sound of Memphis soul. He died on December 3, 2025, in Nashville at the age of 84, his passing confirmed by his family and widely reported across media.

Cropper’s career began in the early 1960s when he helped form Booker T. & the MG's, the racially integrated house band for Stax Records, a band that would become central to the golden age of Southern soul. With Booker T. & the MG’s, Cropper delivered the iconic instrumental hit “Green Onions,” a sultry, groove-driven track that helped catapult the band and Stax into the national spotlight.

Beyond their own recordings, Booker T. & the MG’s backed a who’s who of soul legends. Cropper’s guitar can be heard underpinning timeless songs by talents such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd and many more. Among the classics bearing his musical fingerprints are “(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay,” “In the Midnight Hour,” “Knock on Wood” and “Soul Man.”

His playing style was never about flamboyant solos or technical showmanship. Instead Cropper mastered the art of rhythm, subtlety and soulful economy grooves that could support a voice, a horn section, or the emotional weight of a song while never drawing unnecessary attention to themselves. It is a quality that fellow musicians and critics alike often praised. Even when Cropper was called on to play lead, his solos retained that sense of restraint, serve the song first and personal flair second.

Cropper’s influence extended far beyond the studio. In the late 1970s and 1980s, he joined The Blues Brothers band and appeared in their 1980 film, exposing a new generation to the groove-laden soul sound he helped create. Riding on that momentum, he continued recording and collaborating across genres. Even in recent years, he remained active, his 2024 album under the banner Steve Cropper and the Midnight Hour earned renewed attention and underscored his lifelong dedication to music.

Official honours for Cropper reflected the deep respect his peers held him in. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of Booker T. & the MG’s. His songwriting legacy stood equally tall: years of hits, collaborations and classic tracks guaranteed his place in the pantheon of American music greats.

Beyond the accolades and charts, Cropper’s legacy lies in the sound and spirit he helped nurture, the gritty groove of Southern soul, the emotional weight of voices rising over warm guitar licks, the unspoken sincerity behind each album cut. His work bridged racial and musical divides at a time when unity in music carried profound cultural meaning.

He is survived by his wife, children and a vast, timeless catalogue of music that will continue to influence generations to come. For every artist who picked up a guitar and aimed to play from the heart, Steve Cropper’s legacy serves as a benchmark in taste, rhythm and authenticity.

In a world often chasing spectacle, Cropper was a reminder of the power of subtlety that a few carefully placed notes can resonate louder than the flashiest solo. With his passing, we lose not just a musician but a craftsman whose art helped define an era of soul, strength and songwriting integrity.