Steve Cropper
Biography
Steve Cropper, who died in 2025, was a guitarist and songwriter from America who also produced records. Born in Dora, Missouri, he grew up in Dora and West Plains before his family moved to Memphis when he was nine. He started the Royal Spades, which became the Mar-Keys, and their single Last Night was a hit in 1961. At Stax Records he became an A&R man and helped found Booker T. & the M.G.'s, the label's house band. He played guitar on recordings by Otis Redding and Sam & Dave, and he co-wrote Knock on Wood, In the Midnight Hour, and (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay. Later he joined the Blues Brothers Band and appeared in The Blues Brothers (1980). His honors included two Grammy Awards from seven nominations, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 with Booker T. & the M.G.'s, and a place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005.
84years old at death
- Born Dora
- Died Nashville
- Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
- Stephen Lee Cropper (birth name)Also credited as The Colonel and Steven Lee Cropper
Movie Career
- Films
- 3
- Career span
- 25 years1980 to 2005
Every film, newest first
- 2005Saturday Night Live: The Best of John BelushiIMDb rating 7.6
- 1988SatisfactionIMDb rating 5.0
- 1980The Blues BrothersIMDb rating 7.9
Genres
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Big break
Cropper's guitar playing and his work producing Otis Redding records won the Beatles' approval. John Lennon and Paul McCartney drew up tentative plans to record in Memphis with the guitarist, but Brian Epstein called the sessions off, citing security problems.
First role
With guitarist Charlie Freeman, Cropper started a group called the Royal Spades, which later took the name the Mar-Keys. That name came from the marquee outside Stax studios, then known as Satellite Records.
Behind the camera
Cropper departed Stax in the fall of 1970, then founded TMI Studios alongside Jerry Williams and Ronnie Stoots, a former Mar-Key. He went on to work with musicians such as Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, John Prine and Jeff Beck.
Early training
At 14, Cropper received his first guitar. Among the guitarists he looked up to were Tal Farlow, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Reed, Chet Atkins, Lowman Pauling, Earl Cate and Billy Butler.
Steve Cropper movies on Netflix
Most often with
Three actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Dan Aykroyd's page
John Belushi's page
Donald 'Duck' Dunn's page
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.