Overview
- His family announced he died peacefully Wednesday in Nashville in a statement on his official social media, and no cause of death was disclosed.
- The Soulsville Foundation said the family confirmed his death to them, and associate Eddie Gore said Cropper had been in a Nashville rehabilitation facility after a recent fall.
- As a cornerstone of Booker T. & the M.G.’s, he served as Stax’s house guitarist and A&R figure, backing artists including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Wilson Pickett.
- He co-wrote enduring hits such as “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” “In the Midnight Hour,” and “Knock on Wood,” and was famously hailed with “Play it, Steve!” on “Soul Man” before later joining The Blues Brothers.
- Career honors included the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame, plus a Grammy lifetime achievement award; he remained active with 2024’s Friendlytown and is survived by his wife, Angel, and his children.