A great musician has left us today. Steve Cropper or "The Colonel", was a legendary guitarist, songwriter & producer. Most will remember him as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, who backed Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor. I was fortunate to have known him. I met Steve many years ago and he asked me for a guitar lesson! He said I’ll do you a favour back. He then recorded The Staple Singers doing “Wednesda

Steven Lee Cropper (October 21, 1941 – December 3, 2025), widely known as “The Colonel,” was an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. As the guitarist for the Stax Records house band Booker T. & the M.G.’s, he helped shape the sound of artists like Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla and Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor, often producing their sessions as well. He later joined the Blues Brothers band, further cementing his influence on American music. Rolling Stone listed him