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Hello all, we are now in March, 2012... 'RizMum' blog sure is getting slower now, but as promised I will try my best to keep on going... and its been awhile now since my last post (T_T) and to update this took me almost a year, anyhow, this will be my final year so you guys know how it is when the big "E" comes. So guys, see you in my next post and keep on SHREDDING!!!! And as always please feel free to drop a suggestion/ideas via e-mail, Thanks

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Steve Cropper


Name: Steven Lee Cropper aka "The Colonel"
Born: 21st October, 1941 (Willow Springs, Missouri, USA)

Profile: He is an American songwriter, guitar player, arranger and record producer for many great soul artists like Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd and most notably Otis Redding.

History: In the early 50's, Cropper family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he exposed to local R&B music. At age 10 he strummed his brother-in-law's Gibson guitar, for the first time. Cropper received his first guitar aged 14 and started playing with local musicians.

Cropper formed "The Royal Spades", who eventually became "The Mar-Keys", referring to the marquee outside of Stax Records studio. Eventually The Mar-Keys began playing on sessions and had a hit single of their own with "Last Night" in 1961. Besides being impressed with the young guitarist's playing, Stax Records president Jim Stewart saw professionalism and maturity beyond Cropper's years, later Cropper became a founding member of the "Stax house band Booker T & the M.G.'s".

At this time Cropper's fame was not limited to the US. The Beatles favored Cropper's playing and his production on Otis Redding records. In fact John Lennon and Paul McCartney made tentative plans to record in Memphis and to work with him. However Brian Epstein canceled the sessions, citing security problems.

In 1969 Cropper released his first solo album "With a Little Help From My Friends". Later that year Cropper left Stax, to set up TMI studios, where he lent his guitar and producing skills to "Tower Of Power", John Prine, Jose Feliciano, "The second Jeff Beck Group", Ringo Starr and John Lennon.

In 1996, Cropper was named the greatest living guitar player by Britain's Mojo Magazine. When asked what he thought of Cropper, the guitarist Keith Richards (Rolling Stones) said "Perfect, man". In February 1998 Cropper released Play It, Steve! which included some of Soul music's most enduring songs.

In 2008, Steve Cropper tours Australia with Guy Sebastian playing on Guy's "The Memphis Album" tour, where he played guitar on the following promotional tour.

Influences: Lowman Pauling (The Five Royales), Jimi Hendrix and Syd Barrett

Axology: Fender Telecaster

Signature song(s): (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay and Soul Man - both songs performed by Otis Redding.

Link(s):

http://www.playitsteve.com/home.html (Official website)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM6MEb2xnLk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xehNDiO0n8s

"Just follow the dots and you can't get into trouble" - Steve Cropper

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