He was not known for flashy playing, but his spare, catchy licks and solid rhythm chops helped define Memphis soul music.
At a time when it was common for white musicians to co-opt the work of black artists and make more money from their songs, Cropper was that rare white artist willing to keep a lower profile and collaborate.
Cropper was immortalised in the 1967 smash Soul Man, recorded by Sam & Dave. Midway, singer Sam Moore calls out "Play it, Steve!" as Cropper pulls off a tight, ringing riff, a slide sound that Cropper used a Zippo lighter to create. The exchange was re-enacted in the late 1970s when Cropper joined the John Belushi-Dan Aykroyd act The Blues Brothers.
Cropper was born near Dora, Missouri, but his family moved to Memphis when he was 9. He got his first mail-order guitar at age 14 and began playing in bands two years later. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Cropper 39th on its 100 greatest guitarists list; in 2005 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Two years later he received a Grammy for lifetime achievement. He died on December 3, aged 84. — Agencies/Allied Media
