Tower of Power burst out of the Oakland scene more than 40 years ago with Bump City, a gritty outburst of soul powered by the group’s silky smooth initial hit “You’re Still a Young Man.” They captured that Deep South vibe with the help of a Memphis master, Steve Cropper.Read More

Steve Cropper had a once-in-a-lifetime chance, in 1960, to become a road warrior. Yet, even while riding the crest of attention afforded by a breakout hit called “Last Night” with the Mar-Keys, the former music-shop clerk knew he had a difficult choice to make. You May Also Like: Does SteveRead More

No, there’s no guitar on the Mar-Keys’ Top 5 pop and R&B hit “Last Night.” But yes, Steve Cropper was part of that seminal 1961 Stax side — playing a completely different instrument the old-fashioned way. You May Also Like: Birth of Booker T. and the MGs has an intriguingRead More

By the time Albert King recorded his debut album for Stax, he was anything but the new kid on the block. In fact, the scorching blues guitarist had been around for ages, but somehow he’d never quite broken through. That changed in the blink of an eye with his 1967Read More

When Steve Cropper performs another round of European dates with the Animals in the fall, he will be returning to the site of some of Stax Records’ biggest — and, for some, most surprising — successes in the late 1960s. An explosive revue featuring Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, CarlaRead More

Steve Cropper is known for his work with Booker T. and the MGs, Otis Redding and the Blues Brothers Band.

It’s interesting that “Hometown Blues” is featured on two Heartbreakers best-of compilations — 1995’s five-disc, career-spanning box set Playback and 2000’s double-disc Anthology: Through The Years. Firstly, there are arguably better songs from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers that didn’t make the cut You May Also Like: Tom Petty andRead More

Steve Cropper settled into the theater seats with his wife and another couple, ready to enjoy the new film American Graffiti in 1973. He had no idea what was about to happen next. You May Also Like: Does Steve Cropper ever grow weary of his most familiar hits?: ‘Some guysRead More

There had been, to be sure, other versions of “Try a Little Tenderness,” beginning with the Ray Noble Orchestra in 1932. Aretha Franklin had an early-1960s hit with it, too. But none is quite so revered as Otis Redding’s take. You May Also Like: Otis Redding tried something new withRead More

A New Year’s Eve show by Levon Helm and his RCO All Stars so impressed a member of the audience that he eventually swiped several members.