Now in his 80s, legendary American guitarist, producer and songwriter Steve Cropper isn’t one to allow age to slow him down.
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Cropper, who has been ranked the number two greatest guitarist of all-time — behind Jimi Hendrix — by England’s Mojo Magazine, has a new album, Friendlytown, out on August 23, that showcases his hugely influential soul-fused guitar playing.
Produced by Cropper and multi-instrumentalist Jon Tiven, the album also features two other legends of the guitar: ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons — who plays on 11 of the album’s 13 songs, and Queen’s Brian May, who too adds his distinctive guitar work to the track, Too Much Stress.
Cropper first came to prominence as a guitarist with the 60s instrumental outfit Booker T and the M.G.’s, who were pivotal in what became known as the “Memphis soul sound”. Cropper’s hugely individualist guitar-playing style saw him become much in-demand, with his work appearing on countless recordings by some of music’s greatest legendary artists, from Otis Redding to Sam and Dave, and many others, and on iconic songs such as Soul Man and Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay.
“I always just played what I felt,” Cropper says.
“I was told by a producer years ago that if they like what you’re doing, they’re going to tell you they like it.
“And, if they don’t, they’ll tell you they don’t, so just keep doing what you’re doing.
“And that’s what I did.”
Cropper was also tapped by The Beatles, who were fans of his playing, to record with the group while they were in the US. But a twist of fate stopped that collaboration from occurring.
“[Beatles manager] Brian Epstein didn’t think there was enough security hired for the band,” he recalls.
“I was told there were going to 3000 girls screaming and yelling, trying to touch them and all while they were in Memphis, Tennessee.
“So, I had them all set up with the manager of the Hilton Hotel, totally fenced in with cops all around so that they were totally secure.
“Then Epstein called me from New York and said, ‘How about you come to New York?’
“I said, ‘Okay,’ but then he called me again and told me, ‘You’re going to do the next Beatles album instead now,’ but that never happened.
“In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t do it.
“I would’ve changed the music somewhat, and it would’ve been nowhere near as good.”
Later, ex-Beatle John Lennon called on Cropper to play on the recording sessions for Lennon’s 1975 album, Rock ‘N’ Roll.
“I only played on the Los Angeles recording sessions at A&M studios and not the New York sessions,” Cropper recalls.
“By the time I came in, though, John had left LA for New York to finish the album.
“He was a super guy, super all the way.”
Out of all the songs Cropper’s playing has been part of in his illustrious career, is there one particular favourite?
“I don’t have a favourite song,” he says.
“Whenever I am asked, I will reply with, ‘The one I’m playing!’”
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From the diaries – October 2003
American comedian and singer-songwriter Weird Al Yankovic became famous for his parodies of songs such as Michael Jackson’s Beat It, which Yankovic parodied as Eat It, and Nirvana’s classic Smells Like Teen Spirit, which he parodied as Smells Like Nirvana.
In October 2003, he performed a show in Melbourne as part of an Australian tour. A few weeks prior to his visit, I interviewed Yankovic as part of a pre-tour interview, which was published the same week he happened to be in town. After our interview, Yankovic invited me to catch up with him backstage while in Melbourne.
Taking up his invitation, I caught up with the six-foot-tall Yankovic after his show at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda. The musical comic greeted me, and we began a conversation about the effects of music and laughter on an audience. During the course of our meeting, he oozed a friendly warmth that was infectious, and his down-to-earth personality made it feel as though you were out with a friend, swapping stories over drinks.
I would go on to interview Yankovic again a few years later, and he remained the same person as he was on the earlier occasion. A true star whose authenticity shone through. An interesting fact about Yankovic is that Paul McCartney was one of the few artists who refused to give him his blessing for a song parody. Yankovic wanted to parody McCartney’s Live and Let Die into Chicken Pot Pie, but McCartney said that allowing that would go against his vegetarianism, even though Yankovic is himself a vegan and has been since the early 1990s.
Global Music Charts
Australia: ARIA Top 50 Singles: A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey
US: Billboard Hot 100: A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey
UK: Official Top 50 Chart: Please Please Please – Sabrina Carpenter
Fun fact
In 1968, famed Star Wars actor Harrison Ford worked as a camera operator for one of the legendary 60s group The Doors’ tours for a documentary titled Feast of Friends, a concert film that was put together about life on the road with The Doors.
Joe Matera is a local singer-songwriter, recording artist, guitarist and music journalist providing readers with all the latest music news.
Steve Cropper, ranked second-greatest guitarist by Mojo Magazine, releases a star-studded album.
Photo by
Stacie Huckeba
