Legendary Guitarist Steve Cropper Has Died Following a Remarkable Musical Career

He might not be a household name, but there are few people in music who can claim to have had more of an impact on the history of music than Steve Cropper. Steve was best known as one of the anchors for the backing band Booker T. and the M.G.'s at Stax Records, and he also co-wrote songs like "Green Onions," "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay," and "In the Midnight Hour."

Following the news of his death at the age of 84, many want to know more about Steve's life and legacy, as well as his cause of death. Here's what we know.

Pat Mitchell Worley, president and CEO of the Soulsville Foundation, announced the news after hearing word from Steve's family that he had died on Dec. 3 in Nashville, Tenn. According to NPR, no cause of death was made available.

Eddie Gore, one of Steve's long-time associates, said that he was with Steve at a rehabilitation facility near Nashville, which is where Steve had been recovering from a recent fall. Steve was apparently working on new music at the time.

Steve was best known as the guitarist for the backing band Booker T. and the M.G.'s, which worked out of Stax Records and helped define the sound of Memphis soul music. The British magazine Mojo declared Steve the second-best guitarist of all time, behind only Jimi Hendrix. He might not have had the same profile or reputation, but Steve helped to define the sound of an entire genre of music.

Steve was not known for flashy or performative playing, but his spare, essentialist style was part of what made him such a crucial member of the backing band he helped make famous.

"I listen to the other musicians and the singer," Steve told the AP. "I'm not listening to just me. I make sure I'm sounding OK before we start the session. Once we've presented the song, then I listen to the song and the way they interpret it. And I play around all that stuff. That's what I do. That's my style."

Steve also made an appearance in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005. Although the peak of his fame and success came in the 1960s and '70s, he continued to record music well into more recent years and was nominated for the Grammys in 2024.

Steve was never the kind of flashy guitar player that would have made him a household name, but as many musicians have attested to over the years, he played an essential role in the music that we all know and listen to today. "Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay" is often considered one of the greatest songs ever written, and while he's not the one who gives it its iconic melody, he is responsible for its beautiful, essential guitar lick.