Steve Cropper, always in the service of the song. Not himself, not his ability. He always suited the song. He was as great for everything he didn't play, as for what he did play.
shit you could just do Top 5 from Hathaway Live or King Curtis Live @ Fillmore. Cornell has somehow been on all of the greatest live albums of all time.
The late Jerry Wexler, the legendary recording executive for Atlantic Records and one of its founders, worked with Stax and their house band, and was blown away by the ability of Booker T. and the MGs to do 'head arrangements' on the fly without the use of scores, orchestration and the like. Years later, he commented that Steve Cropper was one of only two session guitarists he'd worked with who played 'lead and rhythm guitar at the same time,' the other being Cornell Dupree. Dupree ended up being one of the most-recorded musicians in the history of popular music, having done session work and other recordings for better than half century at the time of his death. His album as a leader, "Teasin'," from 1974 if memory serves (Atlantic), is an absolute jewel, a masterpiece blending blues, R&B and jazz influences in an all-instrumental date featuring Dupree backed by an elite big band composed of the finest musicians from the Aretha Franklin and King Curtis bands, plus the cream of the NYC session scene. Fathead Newman, Bernard Purdy, Ralph McDonald, Eric Gale, and many others. I've listened to music for many years, and collected records for close to fifty years, and I have never heard an album quite like it.
I’m a 76 yrs young player who was greatly influenced by Steve Cropper and all those Stax recordings. Along with James Burton both influenced my style of playing which I still cling to these days. Not only were the parts played so skillfully done, but we’re so much fun to play with the band!
A 5 Royals reference. That's good enough for me. Thank you for the information. Very much appreciate your reverence for what has come before. I will work on all of these. Thank you for sharing your experience with this stuff.
Bro....2 people that got me back into playing after 15 years of life just sucking my love for guitar and music out of me. Roy Buchanan and you sir. Josh love you man keep it going. I hope to be able to get your ibanez sign one day soon. Thanks.
Wilson Picket's 99 & 1/2, the guitar part would just blow me away. I could hear it over and over and not tire of it. I learned much later that Steve Cropper was "the man". Muffing the strings on certain songs I played, impressed a lot of local guitarists and they wanted to know how I got that sound. A technique used sparingly by guitarists, but it always sounds beautiful for my ears. "Wheels " was my intro to the muffing sound.
@choritzo1963 - The playing of the MGs on those early Wilson Pickett recordings was stunning, the stuff of legend. "99 1/2 (Won't Do)" is an obvious choice, but there are also lesser known tunes like "Danger Zone" and the gospel-infused ballad "It's All Over Now," and others. And who can forget "6345789"? Cropper and Pickett really had some nice chemistry, and the Wicked One was lucky to have it with other great guitarists in his career, such as Bobby Womack and Joe South, or over at Muscle Shoals, Jimmy Johnson and others. And when he went to Philly to record with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, he scored big again because those house guitarists up there did him right on tunes like "Engine Engine #9," "Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You," and others. Norman Harris, Roland Chambers, and Bobby Eli... Cropper's tone was so great on those early recordings, despite the relatively primitive recording equipment and his basic Telecaster and Fender Princeton amp. It ain't the equipment or gear, it is the man!
A favorites of mine: Rufus Thomas’ “Walking the Dog,” Otis’ “Merry Christmas Baby,” Johnny Taylor “Who’s Makin’ Love,” Sam & Dave “Hold On! I’m Comin’” (especially the too-cool laying-back solo) and “Wrap it Up”. I could go on forever. So great!
Mate, beautiful choices and playing. Dig the respect and knowledge shown. Steve is like a minimalist sound and groove painter. Composed and arranged on the spot in seems. The intros alone
Brilliant vid! I learned so much. I love Steve playing on Roy Buchanan's cover of Green Onions. He went toe to toe with Roy. Like Hemingway going three rounds with Tolstoy. 😎
Idk if this is going to come off as an insult but Steve’s guitar playing reminds me of ringo stars drums. In that it’s not the flashiest in the world, or even that complicated, but when it comes to serving the song you will never find someone better.
"time is tight" - similar to "can't turn you loose". the Blues Brothers often used a combination of Can't Turn You Loose and Time Is Tight. The rhythm section plays the groove of Time Is Tight and the Horns play the riffs of Can't Turn You Loose of over it. You can hear this in the car chasing scene in the super market in the (first) film. Paul Shaffer may have come up with the arrangement. Bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn plays on both original recordings with Cropper. Willie Hall was also a Stax drummer.
Not sure who else plays guitar on it, but Carla Thomas and "I like What You're Doing To Me". The intro is sublime and the crackling guitar jabs interspersed throughout the song, add distinctive rhythmic accents. One of the all time defining Stax Memphis Soul/Cropper driven sounds of the 60s. The Golden Age of Sweet Soul music.
Nobody’s Fault But Mine is such a great, simple, but immediately identifiable riff and like so many of Croppers riffs, once you’ve heard the recording once, the guitar part has already become imprinted in your memory of how that song goes. Robert Cray has a brilliant version of Nobody’s Fault But Mine on a recent album - sings it beautifully, plays it exactly the same as Steve C. Love it!
So grateful for that Josh, Steve's guitar work has provided incredible inspiration for me over the years. His playing on Johnnie Taylors Just the One ( I've Been Looking For) is still is one of my best yardsticks for "feel" in a song. Ride on Steve Cropper ....... 🎸
I absolutely love this style of playing. Thanks so much for this lesson and the listening recommendations! I can't wait to do some exploring of the names you mentioned
Awesome!. Steve Cropper, Curtis Mayfield, and Pops Staples are my 3 wise men of the 6 string. Leads are fun to play, but as a listener, I am hooked on groove. A Strat or Tele through a low watt tube amp and I'm hypnotized. As far as melodic Steve, his tremolo licks on The MGs version of "Summertime" is absolutely sublime.
Awesome stuff man. This is exactly the kind of content I love. So cool to hear about your favourite artists. Just please don’t do gear lists, RU-vid has enough of those.
Awesome, such a cool idea, looking forward to more top 5 from you, you're the man! Love you stuff, love your music, love your videos and sharing! Thanks so much!
This is also a great example of less is more in music. For all the shredders who can tear up and down the neck and fire off notes machine gun style, here are 5 great examples of playing a part that fits a song and moves it along without trying to play every note and riff you can.
I think this may be the first channel I've ever subscribed to! Been enjoying the music and instructionals so much... just thought to myself - imagine you had SRV like this on video, 20 years ago... :) keep it up!
@@JoshSmithGuitar BTW - the SRV reference was mostly since he was a great influence on blues playing, for me growing up... what I actually appreciate the most about you is the seamless link you so nicely create between blues and old-school jazz. That's where I've always felt I am 'stuck' and why I find your style and instructionals so inspiring. thanks!
Amazing stuff, Josh. You're the new Steve Cropper in my book. His vibe really shows in all you play. Your new Ibanez sounds killer, BTW. What's that reverb, the new UA?
Fantastic Josh. Please please do a full guide for us dummies to gospel, RnB and soul. Showing licks and approaches of all the proponents. Cornell, cropper, young, womack, Hendrix, Nile Rodgers etc etc
Love your shirt. Went to Baked Potato all the time in my younger days. Saw some great acts there. Eddie Van Halen was one of them jamming with the band Charisma.
Great stuff Josh! I consider myself fairly well versed in Cropper and Otis, but I'd never heard Nobody's Fault But Mine. That is knocked out! Here's something that will blow your mind. I'm about to let the cat our of the bag on Green Onions. That little pull off riff is wrong. Listen closely. He's playing that rhythm part in a different KEY. The tune is in F, but that first chord Steve plays is a B flat. Put your capo on the first fret and play an A, just the d-g-b strings. Then do the same when they go to the 4 (E flat/Bflat/bass), and to the 5(F/Cbass). Your welcome 🙂 I'd love to know if you read this and if it blew your mind.
Great vid! Thanks for showing me I have been playing Green Onions wrong for 50 years ;-) I am constantly amazed by "Try A Little Tenderness," where his chanks never seem to repeat but are always placed perfectly. And check out "Girl Don't Turn Your Heater Down'" by Sam and Dave for an amazing Cropper part.
Here's my top 10 favorite Booker T and the MG'S songs featuring Steve that everyone should hear. They all can be found here on RU-vid. Cropper kills on every one of these songs: 10) Cruisin' 9) Mrs Robinson 8) Double Or Nothing 7) Scratch My Back 6) Chicken Pox 5) Funky Broadway. It's on Steve's first solo album from 1969, but the personal is pretty much Booker T and the MG'S. 4) I Can't Stand The Rain 3) Can't Be Still 2) Bootleg 1) Soul Man. Booker T and the MG'S did an instrumental version of this after they recorded the original with Sam and Dave. Oh, and one more. Check out their version of 'Foxy Lady'. It's great.
Hey Josh: Having grown up in the 50s and 60s, I heard Steve Cropper's work without realizing it. I love his album Dedicated: A Salute to the 5 Royales. I'm hoping you'll be able to work with him on something soon. He's a national treasure.
Josh Smith, please tell me you have seen the movie "High Fidelity" with John Cusack and Jack Black. Cusack is the owner of a vintage record store and they talk about music the entire time (based around a love story and his top five break ups with girls of all time). "Top Five" is a theme throughout the movie and I don't want to give away the ending. I promise you would love it. LOVE WHAT YOU DO BRUH!!!
Hey Josh, nice t-shaped object. Love Steve’s playing too. What reverb are you using in this recording. Thanks & cheers. Never mind, morgan amp, answered already below. Sorry.
You should try and find the cropper interview from the Ronnie Wood show. He describes his style as "just following the dots". Talk about doing yourself down. There is also a moment where they high five and it looks like Steve's swinging a door, not a hand. They're huge!
Wonderful episode and great serie to follow. N°2 is probably my favorite too such a brilliant part n°5 is almost equal as much as the riff for "My Girl" I find them in the same vein even so it's from Motown Crew
Excellent analysis Josh, Cropper is one of the greatest rhythm players ever. Good shout out for the Wilson Pickett material, even though Pickett 's time in Memphis was brief and ended up in Muscle Shoals (top 5 Jimmy Johnson maybe?). 👍🙂
I think you will find that 'Help Me' is 'Green Onions' with words. 'Help Me' came out in 1963 the year after 'Green Onions'. Check out Willie Dixons song page on Wikipedia.
Loved it all and couldn't help but hear Jimi Hendrix in there somehow, so how about a top 5 Jimi one of these days, whatever you play and choose suits me it's all great !
Jimi Hendrix went down to Stax to talk to Cropper and hung out with him for a while. He learnt a lot from him. Jimi wanted to do some work with him but Cropper was going on tour with the MG's after the success of Green Onions so it didn't happen. True story.
