Steve Cropper who was the guitarist for Booker T. and the MG’s and was the guitarist on many of the great Stax recordings including those of Otis Redding, turns 71 today. Rolling Stone Magazine rates Cropper as the 36th greatest guitar player ever while Mojo Magazine has him at #2. I think Mojo is closer to the truth. Cropper co-wrote Otis Redding’s classic “Dock Of The Bay” In Sam and Dave’s classic soul man Cropper is mentioned in the song “play it Steve”

Cropper was close to Otis Redding and I read once that he has never been able to listen to the Otis Redding music after Otis died, just too painful.

Steve Cropper appeared as one of the band members in The Blues Brothers movie.