The Guitarist Keith Richards Once Called “Perfect” and Who Got a Shoutout in “Soul Man”, Proving His Behind-The-Scenes Influence

Greatness often happens behind the scenes in the music world, which is how some of the most prolific musicians in the industry can remain relatively anonymous their entire lives—Steve Cropper being among them. Before his passing on December 3, 2025, Cropper built an impressive musical legacy as a singer-songwriter and instrumentalist who helped establish the Stax Records sound as a guitarist in the Stax house band.

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Cropper’s skills on the guitar led to a star-studded list of collaborators, including Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Otis Redding, John Lennon, Jeff Beck Group, John Prine, and Levon Helm, among others. Cropper co-wrote classic songs like “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay” and “Green Onions”, accomplishments that would later give him great pride—but not because of the fame.

“In the days of Stax, if you had a hit, that artist could work off that one song for the rest of their lives. That was always nice to know that I helped contribute to that,” Cropper once told the New Pittsburgh Courier. “How many mouths did I feed? How many members of the family benefited from that one hit? It’s a good feeling to know that I contributed something to it.”

Steve Cropper Left an Indelible Mark on Rock ‘N’ Roll

To the average music fan, Steve Cropper might not be recognizable. But those in the industry—and aspiring guitarists everywhere—knew Cropper as a legend. From Dolly Parton to Ringo Starr to Jimmy Buffett to Big Star, Cropper performed on countless records from the 1960s to the early 2020s. He received multiple Grammy nominations and won two, including the 1968 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song (“(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay”) and the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance (“Cruisin’”).

Cropper was your favorite rockstar’s favorite rockstar. The Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards once said of Cropper, “Perfect, man,” per the Los Angeles Times. Given how quickly Richards is to dole out criticism, this two-word stamp of approval was no small feat. The L.A. Times obituary also quoted a Rolling Stone article, which described Cropper as “the secret ingredient in some of the greatest rock and soul songs.”

Fans of The Blues Brothers likely heard Cropper get a shoutout without realizing it. In Sam & Dave’s 1967 hit, “Soul Man”, Sam Moore yells out, “Play it, Steve!”, before Cropper comes in with a searing solo, which, interestingly, Cropper played with a Zippo lighter. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd recreated this musical moment in The Blues Brothers, in which Cropper played himself.

Cropper was among the talented ranks of backing musicians who willingly take a behind-the-scenes role for the sake of the music. “I listen to the other musicians and the singer,” Cropper once said. “I’m not listening to just me. 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.”

Photo by Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images