Steven Lee Cropper (born October 21, 1941), also known as “Steve “The Colonel” Cropper”, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas and Johnnie Taylor. He also acted as the producer of many of these records. He was later a member of the Blues Brothers band. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 39th on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
Tag: Rufus Thomas
Carla Venita Thomas (born December 21, 1942, Memphis, Tennessee) is an American singer, who is often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul. She is the daughter of Rufus Thomas.
Thomas was born in the Foote Homes Housing Project in Memphis. Along with her siblings, Marvell and Vaneese, she was one of three musical children of Rufus and Lorene Thomas. Despite growing up in the projects, the Thomas family lived near the Palace Theater on Beale Street, as Rufus was the theater’s emcee for their amateur shows. This access not only gave Thomas her first taste of the music world but it also provided a springboard for her transformation into the Queen of the Memphis Sound.
After her last Stax recording in 1971, Love Means, Thomas slipped into relative obscurity when compared to her 1960s musical heyday. However, she was featured in a number of modern-day projects, notably including a 1994 compilation of her greatest hits, a 2002 live recording of a Memphis performance and the 2007 release Live at the Bohemian Caverns in Washington, D.C., a long lost live recording of Thomas in 1967. She would also occasionally tour during the 1980s and became heavily involved in the “Artists in the Schools” program that provided Memphis schoolchildren with access to successful artists. These workshops were organized to talk to teenagers about music, performing arts and drug abuse. In 1993, Thomas was awarded the prestigious Pioneer Award, along with such musical heavyweights as James Brown and Solomon Burke, from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in honor of her career achievements. She was also featured in the 2003 documentary, Only the Strong Will Survive that was shown at the Cannes Film Festival and showcased important Stax recording artists. (Source: Wikipedia)
1 | Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes) |
2 | B-A-B-Y |
3 | Tramp |
4 | Knock On Wood |
5 | I’ll Bring it Home To You |
6 | I Like What You’re Doing To Me |
7 | Let Me Be Good To You |
8 | A Love of My Own |
9 | Lovey Dovey |
10 | Pick Up the Pieces |
11 | I’ll Always Have Faith In You |
12 | Something Good (Is Going To Happen To You) |
13 | What a Fool I’ve Been |
14 | Stop! Look What You’re Doin’ |
15 | Where Do I Go |
16 | Guide Me Well |
17 | I’ve Fallen In Love |
18 | How Do You Quit (Someone You Love) |
19 | You’ve Got a Cushion To Fall On |
20 | I’ve Got No Time To Lose |
21 | A Woman’s Love |
22 | That’s Really Some Good |
23 | Night Time Is the Right Time |
24 | When Tomorrow Comes |
25 | I Need You Woman |
26 | When Something Is Wrong With My Baby |
27 | A Dime a Dozen |
28 | Just Keep On Loving Me |
29 | Cause I Love You |
30 | (Mama, Mama) Wish Me Good Luck |
31 | I Kinda Think He Does |
32 | Comfort Me |
33 | Live In The City |
34 | I Loved You Like I Love My Very Life |
35 | Sugar |