Memphis wants visitors to celebrate the life of Steve Cropper, one of rock music’s greatest ever guitarists who died in early December age 84, by visiting some of his favourite city locations.
The musician, who played on and co-wrote Otis Reading’s Sitting On the Dock of the bay and Wilson Pickett’s In the Midnight Hour died in Nashville, but it was Memphis he was best associated with due to the quartet Booker T and the MGs being the house band of famous Memphis label Stax Record.
In fact, few cities have shaped an artist’s life quite like Memphis did for Steve Cropper.
Growing up in the birthplace of soul, Cropper absorbed the city’s rhythm from an early age – its gospel-soaked churches, smoky blues clubs and the unmistakable energy of Beale Street. But Memphis didn’t just influence him; it transformed him into one of the most celebrated guitarists, songwriters and producers in American music history.
For travellers eager to walk in his footsteps, Memphis offers an immersive journey through Cropper’s world:
- Stax Museum of American Soul Music – Explore the original site of Stax Records, where Cropper and his band Booker T. & the M.G.’s shaped the sound of a generation. Visitors can tour the recreated studio, see period instruments and experience the heart of soul music. According to Cropper’s website, he was “involved in virtually every record issued by Stax from late 1961 to 1971”.
- Sun Studio – The legendary birthplace of rock ’n’ roll, where the spirit of musical innovation that inspired young Cropper still thrives. Guided tours bring the stories and sounds of the era to life.
- Beale Street – The historic musical artery of Memphis. Stroll past the clubs and bars where the blues scene that influenced Cropper continues to pulse every night.
- Overton Park Shell – The outdoor venue where countless Memphis musicians cut their teeth, echoing the early performance culture that helped shape Cropper’s career. Cropper performed here with Booker T. & the M.G. ‘s, further cementing the Shell’s reputation as a launchpad for some of the city’s most influential musical talents.
- Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum – A comprehensive look at the city’s role in global music history, offering deeper context to the environment that fostered Cropper’s unmistakable sound.
Memphis is known as Home of the Blues or “Bluff City” due to its location on high bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River.
