đź”— Share this article The iconic guitarist Steve Cropper, member of the soul group Booker T & the MGs, has died aged 84 Steve Cropper formed the backbone of the resident musical group of the seminal Memphis label Stax Records. The legendary guitarist Steve Cropper, the celebrated guitarist with the seminal soul group Booker T & the MGs, has left us at the age of 84. The musician, who contributed to and collaborated on writing the classic song Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay and the hit track In the Midnight Hour, died recently in Music City, Nashville. Often cited among the best supporting groups in soul music, the quartet the MGs was the resident studio band of the influential Memphis label Stax Records and is primarily known for their 1962 track Green Onions. Cropper later became a member of the John Belushi-Dan Aykroyd act The Blues Brothers in the 1970s and played on their successful version of Soul Man. "Steve was a cherished guitarist, composer, and producer whose profound talent impacted countless people around the world," his family stated in a statement. "While we mourn the loss of a family man and friend, we find comfort knowing that Steve will live forever through his music," they noted. A specific cause was not released at this time. An associate, Eddie Gore, recalled he was with Cropper recently in Nashville, where the guitarist was in the process of creating fresh material. "He's such a kind human," Gore commented. "We were fortunate to have him, for sure." Steve Cropper, pictured on the right, with artists Eddie Floyd and Sheryl Crow. An Illustrious Journey Ranked the runner-up for guitarist of all time by a UK publication in 1996, Cropper first found employment at the Stax label in 1961 at the age of 20. A year later, the MGs were formed, comprising keyboardist Booker T Jones, drummer Al Jackson and bassist Lewie Steinberg - who was succeeded by Donald "Duck" Dunn in 1964. The band was entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. "I've always thought of myself as a rhythm guitarist," Cropper remarked in a previous conversation. "I get off on the fact that I can play something over and over, while other guitar players wouldn't consider it. They won't even play the same phrase twice." In addition to being a guitarist, Cropper was a productive songwriter, and besides Dock of the Bay and In the Midnight Hour, he helped write Eddie Floyd's hit Knock on Wood. According to his official biography, he was "integral to virtually every record released by Stax from 1961 through 1970". "We would often spend long days in the studio," Cropper once recalled. "I think we had a roster of artists we worked with, so we had a pretty busy schedule."