Steve Cropper

Steve "The Colonel" Cropper (born October 21, 1941) is a guitarist, songwriter, producer, and soul musician.

Cropper was born on a farm outside Dora, Missouri. Nine years later, his family moved to Memphis, Tenn

Steve "The Colonel" Cropper (born October 21, 1941) is a guitarist, songwriter, producer, and soul musician.

Cropper was born on a farm outside Dora, Missouri. Nine years later, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he heard sounds and kinds of music he never heard in Missouri. At age ten, he strummed his brother-in-law's Gibson and was hooked. Receiving his first guitar at age fourteen, Cropper soaked up the musical melting pot in Memphis. His influences ranged from The Bill Doggett Band's Billy Butler to Chet Atkins to Jimmy Reed to jazz guitarist Tal Farlow and, of course, Chuck Berry. His hero was Lowman Pauling of Memphis's The Five Royales.