Via Undercover

Check the credits for the new John Oates solo album `1000 Miles of Life`. You’ll notice the legendary Steve Cropper.

Oates, of Hall & Oates fame, has just released his second ever solo album. There are a number of names of the album, including Blind Boys of Alabama, but the Cropper name sticks out.

“Steve Cropper is one of my heroes,” John tells Undercover News. “When it comes to electric guitar and R&B guitar playing he is without peer. He is just one of those guys. When I was a kid listening to those Stax/Volt records I just wanted to play like Steve Cropper. For me to get him to play on the album and get to form a very good friendship with him (I played with him a number of times this summer), it was a real blessing for me. Sometimes I pinch myself and say “man, this is just too great to be true”. He is a great person. He has a very unique style and sound. Getting him on this track was just fantastic”.

Cropper is a member of the legendary Booker T & The MGs. He hit the pick screen in the Blues Brothers but he is also one of the world’s most successful songwriters and producers with songs such as ‘(Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bayhttp://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=wwwardentstud-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001FLMHKO&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr’ to his credit.

Hall was still a kid when Cropper was making his first hits and that sound hooked him onto R&B.

Via Relix

Steve Cropper’s resume is staggering. As the guitarist for Booker T & The MGs—and therefore the house guitarist for Stax Records—he not only played with the likes of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Eddie Floyd, he wrote with them, too: “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay,” “Midnight Hour” and “Knock on Wood” are just a few to his credit. Never one to rest on his laurels—he’s toured and recorded with everyone from Neil Young and John Lennon to Jeff Beck and Levon Helm—he’s recently released a new album with The Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere on the reinvigorated Stax label.

What was your last new album for Stax, musician or producer, prior to Nudge It Up a Notch?

Instrumentally, I think the last major album we had as Booker T and the MG’s was an album called Melting Pothttp://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=wwwardentstud-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0006GAZL2&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr, which I believe came out in ‘70, and we’d been working on it for a while.

You recorded very few albums under your own name. Why?

I never had the interest to do it. My whole goal, from almost day one, was basically to be a rhythm guy who loved to be a band member and back other people and knew his limitations and knew he wasn’t a very good singer. I could sing, I can carry a pitch, but I don’t have any range—I have physical restrictions. I don’t think vocal coaching and lessons would really help much.

I’ve been very fortunate recently to work with Guy Sebastian. He’s one of the best singer/guitar players I’ve ever worked with.

That’s a big statement.

Guy has perfect pitch, perfect harmony and can play rings around most of the world’s guitar players. A lot of people don’t know that, and they go, “Oh yeah, the Hispanic guy who plays flamenco, da da da da.” No. He can play it all. He’s just phenomenal. You’re probably going to ask me, Who’s the best singer you’ve ever worked with?

If I didn’t say Otis Redding you could probably shoot me right where I’m sitting. He was not the greatest singer technically, but he was the best communicator, entertainer, groover guy that’s ever existed.

I’m still on the road with Eddie Floyd. Eddie Floyd, at his age, is still one of the best singers around, and he’s amazing – one of the best entertainers that has ever been. He can walk onstage with anybody and entertain the audience and they’ll sit there and say, “How does he do that?” Because most everybody else, aside from Mick Jagger, is just standing there in front of a mic and singing. Mick is a bright genius because he knows his limitations and he makes up for it by entertaining people.