All four Beatles once bowed from the waist in the presence of the man honored Thursday night with a Founders Award at the Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum.
Steve Cropper — singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer and legendary soul man — was a founding member of the Mar-Keys (the house band for Stax Records) and Booker T. (Jones) & the MGs. He also made his mark as a player and arranger for Otis Redding, Wilson Picket and Sam and Dave and as co-writer of the soul classic “In the Midnight Hour.”
In the ’70s, Cropper produced recordings for Mitch Ryder and Jeff Beck. A decade later, he revived the classic Stax Records sound he helped create in the early days of soul music, with the help of actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi and the Blues Brothers. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 36 on its list of the Top 100 Guitarists of All Time.
The affable, beefy-looking Cropper (sporting a pony tail) was clearly thrilled by the party honoring him — a benefit for EMP/SFM’s youth education programs (the event raised more than $120,000). He gave the well-heeled audience a collective bear hug.
“This is an unbelievable situation here,” Cropper drawled as he took the stage to join a large group of local musicians led by guitarist Andrew McKeag of The Presidents of the United States of America.
In addition to McKeag, those backing Cropper (and clearly honored to be on stage with him) included vocalists Fysah Thomas, Eldridge Gravy and Evan Foster (of the Boss Martians); Mike Musberger (of The Posies, Long Winters), Jeff Fielder, Ty Bailie and Craig Flory.
Filling out the lineup were members of Dyno Jamz, winners of the 2009 EMPlSFM Sound Off! 2009 competition, an annual battle of the bands for musicians under 21. It’s one of the youth education programs that benefits from funds raised at the Founders Award. Previous winners were Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart (2007) and Robbie Robertson (2008). (Co-chairs of the annual event are museum founders Paul G. Allen, who wasn’t present, and Jody Allen Patton.)
Cropper, elated by the award and the gathering of admirers, talked briefly about his career. Regarding the experience of working at the Stax Records studio: “It was like walking into church. We put our lives and our energy into that music. It was a great place to make music.”
Cropper also acknowledged his wife, Angel Cropper, who joined him on stage near the end of the hourlong set. The couple lives in Nashville.
“I’m a living example of (the value) of family support,” he said. “If it weren’t for Angel, I wouldn’t be up here today.”
He also warned, good-naturedly, that if attendees didn’t “kick back some tables and chairs” to clear a dance floor, Angel would likely do it for them.
But the crowd needed little encouragement to dance and clap along to the infectious, soulful music that ensued. First came a smoldering “In the Midnight Hour,” followed by “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” Cropper and the band quickly found a groove, and “Crop” (as his friends call him) sang with a gentle, rugged power that comes from experienced pipes.
He teased the audience, asking them if they could identify the next tune from just two notes played in different keys from the original, in the spirit of the old TV show “Name That Tune.” But the audience had no trouble picking out the smoky sound of “I’m a Soul Man.”
“Green Onions” was just wonderful. And then singer Thomas joined the group for “Respect,” followed by Foster on “I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction)” and Gravy (dressed in a tux) for “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love.” (By the way, Foster revealed at the end of the night that Boss Martians are signed to Little Steven’s label, Wicked Cool, and will record a new album soon.)
Angel, who joins her husband at a lot of charity fundraisers, sang another rowdy classic, “634-5789,” near the end of the set.
“That’s the most fun you can have with your pants on, I’ll tell ya,” Cropper roared at the end of the show.