 Booker T & The MG's
In 1962 the hottest new instrumentalists were Booker T and The MGs
- Two blacks and two whites, they were the studio band for Stax
records, but their own hit, Green Onions, was as original and
influential as any other song they had played on. It became a
worldwide hit and earned Booker T Jones his first gold record - at the
age of 17!
Born in the Memphis black ghetto in 1944, Jones showed considerable
early promise as a musician and was snapped up as a session man by the
newly-formed Stax label. Despite the success of Green Onions,
Jones was intent on finishing his education by majoring in music at
Indiana University. It wasn't until 1966 that he decided to return
full-time to music.
Because Booker T and The MGs (the MGs incidentally stood for
"Memphis Group") were a session band, the line-up changed often, but
the most constant members were Jones himself with Al Jackson, Donald
'Duck' Dunn and Steve Cropper (noted for composing In The Midnight
Hour and Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay).
 While
the band continued to back Otis Redding, Wilson
Pickett, Eddie Floyd
and many other soul stars, they kept their own identity with hits like
Soul Limbo, Hang 'Em High and Time Is Tight, and became
one of the most respected instrumental units of all time.
The group disbanded in 1972 to reform twice, unsuccessfully, in
1973 and 1977. Steve Cropper became chief recording engineer for Stax
and formed The Mar-Keys with Dunn. Al Jackson was tragically murdered
at his Memphis home in 1975.
In 1977, Cropper and Dunn famously became part of The Blues
Brothers Band producing a number one album, Briefcase Full of Blues,
and in 1980 were featured in the classic movie starring Dan Aykroyd
and John Belushi. They reprised their roles in Blues Brothers 2000.
| The
Band |
Booker T Jones
Keyboards
Donald 'Duck' Dunn
Bass |
Steve Cropper
Guitar
Lewie Steinberg
Bass
|
Al Jackson
Drums |
|
