Legendary “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay” Guitarist Visits BIMM
Talk about having a guest who has seen it and done it all: Steve Cropper brought BIMM Brighton to a standstill when he dropped in on Friday, and for good reason.
Steve generously took time to visit us, and spoke with enthusiasm in the BIMM House Live Room, which was filled with students keen to hear the words of a true musical great.
The legendary guitarist, songwriter and producer was an ideal guest, with so much incredible experience to share.
He began his career as an A&R scout for Stax Records before becoming the guitarist in the enormously influential Booker T and The M.G.’s, and he famously recorded ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay‘ with Otis Redding just three days before the singer was tragically killed in a plane crash.
And that’s not all: none other than Jimi Hendrix cited Cropper as an influence and Mojo magazine ranked him as the second greatest guitarist of all time, which explains why he’s played in The Animals, and Rod Stewart and Neil Young’s bands.
He answered loads of thoughtful questions from the BIMM Brighton students, and they were fascinated by the many words of wisdom and illuminating tales from his long, glittering career.
It was a unique opportunity to hear him discuss his impeccable string of hits, including ‘Midnight Hour’ with Wilson Pickett, and both Sam and Dave’s original and the Blues Brothers’ version of ‘Soul Man’.
Patrick Lyall, a student on the Diploma Songwriting course, said:
“It was a hugely entertaining masterclass, and Steve recounted tales from decades of experience and encounters with artists including Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan with real enthusiasm and a homespun humour.
He spoke with clarity about the all-inclusive attitude and team spirit behind Stax Records in a way that was both insightful and relevant to our own collaborations at BIMM.”
We love getting superstars in to visit, and the benefits for our students are plain to see, with all the attendees leaving the masterclass completely inspired and filled with ideas.
Steve’s another in a very long line of illustrious guests to have visited BIMM Brighton, following stars like Paul Weller, Chuck D of Public Enemy, Lemmy from Motörhead and Roger Daltrey of The Who.
It was just another fantastic day at BIMM Brighton. Thanks for coming to see us, Steve!
