Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

1966 was a big year for Stax Records & Otis Redding and Steve Cropper-the label’s resident musical designated hitter-had a lot to do with that. He joined the label in 1961 as an A&R man before establishing his musical talent as a songwriter & as a supberbly skilled guitar player in the group he co-founded, Booker T & The M.G.’s, the house band for Stax. Cropper eventually became an in-house producer as well and saw success in that role, especially with the 1965 album, Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul.

Otis Redding (L) with Steve Cropper (R) circa 1967. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The next year started with the release of a song written by Cropper and Eddie Floyd, played on by the house band and sung by Wilson Pickett. He took it to #1 on Billboard’s Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles Chart for seven consecutive weeks in the spring of 1966 (It peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in March 1966). The track also featured backing vocals by Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. A month later, the same song was covered by Redding on The Soul Album, which Cropper co-produced & played on with the house band. The record also includes another track co-written by Floyd (“Everybody Makes a Mistake”) as well as a great take on a Sam Cooke song.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

In June 1966 Sam & Dave had their own #1 hit on the R&B chart for one week with “Hold On, I’m Comin'”, with Cropper & the rest of Booker T & The M.G.’s performing on the song. In July another track he co-wrote with Floyd-“Knock On Wood”-was released, this time with Floyd on lead vocal. It reached #1 for one week in November on the same R&B chart while also reaching #28 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart.

Redding released a second album 60 years ago. Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul, which came out in October 1966, also featured Booker T & The M.G.’s as the house band, with Cropper contributing as a co-writer on two tracks. On their own, he & Redding were two musical powerhouses that helped put Stax & soul music on the map. Together, they created a sound so original that 60 years later, it still defines the genre.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Wilson Pickett: “634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)” (1966, written by Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd).

Otis Redding: “634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)” (1966, written by Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd).

Otis Redding: “Chain Gang” (1966, written by Sam Cooke).

Otis Redding: “Try A Little Tenderness” (1966, written by Jimmy Campbell, Reginald Connelly and Harry M. Woods).

Otis Redding: “Day Tripper” (1966, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

Otis Redding: “My Lover’s Prayer” (1966, written by Otis Redding).

Stay safe & well.