The late, great Steve Cropper had another ace up his sleeve before his tragic passing in December 2025. To anyone who knows the roots and branches of American music, the loss of The Colonel was seismic. As guitarist, songwriter, producer and engineer — not just for the iconic Stax record label but on a forest of sessions and solo releases — the Tennessee soul man was the DNA that coursed through the post-war era, his fabled right hand setting the pace of rock ’n’ roll for 60-plus years.
The legendary musician was working on this new record, and with “Watching The Tide”, he has left a beautiful gift to the world, featuring an all-star cast including Eric Clapton, Brian May, Billy Gibbons and Ronnie Wood.
The wider world assumed 2024’s star-dusted, Grammy-nominated “Friendlytown” was the full stop on this most seminal of careers. Little did we know this towering figure had one last play. “Making music was Steve’s greatest joy,” explains Jon Tiven, the acclaimed songwriter/producer who first met Cropper in the early ’70s, became a close friend and helped ignite his post-millennial solo career. “Steve was so encouraged by “Friendlytown”. He was adamant he wanted to do another record.
The Fat Angel Sings 