Booker T. & the M.G.'s Members, Gear & Sound

Genre

Jazz Funk Soul jazz Southern soul Memphis soul R&B Soul brill building pop classic soul instrumental funk instrumental soul

Members

Select a Booker T. & the M.G.'s band member to check out the music gear they use live and in the studio.

Steve Cropper

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes The Blues Brothers Delaney & Bonnie and Friends The Packers The RCO All-Stars The Stax Staff The Mar‐Keys Texas Toad Lickers Murph & the Magic Tones Frank Black & The Stax Pistols

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Steve Jordan

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

The Rolling Stones The Blues Brothers John Mayer Trio Keith Richards and the X-Pensive Winos The Steves Saturday Night Live Band Paul Shaffer & the CBS Orchestra Paul Shaffer & the World's Most Dangerous Band 24th Street Band The LaVettes Los Secretos The Verbs

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Donald Dunn

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

The Blues Brothers Delaney & Bonnie and Friends The RCO All-Stars The Stax Staff The Mar‐Keys Texas Toad Lickers Murph & the Magic Tones

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Anton Fig

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Kiss The Blues Brothers Blackmore's Night Frehley's Comet Paul Shaffer and the Hall of Fame Orchestra Jimmy Vivino and the Rekooperators Paul Shaffer & the CBS Orchestra Paul Shaffer & the World's Most Dangerous Band Paul Shaffer & The Party Boys Of Rock 'N' Roll The Orchestra For New York City Child Is Father to the Man

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Al Jackson, Jr.

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

The Packers The Stax Staff The Mar‐Keys

Needs more gear

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Booker T. Jones

Roles:

Keyboardist

Groups:

Delaney & Bonnie and Friends The Packers The RCO All-Stars The Stax Staff The Mar‐Keys

Needs more gear

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Steve Potts

Roles:

Drummer

No gear added

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Lewie Steinberg

Roles:

Bassist

No gear added

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About

Booker T. & the M.G.'s is an iconic American instrumental band that emerged from Memphis, Tennessee, known for its profound influence on the development of Southern soul and R&B. Formed in the early 1960s, the group originally served as the house band for Stax Records, backing legendary artists like Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. The core lineup featured Booker T. Jones (organ, piano), Steve Cropper (guitar), Donald "Duck" Dunn (bass), and Al Jackson Jr. (drums). Their music, a fusion of funk, soul, and jazz, is characterized by tight, groovy rhythms and soulful melodies, with hits like "Green Onions" cementing their status as pioneers of the Memphis soul sound.

How to Sound Like Booker T. & the M.G.'s

Booker T. & the M.G.'s are celebrated for their clean, rhythmic sound that combines the smooth textures of the Hammond B-3 organ with the sharp, economical riffs of the guitar. Their music often features groovy bass lines and tight drum patterns that create a laid-back yet deeply infectious vibe. Guitarist Steve Cropper's use of the Fender Esquire contributed to the band's crisp, articulate sound, while his Voodoo Lab Tremolo added a subtle but effective modulation to their arrangements. The band's sonic character is grounded in soulful, melodic interplay, making use of dynamic shifts and instrumental clarity that musicians can emulate by focusing on groove, precision, and the soulful interplay between instruments.

Discography

Green Onions (60th Anniversary Remaster)

1962

Soul Dressing

1965

And Now!

1966

In the Christmas Spirit

1966

Hip Hug-Her

1967

Doin' Our Thing

1968

Soul Limbo

1968

Uptight - Soundtrack From the Motion Picture

1969

The Booker T. Set

1969

McLemore Avenue [Stax Remasters]

1970

Melting Pot

1971

Universal Language

1977

That'S The Way It Should Be

1994

Soul Men

2003

Stax Instrumentals

2003

Definitive Soul: Booker T. & The M.G.'s

2007

Live at the Monterey International Pop Festival

2019

Get the Booker T. & the M.G.'s Sound

Want to sound like Booker T. & the M.G.'s? This gear comes straight from the setups of the band's members, based on proven sources. Dive into each artist's page for more detail and inspiration.