Booker T. & the MG's Artistfacts

1962–1971, 1973–1977, 1992–2012
Booker T. JonesOrgan, piano, keyboards, guitars1962–1971, 1975–1977, 1992–2012
Steve CropperGuitar1962–1971, 1975–1977, 1992–2012
Al Jackson Jr. Drums1962–1971, 1973–1975
Lewie SteinbergBass1962-1965
Donald "Duck" DunnBass1965–1971, 1973–1977, 1992–2012
Bobby ManuelGuitar1973-1975
Carson WhitsettOrgan, piano, keyboards1973-1975
Willie HallDrums1975-1977
Steve JordanDrums1994-1998
Steve PottsDrums1999–2012
Booker T. & The M.G.'s were the tight, telepathic house band at Stax Records. Their sparse, groove-driven sound became the blueprint for Memphis soul.

Fronted by organist Booker T. Jones and anchored by guitarist Steve Cropper, the group built their reputation on both their own instrumental hits like "Green Onions," and on the hundreds of Stax sessions where they backed up the likes of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, and Carla Thomas.
The "M.G." in the band's name is commonly understood to stand for "Memphis Group," a tag reportedly applied by the Stax publicity department in the early days. Muddying that tidy explanation, Stax producer Chips Moman claimed the initials came from his own sports car. Moman had played alongside Booker T. Jones and Lewie Steinberg in an earlier Stax backing group called the Triumphs, named after another of his cars, and he insisted "M.G." only received the "Memphis Group" backronym after he left the label.
With two white members - originally Cropper and bassist Lewie Steinberg, later Cropper and Donald "Duck" Dunn - and two Black members - Jones and drummer Al Jackson Jr. - the group was one of the earliest and most prominent racially integrated bands in rock and soul music. This was a striking arrangement at a time when the Memphis music scene and southern society remained deeply segregated.
The band's breakthrough single, "Green Onions," became a million-selling hit in 1962 when Jones was only 18 years old, later earning a spot in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2011 for its cultural significance.
Despite "Green Onions" becoming an instant classic, the group spent roughly the next five years struggling to match its crossover chart success with another single, even as their reputation as premier session musicians grew stronger.
Drummer Al Jackson Jr., whose deceptively simple, pocket-perfect playing anchored the group's sound, was murdered in his Memphis home on October 1, 1975. According to reports, Jackson had spent the evening watching the "Thrilla in Manila" boxing match with fellow Stax figures Eddie Floyd and Terry Manning before returning home to find an intruder waiting for him. His murderer was never identified.

Jackson's death came during a turbulent period in his personal life. Just months earlier, in July 1975, his estranged wife had shot him in the chest during a domestic dispute, though he declined to press charges. At the time of his death, he was finalizing a divorce and preparing to move to Atlanta to work with Stax singer-songwriter William Bell.
The band's career spanned three distinct eras, from 1962 to 1971, 1973 to 1977, and a long running reunion period from 1992 to 2012. The lineup dissolved and reformed as members pursued solo projects, session work, and other musical endeavors.
Booker T. & The M.G.'s were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, cementing their status as one of the most important instrumental acts in soul music history. In 2007, the band received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a rare honor for musicians who spent much of their careers playing behind other artists.

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