Steve Cropper, the Booker T. & the MG's guitarist and key songwriter and producer for the Memphis soul sound of Stax Records, has died aged 84, his family said.

Cropper who co-wrote soul classics including "In the Midnight Hour" and "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay," died peacefully on Wednesday in Nashville, according to a family statement posted on his official Facebook page.

"Steve was a beloved musician, songwriter, and producer whose extraordinary talent touched millions of lives around the world," the statement said.

"Steve's influence on American music is immeasurable."

At Stax Records, Cropper accompanied artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Rufus and Carla Thomas, and Eddie Floyd.

He was a member of Booker T. & the MG's, as well as a producer and songwri

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