BB King Featured On Steve Cropper Tribute To The “5” Royals

The “5” Royals were a Rhythm & Blues band popular in the early 1950’s. Their sound was instrumental in the development of what would later be known as Soul music.  Guitarist Lowman “Pete” Pauling wrote many of the tunes, some of which were later recorded by Ray Charles, Mick Jagger, The Shirelles, and James Brown among others.

BB King, along with other legendary artists such as Lucinda Williams, Sharon Jones, Brian May, Steve Winwood, Delbert McClinton, John Popper, and others, will be featured on a new tribute to the band by famous session guitarist, Steve Cropper.

As reported by “The Tennesean” at http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2011/04/19/steve-cropper-records-tribute-to-the-5-royales/,

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Legendary guitarist/songwriter Steve Cropper has put together a full-length tribute to his favorite band, The “5″ Royales.Dedicated is due out July 5 on 429 Records, and it will feature guest shots from Lucinda Williams, Sharon Jones, Brian May, Steve Winwood, Bettye LaVette, B.B. King, Shemekia Copeland, Delbert McClinton, John Popper and others.

A founding member of Booker T. & The MG’s, Cropper’s guitar work is an integral element in southern soul classics from Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and many others. He co-wrote hits including Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” “Knock on Wood” and “In the Midnight Hour.”

“I’ve already had four or five careers, and I’m lucky to be alive,” Cropper said in a statement. “If I can educate these young ears as to where the music started, because they’re always asking, and if I can get them interested in The ’5′ Royales, I’ve done something.”

If you’re not familiar with Steve Cropper, you should be. As well as being known as the guitarist in The Blues Brothers, he was in the Stax Records House Band, and Booker T. And The MG’s. He’s also played behind such greats as Otis Redding and Sam & Dave.

Here’s a fun clip of The “5” Royals doing the Laundromat Blues