Bill Withers, Otis Redding, Neil Young, The Roots, Drive-By Truckers, and Sharon Jones. These are just a few artists whose musical paths crossed and intersected with Booker T. Jones during his decades' long musical career.
With humble beginnings in Memphis in 1960, keyboardist Jones would meet guitarist Steve Cropper, drummer Al Jackson, and bassist Lewis Steinberg (later replaced by Donald “Duck” Dunn) to form the foursome known as Booker T. and the MG’s. They went on to become the house band at Stax Record in Memphis and by 1962, they had their first hit record, “Green Onions”, written by Jones when he was only 17.
As a group, and also as the backing band for the Stax roster of iconic artists, Booker T. and the MG’s would create and shape what became known as the Memphis Sound. Added to the burgeoning Stax team were prolific songwriters/arrangers David Porter and Isaac Hayes. Together they would build Stax Records to become the powerhouse American label still revered and influential today with its organic and edgy mix of blues, soul, funk and gospel.
Catch Booker T. Jones live at Yoshi’s in Oakland on Thursday the 6th, and Friday the 7th
Yoshi’s
510 Embarcadero West, Oakland, CA 94607
510-238-9200
https://yoshis.com/
For more info and to purchase tickets:
https://yoshis.com/events/buy-tickets/booker-t-jones-4/detail
Booker T. Jones’ memoir Time is Tight: My Life, Note by Note is available here:
https://bookert.com/
