Booker T. & the MG's

Booker T. & the MG's
Booker T. & the MG's, 2002
General information
Genre (s)	Rhythm & Blues , Soul , Jazz Funk , Memphis Soul, Southern Soul
founding	1962, 1975 and 1977
resolution	1971
Founding members
guitar	Steve Cropper
Keyboards	Booker T. Jones
Bass guitar	Lewis "Lewie" Steinberg
Drums	Al Jackson, Jr.
Bass guitar	Donald Dunn

Booker T. & the MG's was an American soul and R&B band that became known for their instrumental hits in the early 1960s, but also acted as a session band for many interpreters of the independent record label Stax Records .

History of origin

It was named after Booker T. Jones, Jr. , while the abbreviation "MG's" was uncertain for some time. Booker T. & the MG's were mostly recruited from the studio band The Mar-Keys in May 1962 ; Except for the missing brass section (" Memphis Horns ") and the post of drummer, they were identical to this band. Their initial line-up consisted of Booker T. Jones (organ, born November 12, 1944), Steve "The Colonel" Cropper (guitar, born October 21, 1941), Lewis "Lewie" Steinberg (bass, born September 13, 1933) and Al Jackson, Jr. (drums, born November 27, 1935 - October 1, 1975). Steinberg was soon replaced by Donald "Duck" Dunn (* November 24, 1941, † May 13, 2012) on bass.

Own hits

Record label of the single Green Onions

In May 1962, Booker T. & the MG's was planned as a studio band for rockabilly singer Billy Lee Riley , who was under contract with Sun Records . When it did not appear on the booked studio date, the band used the time to make two of their own instrumental recordings. The song Behave Yourself was determined as the A-side early on, because neither a title nor the complete instrumentation was available for the B-side. Booker T. Jones and Steve Cropper gradually developed a riff that they remembered. Within 30 minutes it was refined and arranged for the other instruments. After two takes , an instrumental piece that is now known as Green Onions was completed . It was published as Behave Yourself / Green Onions in May 1962 on Volt # 102. After the intervention of producer Jerry Wexler from distribution partner Atlantic Records , the single was released again on parent label Stax Records (# 127) in August 1962 in reverse page order. This change has led to tremendous success of the plate for 4 weeks Rank 1 of R & B - Charts stood in the pop charts was able to advance to rank third This reflected the sales success, because Green Onions sold 700,000 copies within a few months, a total of over 1 million by the end of 1967. After this success, Donald "Duck" Dunn (* November 24, 1941; † May 13, 2012) came for Lewis Steinberg in August 1962 for the first time on the LP Green Onions as the new bass player.

A large number of similar instrumental hits by the group followed, but only a few managed to reach the top 10 of the R&B charts. These included Boot-Leg (Rank 10, May 1965), Hip Hug-Her (Rank 6, April 1967), Soul-Limbo (Rank 7, July 1968) and Time is Tight (Rank 7, April 1969). In March 1967 the instrumental band like The Mar-Keys took part in the "Stax / Volt-Revue", a European tour of the soul artists of these labels. Her heavily syncopated instrumentations of pop songs, some of which reach into jazz, are exemplarily included on the LP Doin 'Our Thing (recorded on February 2, 1968).

Session band

Their use as a session band in the form of a rhythm section for many soul artists from Stax Records was much more successful . They accompanied Rufus Thomas (single Walkin 'the Dog ; October 1963), Otis Redding (from January 16, 1964; LP Pain in My Heart ), Wilson Pickett (especially In the Midnight Hour ; May 12, 1965), Don Covay & Goodtimers ( See Saw ; June 30, 1965), Sam & Dave ( Hold On, I'm Coming ; March 8, 1966), Eddie Floyd ( Knock on Wood ; July 13, 1966), Albert King ( Born Under a Bad Sign ; May 17, 1967) or Johnnie Taylor (especially on the LP Who's Making Love , May and October 1967 and June and November 1968). Most of the MG's were supplemented by the "Memphis Horns". In this way, too, Booker T. & the MG's shaped the Memphis sound through clear rhythmic accents given by the bass guitarist, economical, almost abrupt organ riffs and staccato-like guitar abbreviations .

Final phase

The first generation of Booker T. & the MG’s existed for almost 10 years until 1971 when they broke up after their LP Melting Pot . Without its namesake, the single Jamaica This Morning was released as "The MG's" in October 1971 . In September 1975, the group reunited with their original line-up, now clarified as Booker T. Jones & the Memphis Group. But already on October 1st, 1975 this band was history again when Al Jackson was shot dead by a burglar at home. Since 1977, the group has tried a comeback with Willie Hall from The Bar-Kays as the new drummer, especially in oldie shows. 1978 Dunn, Cropper and Hall came together for the movie Blues Brothers . In 1990 Jones, Cropper and Dunn went on a nostalgia tour , accompanied Neil Young as a touring band in 1993 and then made their own records again - with great success: Their song Cruisin ' , released on May 17, 1994, won the 1994 Grammy for best instrumental single of the year. On April 21, 2009 Booker T. released a new album, Potato Hole, in collaboration with the band Drive-By Truckers and with Neil Young on guitar . In 1992 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2007 they received the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. The Rolling Stone listed the band at number 93 of the 100 greatest musicians of all time . Bassist Donald Dunn died in his sleep on May 13, 2012 after a concert in Japan.

Discography

See also : Booker T. Jones

Studio albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
		UK	US	R&B
1963	Green Onions Stax 701	UK11 (4 weeks) UK	US33 (? Where) US	-	First published: September 29, 1962 Instrumental album Producer: Jim Stewart
1966	And now! Stax 711	-	-	R&B18 (6 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1966 Instrumental album Producer: Jim Stewart
1967	Hip Hug-Her Stax 717	-	US35 (29 weeks) US	R&B4 (18 weeks) R&B	First published: May 23, 1967 Instrumental album Producer: Jim Stewart
1968	Doin 'Our Thing Stax 724	-	US176 (4 weeks) US	R&B17 (26 weeks) R&B	First release: March 1968 Instrumental album Producers: Booker T. & the MG's
	Soul Limbo Stax 2001	-	US127 (9 weeks) US	R&B14 (12 weeks) R&B	First release: September 1968 Instrumental album Producers: Booker T. & the MG's
1969	UpTight (Soundtrack) Stax 2006	-	US98 (27 weeks) US	R&B7 (31 weeks) R&B	First release: January 1969 Instrumental album / soundtrack Producer: Booker T. Jones
	The Booker T. Set Stax 2009	-	US53 (18 weeks) US	R&B10 (19 weeks) R&B	First release: May 1969 Instrumental album Producers: Booker T. & the MG's
1970	McLemore Avenue Stax 2027	UK70 (1 week) UK	US107 (15 weeks) US	R&B19 (18 weeks) R&B	First release: April 1970 Instrumental album Cover version of the Beatles album Abbey Road Producers: Booker T. & the MG's
1971	Melting Pot Stax 2035	-	US43 (38 weeks) US	R&B2 (38 weeks) R&B	First release: January 1971 Instrumental album Producers: Booker T. & the MG's
1974	The MG’s Stax	-	-	R&B56 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1974 as The MG’s producers: Donald "Duck" Dunn , Al Jackson, Jr.
1977	Universal Language Asylum 1093	-	-	R&B59 (2 weeks) R&B	First release: July 1977 Instrumental album Producers: Booker T. & the MG's, Tom Dowd

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More studio albums

• 1965: Soul Dressing (Stax 705; release: March)
• 1966: In the Christmas Spirit (Stax 713; release: November)
• 1976: Union Extended (Stax 1045)
• 1994: That's the Way It Should Be ( Columbia 53307)

Live albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
		UK	US	R&B
1967	Back to Back Stax 720	-	US98 (4 weeks) US	-	First release: July 1967 with The Mar-Keys Recording: Olympic Theater Paris, 1967 Producer: Jim Stewart

Compilations

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
		UK	US	R&B
1968	The Best of Booker T. & the MG's Atlantic 8202	-	US167 (11 weeks) US	-	First published: November 1968
1969	Greatest Hits Stax 2033	-	US132 (8 weeks) US	R&B18 (13 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1970

More compilations

• 1986: The Best of Booker T. & the MG's (Stax 60004)
• 1993: Groovin ' (Atlantic / Rhino 71234)
• 1994: The Very Best of Booker T. & the MG's (Rhino 71738)
• 1998: Time Is Tight (box with 3 CDs; Stax 4424-2)
• 2000: Green Onions and Other Hits ( Flashback 79976)
• 2003: Stax Instrumentals (with The Mar-Keys ; Stax 68092)
• 2003: Soul Men (Stax 86102)
• 2006: The Definitive Soul Collection (2 CDs; Atlantic / Rhino 77660)
• 2006: Stax Profiles (Stax 86152)
• 2007: The Very Best of Booker T. & the MG's (Stax 30293)
• 2012: Original Album Series (box with 5 CDs; Rhino 81227 97254)

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)			Remarks
		UK	US	R&B
1962	Green Onions Green Onions	UK7th silver (12 weeks)UK	US3 gold (16 weeks)US	R&B1 (15 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1962 Grammy Hall of Fame chart entry in UK only in December 1979 Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.
	Jellybread Soul Dressing	-	US82 (5 weeks) US	-	First published: December 1962 Author: Booker T. Jones
1963	Chinese Checkers Soul Dressing	-	US78 (7 weeks) US	-	First published: June 17, 1963 Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.
1964	Mon-Onions Green Onions	-	US97 (3 weeks) US	-	First published: December 1963 Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.
	Tic-Tac-Toe Soul Dressing	-	-	R&B46 (2 weeks) R&B	B-side by Mo-Onion's authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Donald "Duck" Dunn
	Soul Dressing Soul Dressing	-	US95 (2 weeks) US	-	First published: July 1964 Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewis Steinberg, Al Jackson, Jr.
1965	Boot-Leg The Best of Booker T. & the MG's	-	US58 (10 weeks) US	R&B10 (8 weeks) R&B	First published: April 13, 1965 Authors: Booker T. Jones, Charles Axton, Isaac Hayes , Donald "Duck" Dunn
1966	My Sweet Potato And Now!	-	US85 (5 weeks) US	R&B18 (11 weeks) R&B	First published: July 27, 1966 Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr.
	Booker-Loo Back to Back	-	-	R&B37 (5 weeks) R&B	B-side of My Sweet Potato Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr.
1967	Hip Hug-Her Hip Hug-Her	-	US37 (13 weeks) US	R&B6 (15 weeks) R&B	First published: February 21, 1967 Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr.
	Slim Jenkin's Place Hip Hug-Her	-	US70 (5 weeks) US	-	B-side of Groovin ' Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr.
	Groovin ' Hip Hug-Her	-	US21 (12 weeks) US	R&B10 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: June 12, 1967 Authors: Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati Original: The Young Rascals , 1967
1968	Soul Limbo Soul Limbo	UK30 (9 weeks) UK	US17th gold (10 weeks)US	R&B7 (12 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1968 Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr.
	Hang 'em high soul limbo	-	US9 (18 weeks) US	R&B35 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1968 Title song of the film Hang Him Higher Author and Original: Dominic Frontiere , 1968
1969	Time Is Tight UpTight (Soundtrack)	UK4 (18 weeks) UK	US6th gold (13 weeks)US	R&B7 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1969 from the movie Up Tight Writer: Booker T. Jones
	Mrs. Robinson The Booker T. Set	-	US37 (8 weeks) US	R&B35 (5 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1969 from the film Die Reifeprüfung Author: Paul Simon Original: Simon & Garfunkel , 1968
	Soul Clap '69	UK35 (4 weeks) UK	-	-	B-side by Mrs. Robinson Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr.
	Slum baby	-	US88 (4 weeks) US	R&B46 (2 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1969 Authors: We Three (Bettye Crutcher, Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson)
1970	Something McLemore Avenue	-	US76 (4 weeks) US	-	First published: May 1970 Author: George Harrison Original: The Beatles , 1969
1971	Melting Pot Melting Pot	-	US45 (16 weeks) US	R&B21 (9 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1971 Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson, Jr.
1973	Sugarcane The MG’s	-	-	R&B67 (8 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1973 as The MG’s writer: David Madden
1977	Sticky Stuff Universal Language	-	-	R&B68 (5 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1977 Authors: Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn

More singles

• 1963: Home Grown (March release)
• 1964: Can't Be Still (released December)
• 1965: Be My Lady (release: November 17th)
• 1966: Jingle Bells / Winter Wonderland (release: November 16)
• 1967: Winter Snow (released December 4th)
• 1971: The Wedding Song (release: September)
• 1971: Fuquawi (release: October)
• 1971: Jamaica This Morning (as The MG's; promo; release: October)
• 1974: Neckbone (as The MG's; release: May)
• 1977: Grab Bag (release: August)
• 1993: All Along the Watchtower ( Neil Young feat. Booker T. & the MG's)
• 1994: Cruisin ' ( Grammy (Best Instrumental Performance , Pop) )
• 2004: Melting Pot (Ritual Session) (Remix: Louie Vega)

Other chart placements

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)	Remarks
		DE
1969	Time Is Tight Up Tight (Soundtrack)	DE31 (2 weeks) DE	First published (DE): July 1969

literature

• Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul . 3rd Revised Edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, pp. 72-74 - ISBN 0-312-02573-4

swell

1. ↑ Guardian of March 11, 2019 Booker T. Jones himself clearly states that the band name can be traced back to the British car brand: "Someone at Stax had an MG motor car, so we called ourselves Booker T and the MGs".
2. ^ Rob Bowman, Soulsville U .SA - The Story of Stax Records , 1997, p. 38.
3. ^ Rob Bowman, Soulsville USA - The Story of Stax Records , 1997, p. 40.
4. ^ Joseph Murrells, Million Selling Records , 1985, p. 160.
5. ↑ Barry Graves / Siegfried Schmidt-Joos , Das neue Rocklexikon , 1990, p. 104.
6. ↑ Blues Brothers in the Internet Movie Database (English)
7. ↑ Booker T. & the MG's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In: rockhall.com. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (English).
8. ↑ Lifetime Achievement Award (English).
9. ↑ 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Rolling Stone , December 2, 2010, accessed August 8, 2017 . 
10. ↑ ^{a b c d} Chart sources: UK Billboard Hot 100 Billboard 200
11. ↑ ^{a b c d} gold / platinum databases: UK US
12. ^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9
13. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4
14. ↑ Chart data DE

Web links

• Booker T. Jones official website
• Booker T. & the MG's at Allmusic (English)
• Booker T. & the MG's at Discogs (English)
• Booker T. & the MG's at 45cat.com