Booker T. & The Mgs

Rising from Stax house band to international recording stars in an astonishingly short time, Booker T. & the MG's set the standard for instrumental perfection. With just organ, guitar, bass and drums, they created a sound that was far bigger than the sum of its parts and one that influenced and inspired countless bands. Harder and edgier than Motown's lush pop arrangements, their Stax recordings deftly intertwined the instruments with a beautiful economy, leaving plenty of space between the lines. 

In other words, Booker T. & the MG's were all killer, no filler! Indeed, guitarist Steve Cropper could say more in two notes than most guitarists could on an entire LP side. Add the melodic prowess of keyboardist Booker T. Jones, the deep pocket drumming of Al Jackson and the propulsive bass lines of Lewie Steinberg and Donald "Duck" Dunn and you've got the tightest band around. 

Propelled by Booker T. Jones' smoky organ and the funky guitar bursts of Steve Cropper, "Green Onions," the first chart-topper by Booker T. & The MG's slithered across the 1962 airwaves, followed immediately by an album every bit as savory. Hot on the heels of that first MG's smash was "Mo' Onions," as well as the exquisite pop delights of "Stranger On The Shore" and the unsurpassed after-hours smolder of "Behave Yourself."