Steve Cropper’s Family Objects to Forthcoming Posthumous Release
- Watching the Tide due Aug. 28
The family of Steve Cropper “does not support or authorize” the forthcoming release of Watching the Tide, which the Provogue/Artone Label Group previewed with “Ticket First,” a slinky blues-rocker featuring Eric Clapton.
In addition to Tide, Cropper, who died in 2025, had been working on a documentary and soundtrack recording, plus two additional LPs, his family said in a statement.
“We look forward to releasing these projects in the proper way and at the appropriate time, honoring Steve’s wishes and preserving the integrity of his legacy,” it read.
“The Cropper family remains committed to protecting Steve Cropper’s artistic legacy and ensuring that future releases are handled with the respect, care and authenticity that he deserves.”
As for “Ticket First,” it continues in the vein of Cropper’s late-career releases - a sampling of Sound Bites’ coverage here and here - with enthusiastic deliveries of middling material; Clapton’s solo is a boost on this one.
Due Aug. 28 and credited to Cropper & the Midnight Hour, Watching the Tide also features cameos from Billy Gibbons, Brian May and Ronnie Wood.
“The album is a huge statement for a musical colossus who towered over the rock ‘n’ roll age,” Provogue/Artone said in a statement. “Yet, to play this posthumous release is to hear an all-time great still at the top of his game, blending the burning passion of youth with the wisdom of an old master.”
