Before the legendary Steve Cropper passed away in December 2025, he left the world one final gift. The Colonel — co-writer of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of The Bay," guitar architect of the Stax sound, the DNA of post-war American music — was quietly finishing a masterpiece. That record, Watching the Tide by Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour, arrives August 28 via Provogue/Artone Label Group, and it features an absolutely staggering lineup of guests: Eric Clapton, Brian May, Billy Gibbons, and Ronnie Wood.
The first single, "Ticket First" featuring Clapton, is already out and it tells a story about opportunity and preparation wrapped in the kind of blues-soaked warmth only Steve Cropper could conjure. Clapton is said to have done 11 takes on guitar and even received a co-writing credit — a fact that apparently left Slowhand looking pretty stunned. His response? "Anything to get my name next to Steve Cropper's."
The album also features the valedictory ballad "My Angels Are Calling" with Brian May and Billy Gibbons — May apparently singing from Cropper's own point of view, looking back over a life well lived. Ronnie Wood's stinging slide graces "Until Now," and upcoming vocalist Ana Grosh shines throughout. This isn't a posthumous cash-grab — this is a titan at the absolute top of his game, recorded with love and finished just in time.
"I finished the mixes about a week-and-a-half before Steve passed and we brought a CD to him at the medical facility," recalls producer Jon Tiven. "He called me the night before he passed to tell me how much he loved it. He was playing it for everyone who came to visit him, telling them it was the best record he'd ever made."
Tracklist:
1. Tandoori Chicken | 2. Ticket First ft. Eric Clapton | 3. My Angels Are Calling ft. Brian May & Billy F. Gibbons | 4. Until Now ft. Ronnie Wood | 5. Blood From A Stone | 6. Here & Gone ft. Ana Grosh | 7. It's Gonna Get Worse | 8. Down & Out | 9. Stand Right Here ft. Billy F. Gibbons & Ana Grosh | 10. Tipoff To The Ripoff | 11. House of Cards | 12. Tandoori Chicken Part 2