Blues great joins friends on UK tour

Blues guitarist Steve Cropper will be the special guest when The Animals and Friends go on tour, starting at Nottingham’s Rock City on January 22.

Steve, a founding member of Booker T And The MGs, who had hits with Green Onions, Soul Limbo and Time Is Tight, will join original Animals, John Steel and Mick Gallagher. Danny Handley and Peter Barton complete the line-up.

Steve was the songwriting partner of Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd and many other artists, as well as being involved in every record issued by Stax from 1961 to the end of 1970.

He also starred in the John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd cult film, The Blues Brothers, as part of The Blues Brothers Band, in 1980, and then in Blues Brothers 2000 in 1999.

Fans will be able to hear Steve play (Sittin’) On The Dock Of The Bay, Soul Man, In The Midnight Hour, Green Onions and Boom Boom.

The Animals will perform all their hits, including House Of The Rising Sun, We Gotta Get Out Of This PLace and Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.

Support will be provided by Blue Coupe and an acoustic set from Deborah Bonham.

The tour continues until February 17, ending at Morecambe.