Green Onions

Booker T. & the M.G.s created this iconic track during a spontaneous studio moment at Stax Records. What began as a casual jam between 17-year-old keyboardist Booker T. Jones, guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Lewie Steinberg, and drummer Al Jackson Jr.—while waiting for a Billy Lee Riley session—caught the ear of Stax president Jim Stewart. His decision to roll tape on their bluesy organ riff resulted in Green Onions, a timeless instrumental album that became a cornerstone of soul and funk music.