Recommendations of the Editorial team
Bobby Whitlock, keyboardist in Eric Clapton’s short -lived but highly accomplished band Derek and the Dominos, died at the age of 77. Whitlock’s death in early Sunday morning was confirmed by his manager Carol Kaye. In an explanation to ABC Audio, she said: “With deep grief, the family of Bobby Whitlock announced that he died on August 10 at 1:20 a.m. after a short illness. He died in his house in Texas.” Surrounded by his family. “
Early years and career start
Whitlock, born in Memphis, began his career in the mid -1960s at Stax Records in his hometown. He became the first white artist to be under contract with the label. And recorded together with Booker T. & The MG’s and Sam & Dave.
At the end of the 1960s, Whitlock joined the Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett couple and a group of top -class musicians who became known as Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. These “friends” included a post-cream team Eric Clapton, guitarist Duane Allman, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon. Derek and the Dominos finally emerged from this constellation.
Derek and the Dominos and “Layla”
Whitlock, who had previously played on Clapton’s debut album from 1970, wrote half of the songs for the only studio album by Derek and the Dominos, “Layla and other assorted love songs”. These include classics such as “Bell Bottom Blues”, “Anyday”, “Why does love got to be so sad?” And the opener “I Looked Away”.
He also played the piano in the legendary number “Layla”. And repeatedly critically said that Rita Coolidge was not called for the second part of the song. Drummer Jim Gordon, Coolidges at the time, was instead performed as a co -author of “Layla”.
End of the band and solo career
“Layla and other assorted Love Songs” was later included in the list of the 500 best albums of all time by Rolling Stone. At the time of publication, however, it was not a commercial success. After the death of Duane Allman 1971 and Clapton’s drug addiction, the band dissolved during the recordings for the second album in the same year.
During this failed sessions in London, Whitlock also worked on his own self -titled debut album. On which George Harrison also participated in addition to his dominos colleagues. Previously, Whitlock had contributed organ and piano parts to Harrison’s masterpiece “All Things Must Pass”. Including at “My Sweet Lord”, “What is Life”, the title song and the long Apple Jam.
Further projects and return to music
Whitlock also seemed an unnamed on the Rolling-Stones album “Exile on Main St.” with. And later claimed that he and Mick Taylor – and not Mick Jagger and Keith Richards – had written the song “I just want to see his face”.
His second solo album “Raw Velvet” (1972) was also created with Clapton and Harrison. He then published two more solo albums before largely withdrawn from the music business at the end of the 1970s. Whitlock returned at the turn of the millennium. Ift together with his wife, the musician Coco Carmel. In 2000 he also performed with Clapton on the show Later with Jools Holland to play “Bell Bottom Blues” together.