Bobby Whitlock, the singer-keyboardist and co-founder of ‘70s blues-rock band Derek & the Dominos alongside Eric Clapton, has died, based on his supervisor Carol Kaye. In a press release to Selection, Kaye shared that Whitlock died earlier this morning following a most cancers analysis. He was 77.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 18, 1948, Whitlock gravitated in direction of music at a younger age, each as a fan and a scholar fascinated by studying the keyboard and organ. As a youngster, Whitlock began befriending artists within the Stax Information orbit, together with Booker T. & the M.G.’s, the Staples Singers, Albert King, and others, ultimately weaseling his means into their circuit by means of that respectful admiration. After he earned his first correct recording credit score performing handclaps on Sam & Dave’s single “I Thank You,” he signed to Stax—making him the primary white artist to hitch their roster—and performed organ repeatedly across the native scene, partially with the soul bands Quick Cuts and the Counts.
Although Stax mentor Steve Cropper took him below his wing and Donald “Duck” Dunn and Don Nix had been planning to supply a pop album by him, Whitlock determined to depart Memphis to pursue music with the rock and soul duo Delaney & Bonnie. He performed keys and contributed extra vocals on their two 1969 albums Dwelling and Settle for No Substitute. Whereas touring with the duo, Whitlock met quite a few musicians that he would collaborate with afterward in his profession, like Bobby Keys and Jim Worth, in addition to future Derek & the Dominos members Carl Radle and Jim Gordon. When Delaney & Bonnie opened for Clapton’s supergroup Blind Religion, Whitlock and Clapton crossed paths for the primary time. (Trying again on that leg, Clapton would describe Whitlock as “essentially the most energetic sideman I had ever seen.”)
As soon as Delaney & Bonnie dropped their dwell album On Tour with Eric Clapton in 1970, Whitlock was keen to check his expertise in a brand new band. He reunited with Clapton, Radle, and Gordon for a fast session earlier than getting an invitation to hitch Clapton on his debut solo album, Eric Clapton, and to accompany George Harrison within the studio as he recorded All Issues Should Move, the late guitarist’s third solo album and first following the Beatles’ breakup. Whitlock contributed closely to that Billboard No. 1 album, enjoying organ, piano, harmonium, tubular bells, and backing vocals on most tracks, together with the hits “My Candy Lord” and “What Is Life.”
