The world of music is mourning the loss of Bobby Whitlock, a singer-songwriter and pianist who passed away on Sunday, August 10 at the age of 77. Among those marking the loss is his former bandmate and friend Eric Clapton.
Back in 1970, Eric, now 80, and the late Whitlock were two of the original founding members of the blues-rock band Derek and the Dominos, alongside Carl Radle and Jim Gordon, joined briefly in their first sessions by former Beatles member George Harrison.
The pair became friends while working with Harrison, although their tenure as a band was short-lived, only resulting in just one studio album and disbanding after a year together.
Eric, now the only surviving member of Derek and the Dominos, memorialized his late friend with a tribute on Facebook including a throwback photo of Whitlock taken by his wife CoCo Carmel in 2011.
“Our dear friend Bobby Whitlock, has passed away at 77, our sincere condolences to Bobby’s wife CoCo and his family on this sad day…. RIP Bobby xxx,” he simply wrote. Whitlock passed away after a brief bout with cancer.
Fans inundated the post with comments like: “Greatest collaboration in Rock and Roll History! My deepest condolences to his family and all,” and: “EC, you and Bobby made my favorite LP! And contributed greatly to my favorite post Beatles album. Sad day for sure,” as well as: “So so sad. Condolences to CoCo. His incredible voice (and keybd chops) remain with us forever.”
Whitlock also contributed his talents to several other solo albums by Eric, Harrison, the Rolling Stones, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, and Dr. John.
© Getty ImagesHis legacy also remains profound thanks to the one album that Derek and the Dominos did release, 1970’s Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, on which he co-wrote seven of the 14 tracks, including its lead single, “Bell Bottom Blues.”
The album’s initial commercial reception was mild, reaching the top 20 in the United States, a low rank for what was considered to be an effort from a “supergroup,” and received middling critical reviews as well.
In the decades since, however, the album has been reappraised and is now considered a blues-rock masterpiece and, in particular, Eric’s magnum opus. The renewed reception was in large part due to the success of its title track, “Layla.”
© Getty ImagesThe song, the album’s second single, didn’t begin gaining traction until 1972, when it grew in commercial stature thanks to positive word-of-mouth and became a top ten hit worldwide, one of Eric’s most successful songs.
“Layla” was inspired by the English singer’s growing infatuation with Pattie Boyd, then the wife of George Harrison. After their divorce, Eric and Pattie eventually became a couple and then tied the knot, remaining married until 1989.
An acoustic rearrangement of “Layla” came in 1992 and (controversially) won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 1993, beating out the likes of Bruce Springsteen’s “Human Touch,” Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy,” and most notably, Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
© Getty ImagesBobby Whitlock is survived by his wife CoCo and his three children, Ashley Brown, Beau Whitlock and Tim Whitlock Kelly.
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