Goodbye to Bobby Whitlock (Derek and the Dominos)

Bobby Whitlock, keyboard player, singer and co -founder of the Derek & The Dominos, died at the age of 77. According to Tmz reports, the news was confirmed by his manager Carol Kaye: Whitlock died on the night between Saturday and Sunday after a short illness, at his home in Texas.

Whitlock’s career has had origins in the soul of Memphis as a session man in Stax studios, to sign a contract with that famous label, becoming the first white artist to do it. His musical ascent led him to collaborations with Delaney & Bonnie, where he met Eric Clapton. In 1970, with Clapton, Carl Radle and Jim Gordon, he founded the Derek & The Dominos, participating in the creation of the classic “Layla and Other Assated Love Songs”, an album that contains “Layla”, one of the most famous and known songs of the 70s. Clapton wrote it for Pattie Boyd, then Mrs. Harrison, George’s wife. Whitlock played with Jim Gordon the second memorable tail of the song – Gordon is co -accredited as an author, but is “inspired” to a melody of Rita Coolidge. In the Whitlock album he was co -author of several songs such as “Tell the Truth” and “Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?”, Contributing significantly to the Dominos repertoire, which however melted shortly after. Whitlock embarked on a solo career and collaborated in the 70s with George Harrison and Rolling Stones.
In 2024 he was awarded a musical star on the Beale Street Walk of Fame in Memphis.