Bobby Whitlock, the singer-keyboardist and co-founder of ‘70s blues-rock band Derek & the Dominos alongside Eric Clapton, has died, according to his manager Carol Kaye. In a statement to Variety, Kaye shared that Whitlock died earlier this morning following a cancer diagnosis. He was 77.
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 18, 1948, Whitlock gravitated towards music at a young age, both as a fan and a student interested in learning the keyboard and organ. As a teenager, Whitlock started befriending artists in the Stax Records orbit, including Booker T. & the M.G.’s, the Staples Singers, Albert King, and others, eventually weaseling his way into their circuit by way of that respectful admiration. After he earned his first proper recording credit performing handclaps on Sam & Dave’s single “I Thank You,” he signed to Stax—making him the first white artist to join their roster—and played organ regularly around the local scene, in part with the soul bands Short Cuts and the Counts.
Though Stax mentor Steve Cropper took him under his wing and Donald “Duck” Dunn and Don Nix were planning to produce a pop album by him, Whitlock decided to leave Memphis to pursue music with the rock and soul duo Delaney & Bonnie. He played keys and contributed additional vocals on their two 1969 albums Home and Accept No Substitute. While touring with the duo, Whitlock met numerous musicians that he would collaborate with later on in his career, like Bobby Keys and Jim Price, as well as future Derek & the Dominos members Carl Radle and Jim Gordon. When Delaney & Bonnie opened for Clapton’s supergroup Blind Faith, Whitlock and Clapton crossed paths for the first time. (Looking back on that leg, Clapton would describe Whitlock as “the most energetic sideman I had ever seen.”)
Once Delaney & Bonnie dropped their live album On Tour with Eric Clapton in 1970, Whitlock was eager to test his skills in a new band. He reunited with Clapton, Radle, and Gordon for a quick session before getting an invite to join Clapton on his debut solo album, Eric Clapton, and to accompany George Harrison in the studio as he recorded All Things Must Pass, the late guitarist’s third solo album and first following the Beatles’ breakup. Whitlock contributed heavily to that Billboard No. 1 album, playing organ, piano, harmonium, tubular bells, and backing vocals on most tracks, including the hits “My Sweet Lord” and “What Is Life.”