Bobby Whitlock on Eric Clapton, Derek & the Dominos… and Why He Hates the Piano Coda of ‘Layla’
Keyboardist, guitarist and singer Bobby Whitlock has performed on some of rock’s best-loved albums since his early days with Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. The Memphis native, mentored at Stax Records by Booker T. Jones and Steve Cropper, soon became a favorite of British musicians who hoped to tap his soulful R&B style.
Whitlock, a co-founder with Eric Clapton of Derek & the Dominos, had a hand in writing seven of the nine original songs on Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, including favorites like “Bell Bottom Blues” and “Keep On Growing.” The band, which included bassist Carl Radle, drummer Jim Gordon and guest guitarist Duane Allman, only produced one studio LP.
Whitlock performed on Clapton’s debut solo album and George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass. Sessions with the Rolling Stones, John Lennon and Dr. John followed. Whitlock has released a series of solo albums, with a break in the 1980s and ’90s to raise his children.
In 2010 the keyboardist penned Bobby Whitlock: A Rock ’n’ Roll Autobiography with a forward by Clapton. Today Whitlock records and performs with his wife CoCo Carmel, an accomplished singer, guitarist and producer. This interview was conducted in 2017.
