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Bobby Whitlock

18 March 1948 - 10 August 2025

Robert Stanley Whitlock was an American singer,
songwriter, and musician renowned for his role on

keyboards and as a vocalist in the blues-rock band
Derek and the Dominos, which he co-founded with
Eric Clapton in 1970.

Bobby Whitlock was born in Memphis, Tennessee,
United States. He was renowned for his role as a
keyboard player and vocalist in the blues-rock band

Derek and the Dominos, which he co-founded with
Eric Clapton in 1970.

He began his career in the vibrant soul music scene

of the 1960s, performing with acts such as Sam &
Dave and Booker T. & the M.G.'S. His first
contribution to a recording was in 1967, when he
supplied handclaps on Sam & Dave's single "I
Thank You".

His prominence grew through his work on George
Harrison’s seminal album “All Things Must Pass”
and as a key contributor writing or co-writing half

the tracks to “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs”.

He spent some time playing in Delaney and Bonnie and Friends.

Whitlock released several solo albums in the 1970s and, after a hiatus, returned to
music in the late 1990s with collaborations including his wife CoCo Carmel in Austin,
Texas.

During his time with Derek and the Dominoes in London, The Elton John Band was
their opening act. In his autobiography, Elton John said, "They were phenomenal.
From the side of the stage, I took mental notes of their performance ... it was their
keyboard player Bobby Whitlock that I watched like a hawk. ... You watched and you

learned, from people that had more experience than you”.

In 2003, Whitlock and his partner/wife, musician CoCo Carmel, collaborated on
“Other Assorted Love Songs”, a live album that again revisited the Dominos' songs,

as well as including Harrison's ‘All Things Must Pass’. Music critic Bruce Eder praised
the album, writing: "The classic pieces [from Layla] hold up magnificently ... [H]ere,
acoustic guitar and piano are more than sufficient accompaniment and, indeed,
coupled with Whitlock's powerful singing and range, make a strong case for these

being the definitive versions."

Constructed from various sources Ian K McKenzie