Robert Stanley Whitlock (born March 18, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the
blues-rock band
Derek and the Dominos
Derek and the Dominos was an English–American blues rock band formed in the spring of 1970 by guitarist and singer Eric Clapton, keyboardist and singer Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon. All four members had previou ...
, with
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
, in 1970–71. Whitlock's musical career began with
Memphis soul
Memphis soul, also known as the Memphis sound, is the most prominent strain of Southern soul. It is a shimmering, sultry style produced in the 1960s and 1970s at Stax Records and Hi Records in Memphis, Tennessee, featuring melodic unison horn line ...
acts such as
Sam & Dave
Sam & Dave were an American soul and R&B duo who performed together from 1961 until 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Sam Moore (born 1935) and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (1937–1988).
Nicknamed "Double Dynamite", "The ...
and
Booker T. & the M.G.'s before he joined
Delaney & Bonnie and Friends
Delaney & Bonnie were an American duo of singer-songwriters Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett. In 1969 and 1970, they fronted a rock/soul ensemble, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, whose members at different times included Duane Allman, Gregg A ...
in 1968. His association with Delaney & Bonnie bandmate Clapton led to Whitlock's participation in sessions for
George Harrison
George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
's 1970 triple album ''
All Things Must Pass
''All Things Must Pass'' is the third studio album by English rock musician George Harrison. Released as a triple album in November 1970, it was Harrison's first solo work after the break-up of the Beatles in April that year. It includes the h ...
'', in London, and the formation of Derek and the Dominos that year. On the band's sole studio album, the critically acclaimed ''
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
''Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs'' is the only studio album by the English–American rock band Derek and the Dominos, released in November 1970 as a double album. It is best known for its title track, " Layla", and is often regarded as Eri ...
'', Whitlock wrote or co-wrote seven of the album's fourteen tracks, including "
Tell the Truth", "
Bell Bottom Blues" and "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?"
Whitlock recorded four solo albums during the 1970s, among them ''
Bobby Whitlock
Robert Stanley Whitlock (born March 18, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the blues-rock band Derek and the Dominos, with Eric Clapton, in 1970–71. Whitlock's musical career began with Memp ...
'' and ''
Raw Velvet
''Raw Velvet'' is the second solo album by American songwriter and musician Bobby Whitlock, released in 1972. The appearance of Eric Clapton, Carl Radle and Jim Gordon of Derek and the Dominos was only indicated by the representation of 'dom ...
'', and contributed to albums by Clapton,
Dr John
Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B.
Active as a session musician from ...
and
the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
. He then withdrew from music until releasing ''It's About Time'' in 1999. Following his return, Whitlock has recorded and performed with his wife, CoCo Carmel, and since 2006 with other musicians based in
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
. Among his and Carmel's projects, ''Other Assorted Love Songs, Live from Whitney Chapel'' contains acoustic interpretations of songs originally recorded by Derek and the Dominos.
Biography
Early career 1965–68
In an article for ''
Mojo
Mojo may refer to:
* Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* MOJO HD, an American television network
* ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film
* ' ...
'' magazine in May 2011, music journalist Phil Sutcliffe described Whitlock as having been born in Memphis and learning to play the
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...
"peering over
Booker T Booker T or Booker T. may refer to
* Booker T. Washington (1856–1915), African American political leader at the turn of the 20th century
** List of things named after Booker T. Washington, some nicknamed "Booker T."
* Booker T. Jones (born 1944) ...
's shoulder at Stax studios".
While still a teenager, Whitlock befriended acts associated with
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record company, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the label changed its name to Stax Records in 1961. It also shared its operations with sister label Volt Records.
Stax was ...
, including
Albert King
Albert Nelson (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), known by his stage name Albert King, was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps b ...
,
Sam & Dave
Sam & Dave were an American soul and R&B duo who performed together from 1961 until 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Sam Moore (born 1935) and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (1937–1988).
Nicknamed "Double Dynamite", "The ...
,
the Staples Singers
The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples (December 28, 1914 – December 19, 2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha (April 11, 1934 – February 21 ...
and
Booker T. & the M.G.'s, and was the first white artist signed to the label.
His first contribution to a recording was in 1967, when he supplied handclaps on Sam & Dave's single "
I Thank You".
Between 1965 and 1968, Whitlock performed regularly in the Memphis area, playing organ with local
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
band the Short Cuts before forming the Counts. In his 2010 autobiography, Whitlock writes of this period in Memphis: "It was a great time and town for music then, especially soul music. It was real
rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
. Albert King R&B, that's what I'm talking about. It was loose and all about music everywhere that you turned." With established Stax musicians such as
Steve Cropper
Steven Lee Cropper (born October 21, 1941), sometimes known as "The Colonel", is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which backed artists such as Ot ...
as his mentor,
and
Donald "Duck" Dunn
Donald "Duck" Dunn (November 24, 1941 – May 13, 2012) was an American bass guitarist, session musician, record producer, and songwriter. Dunn was notable for his 1960s recordings with Booker T. & the M.G.'s and as a session bassist for Stax Rec ...
and
Don Nix
Don Nix (born September 27, 1941, Memphis, Tennessee, United States) is an American songwriter, composer, arranger, musician, and author. Although cited as being "one of the more obscure figures in Southern soul and rock", he is a key figure in ...
preparing to produce a pop album by him on a Stax subsidiary label, Whitlock instead left Memphis after meeting the husband-and-wife team
Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett. Whitlock recalls that he was performing at a club with the Counts when the Bramletts invited him to join a soul-revue band they were forming in Los Angeles.
Delaney & Bonnie 1968–70
Whitlock contributed on keyboards and vocals to two
Delaney & Bonnie
Delaney & Bonnie were an American duo of singer-songwriters Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett. In 1969 and 1970, they fronted a rock/soul ensemble, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, whose members at different times included Duane Allman, Gregg ...
albums in 1969, ''
Home
A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...
'' and ''
Accept No Substitute
''The Original Delaney & Bonnie'', also known by its subtitle ''Accept No Substitute'', is the second studio album by American recording duo Delaney & Bonnie. It was recorded with many of the "friends" that would form the core of their best-known ...
''.
Their touring band, known as Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, included musicians he would continue to work with on projects through to the early 1970s: bassist
Carl Radle
Carl Dean Radle (June 18, 1942 – May 30, 1980) was an American bassist who toured and recorded with many of the most influential recording artists of the late 1960s and 1970s. He was posthumously inducted to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame i ...
; drummers
Jim Keltner
James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America".Howard Sounes. ''Down ...
and
Jim Gordon; and a horn section comprising
Bobby Keys
Robert Henry Keys (December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014) was an American saxophonist who performed with other musicians as a member of several horn sections of the 1970s. He appears on albums by the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Harry Ni ...
and
Jim Price. Another member was
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
, who joined the Friends as lead guitarist midway through a U.S. tour in July–August 1969.
[''The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll'', p. 183.] On this tour, Delaney & Bonnie were supporting Clapton's short-lived
supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to:
* Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields
* Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry
* Supergroup ...
Blind Faith
Blind Faith were an English supergroup featuring Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech. They were eagerly anticipated by the music press following on the success of each of the member's former bands, including Clapton a ...
, with
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a keyboard player and vocalist prominent for his disti ...
. Clapton later described Whitlock as "without doubt the most energetic sideman I had ever seen". Along with all the other members of Delaney & Bonnie,
Whitlock flew to England in November 1969 to prepare for a highly publicized European tour,
financed by Clapton.
In his autobiography, Whitlock states that their arrival in London changed the dynamics within the band, as the Bramletts now considered themselves "big stars" and the ones solely responsible for the new-found success. Once in London, Whitlock participated in a session for a solo album by the American soul singer
Doris Troy
Doris Troy (born Doris Elaine Higginsen; January 6, 1937 – February 16, 2004) was an American R&B singer and songwriter, known to her many fans as "Mama Soul". Her biggest hit was " Just One Look", a top 10 hit in 1963.
Life and career
She ...
, on
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
'
Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
record label.
[Harris, p. 70.] The album, ''
Doris Troy
Doris Troy (born Doris Elaine Higginsen; January 6, 1937 – February 16, 2004) was an American R&B singer and songwriter, known to her many fans as "Mama Soul". Her biggest hit was " Just One Look", a top 10 hit in 1963.
Life and career
She ...
'' (1970), was co-produced by
George Harrison
George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
,
who, having championed Delaney & Bonnie in the British press, accepted Clapton's invitation to join the tour. Through Harrison, Whitlock and the band then played at
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
's "
Peace for Christmas" concert, held at the
Lyceum Ballroom
The Lyceum Theatre ( ) is a West End theatre located in the City of Westminster, on Wellington Street, just off the Strand in central London. It has a seating capacity of 2,100. The origins of the theatre date to 1765. Managed by Samuel Arnol ...
in London on December 15, 1969.
In early 1970, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends backed Clapton on his debut solo album, ''
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
'', and toured America with the English guitarist. After arguments with the Bramletts over money, the other Friends quit the band and joined
Leon Russell
Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...
on
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...
's
Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour.
Whitlock continued to work with Delaney & Bonnie until April,
following sessions for their album ''
To Bonnie from Delaney
''To Bonnie from Delaney'' is the fourth album by Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. It was their first studio album for the Atco/Atlantic Records, Atlantic label (catalog no. SD 33-341), and their fourth album overall. Coincidentally, Atco/Atlantic's ...
'' (1970). On Cropper's advice,
he then returned to England to stay with Clapton at his home, Hurtwood Edge, in
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
.
Derek and the Dominos 1970–71
Seeking to start a new band, Whitlock and Clapton reunited with Radle and Gordon at a session for
P.P. Arnold
PP, pp or Pp may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Pianissimo'', a music term meaning ''very quiet'', from musical dynamics
* Production code for the 1967–1968 ''Doctor Who'' serial ''The Enemy of the World''
* Police Procedural - a subgen ...
,
[Harris, p. 72.] before going on to back Harrison on his 1970 triple album ''
All Things Must Pass
''All Things Must Pass'' is the third studio album by English rock musician George Harrison. Released as a triple album in November 1970, it was Harrison's first solo work after the break-up of the Beatles in April that year. It includes the h ...
''. Whitlock has described the latter sessions as "spectacular in every way".
Although individual contributions remain hard to ascertain, due to the large cast of musicians on the
Phil Spector
Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...
-produced recording, Harrison biographer Simon Leng identifies Whitlock as one of two "core keyboard players" on ''All Things Must Pass''. Having traditionally favored Hammond organ as his keyboard instrument, Whitlock played piano for the first time on a studio recording during the session for Harrison's "
Beware of Darkness".
In June 1970, early in the ''All Things Must Pass'' sessions, Clapton, Whitlock, Radle and Gordon formed the
blues-rock band
Derek and the Dominos
Derek and the Dominos was an English–American blues rock band formed in the spring of 1970 by guitarist and singer Eric Clapton, keyboardist and singer Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon. All four members had previou ...
.
Their first release was a US-only single, "
Tell the Truth", produced by Spector and written primarily by Whitlock. In August, once their work on Harrison's album was complete, Derek and the Dominos toured the UK, playing to small venues. That summer, Whitlock and his bandmates also participated in London sessions for
Dr John
Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B.
Active as a session musician from ...
's album ''
The Sun, Moon & Herbs'' (1971).
[Reid, p. 105.]
Unhappy with Spector's treatment of their sound,
the band went to
Criteria Studios
Criteria Studios is a recording studio in North Miami, Florida, founded in 1958 by musician Mack Emerman. Hundreds of gold, platinum, and diamond singles and albums have been recorded, mixed or mastered at Criteria, for many notable artists and ...
in Miami to work with producer
Tom Dowd
Thomas John Dowd (October 20, 1925 – October 27, 2002) was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multitrack recording method. Dowd worked on a veritable "who's who" of recordings ...
, on what became a double album – ''
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
''Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs'' is the only studio album by the English–American rock band Derek and the Dominos, released in November 1970 as a double album. It is best known for its title track, " Layla", and is often regarded as Eri ...
'' (1970). As well as a remake of "Tell the Truth", the album included six other songs written or co-written by Whitlock,
including "Anyday", "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?", "Keep on Growing" and "Thorn Tree in the Garden".
In addition, Whitlock helped Clapton finish "
Bell Bottom Blues", although he was not initially credited as a co-writer on that song. "Keep on Growing" and "Thorn Tree in the Garden" featured Whitlock on lead vocals, while on other tracks he and Clapton shared the singing in a style reminiscent of Sam & Dave.
Adding to the power of the Dominos' music, Clapton's inspiration for the songs on ''Layla'' was his unrequited love for
Pattie Boyd
Patricia Anne Boyd (born 17 March 1944) is an English model and photographer. She was one of the leading international models during the 1960s and, with Jean Shrimpton, epitomised the British female look of the era. Boyd married George Harri ...
, Harrison's wife.
Whitlock began a relationship with Boyd's sister Paula at this time,
[Clapton, p. 135.] and was therefore, as he has described it, "in the inner circle ... in the middle of it with all of them".
[Whitlock, p. 77.] He comments on a musical dialogue between Harrison and Clapton in their songs: "There were subliminal messages, going back and forth, between two good friends as a way of healing and setting each other free ... I have always known that the better part of those songs
n ''All Things Must Pass''were directed to Eric, just like Eric's were to George on the ''Layla'' record."
Between October and December 1970,
Derek and the Dominos toured the United States in support of ''Layla''. 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." But the ''Layla'' album made little commercial impact on release,
failing to chart in the UK.
Clapton's despondency at being rejected by Boyd, the band's drug consumption, and personal conflicts between the members,
particularly with Gordon, all contributed to the break-up of the Dominos in May 1971.
Solo career 1971–76
Whitlock recorded his debut solo album, ''
Bobby Whitlock
Robert Stanley Whitlock (born March 18, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the blues-rock band Derek and the Dominos, with Eric Clapton, in 1970–71. Whitlock's musical career began with Memp ...
'' (1972), at London's
Olympic Studios
Olympic Studios was a renowned British independent commercial recording studio based in Barnes, London. It is best known for its recordings of many artists throughout the late 1960s to the first decade of the 21st century, including Jimi Hendr ...
in 1971, with
Andy Johns
Jeremy Andrew "Andy" Johns (20 May 1950 – 7 April 2013) was a British sound engineer and record producer who worked on several well-known rock albums, including the Rolling Stones' '' Exile on Main St.'' (1972), Television's '' Marquee Moon'' ...
as his co-producer.
The recording took place before the abortive sessions for the Dominos' second studio album; a press release for the 2013 reissue of ''Bobby Whitlock'' gives the recording date as starting in March 1971,
while Dominos biographer Jan Reid writes of sessions happening in January that year.
[Reid, p. 145.] Whitlock played acoustic or electric rhythm guitar on much of the album, which also included musical contributions from all the Dominos (often recorded separately),
the Bramletts, Harrison, Keys, Price and Keltner. Among its tracks, "Where There's a Will" was a Whitlock–Bonnie Bramlett collaboration that had featured in Delaney & Bonnie's live shows in 1969–70, and "A Day Without Jesus" was co-written by Whitlock and Don Nix. The record peaked at number 140 on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart,
the
same magazine praising it as "a persuasively powerful first album".
Whitlock's second solo album, also on
ABC-Dunhill Records, was ''
Raw Velvet
''Raw Velvet'' is the second solo album by American songwriter and musician Bobby Whitlock, released in 1972. The appearance of Eric Clapton, Carl Radle and Jim Gordon of Derek and the Dominos was only indicated by the representation of 'dom ...
'', released in November 1972. It included appearances by Clapton and Gordon, on "Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham", although the majority of the album, including another remake of "Tell the Truth", featured new associates such as guitarist
Rick Vito
Richard Francis (Rick) Vito (born October 13, 1949, in Darby, Pennsylvania, United States) is an American guitarist and singer. He was part of Fleetwood Mac between 1987 and 1991. Vito took over as lead guitarist after Lindsey Buckingham left t ...
and ex-
Van der Graaf Generator
Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester by singer-songwriters Peter Hammill and Judge Smith, Chris Judge Smith and the first act signed by Charisma Records. They did not experience much commerc ...
bassist
Keith Ellis. The album was co-produced by
Jimmy Miller
James Miller (March 23, 1942 – October 22, 1994) was an American record producer and musician. While he produced albums for dozens of different bands and artists, he is most closely associated for his work with several key musical acts of t ...
, whose connection with
the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
led to Whitlock making an uncredited contribution to the band's ''
Exile on Main St.
''Exile on Main St.'' is the 10th British and 12th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 12 May 1972 by Rolling Stones Records. Recording began in 1969 in England during sessions for ''Sticky Fingers'' a ...
'' double album (1972).
By this point, ''Layla''s
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
had become a hit song, following its release as a single to promote the ''
History of Eric Clapton'' compilation (1972), leading to a critical reappraisal of Derek and the Dominos and belated commercial success.
A 1970-recorded live album, ''
In Concert'', was similarly well-received when issued in January 1973.
''Raw Velvet'' peaked at number 190 on the ''Billboard'' 200, however, and it was Whitlock's last album to place on the chart.
Whitlock tried in vain to get Clapton to come out and play; realizing it was not going to happen, after two years of waiting, he went back to the United States.
His next solo album was ''One of a Kind'', co-produced with Bill Halverson and released in 1975 on
Capricorn Records
Capricorn Records was an independent record label founded by Phil Walden and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia. Capricorn Records is often credited by music historians as creating the southern rock genre.
History
Label and studio foun ...
. ''Rock Your Sox Off'' followed in 1976, opening with a new recording of "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?" Whitlock then withdrew from the music industry;
he told ''Mojo'' contributor
Harry Shapiro in 2001: "I had my own problems to deal with."
Speaking to ''
The Austin Chronicle
''The Austin Chronicle'' is an alternative weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by its targeted demogr ...
'' in 2006, Whitlock said of his retirement, "It wasn't hard to stop, because there was nothing going on in music", and rued the popularity of
disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
.
Later career
For much of the 1980s and 1990s, Whitlock lived on a farm in Mississippi, raising his children and doing occasional session work.
He had his own television show with Steve Cropper. A rare music release during this period was "Put Angels Around You", a duet with Scottish singer
Maggie Bell
Margaret Bell (born 12 January 1945 in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland) is a Scottish rock vocalist. She came to fame as co-lead vocalist of the blues-rock group Stone the Crows, and was described as the UK's closest counterpart to American singe ...
, issued as a single in 1983 on
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
's
Swan Song Records
Swan Song Records was a record label launched by the English rock band Led Zeppelin on 10 May 1974. It was overseen by Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant and was a vehicle for the band to promote its own products as well as sign artists who f ...
.
In 1999, Whitlock resumed his solo career with ''It's About Time'',
which included contributions from Cropper and saxophonist
Jim Horn
James Ronald Horn (born November 20, 1940) is an American saxophonist, woodwind player, and session musician.
Biography
Horn was born in Los Angeles, and after replacing saxophonist Steve Douglas in 1959, he toured with member Duane Eddy for f ...
.
Michael Smith of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
described the album as "one of Whitlock's most intriguing creations yet" and a "fine set from a musician we haven't heard enough from in recent years".
In April 2000, Whitlock reunited with Clapton to play live on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
''.
.
In 2003, Whitlock and his 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 "
".
hold up magnificently ...
re, 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."
Whitlock and Carmel moved to Austin, Texas in 2006.
, on the album ''Lovers'' (2008) and ''Metamorphosis'' (2010), another live recording. Released on the Domino label, ''Lovers'' included a song that Whitlock had begun writing with Clapton in the early 1970s, "Dear Veronica", and a remake of "Layla" that omitted the Gordon-composed ending, which Whitlock had never thought suitable for the track. ''Vintage'' (2009) compiled his unreleased songs from the 1990s
and included appearances by Cropper and Horn. Whitlock's solo album ''My Time'' (2009) featured musical contributions from Cropper, Keltner, Horn,
. His subsequent releases with Carmel include ''Esoteric'' (2012) and another live album, ''Carnival: Live in Austin'' (2013).
In 2013, in connection with the release of the latter album, Whitlock and Carmel gave an interview for Tracy Thibodeaux's ''
'' in which he spoke in depth about the formation of Derek and the Dominos, composing with Clapton, and playing on Harrison's ''All Things Must Pass''.
In 2010, ''Bobby Whitlock: A Rock 'n' Roll Autobiography'', written with music historian Marc Roberty, was published, with a foreword by Eric Clapton.
Whitlock's first two solo albums appeared, remastered, as ''Where There's a Will, There's a Way: The ABC-Dunhill Recordings'', released by Future Day Records in September 2013.
In 2015, Bobby Whitlock and Coco Carmel's "The Just Us Tour 2015" visited the eastern and mid-western United States, using guest guitarists in each city. The tour ended with a performance at The Jass Blues Festival in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
'' (1972)
*''One of a Kind'' (1975)
*''Rock Your Sox Off'' (1976)
*''It's About Time'' (1999)
*''Other Assorted Love Songs, Live from Whitney Chapel'' (2003) – live album, with CoCo Carmel
*''Lovers'' (2008) – with Carmel
*''Lovers: The Master Demos'' (2009) – with Carmel
*''Vintage'' (2009)
*''My Time'' (2009)
*''Metamorphosis'' (2010) – live album, with Carmel
*''Esoteric'' (2012) – with Carmel
*''Carnival: Live in Austin'' (2013) – live album, with Carmel
*''Where There's a Will, There's a Way: The ABC-Dunhill Recordings'' (2013)
Other notable recordings
*
* John Blaney, ''John Lennon: Listen to This Book'', Paper Jukebox (London, 2005; ).
* Eric Clapton, ''Eric Clapton: The Autobiography'', Random House (New York, NY, 2008; ).
* Gary Graff & Daniel Durchholz (eds), ''MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide'', Visible Ink Press (Farmington Hills, MI, 1999; ).
* John Harris, "A Quiet Storm", ''
'', July 2001.
* Simon Leng, ''While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison'', Hal Leonard (Milwaukee, WI, 2006; ).
* ''The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll'', Fireside/Rolling Stone Press (New York, NY, 1995; ).
* Chris O'Dell with Katherine Ketcham, ''Miss O'Dell: My Hard Days and Long Nights with The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and the Women They Loved'', Touchstone (New York, NY, 2009; ).
* Jan Reid, ''Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos'', Rodale (New York, NY, 2006; ).
* Michael Schumacher, ''Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton'', Hyperion (New York, NY, 1995; ).
* Bobby Whitlock with Marc Roberty,