In a career that found him collaborating with some of the most illustrious musicians of his era, including George Harrison, the Rolling Stones, Sam & Dave, Booker T & the MGs, Dr John and Stephen Stills, it was his work with Eric Clapton that rubber-stamped Bobby Whitlock’s place in rock’n’roll history. In particular, he will be remembered for his writing and playing contributions to the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970), often considered Clapton’s finest achievement.
Clapton first came across Whitlock, a keyboard player and singer, who has died of cancer aged 77, when he was a member of the rock-soul act Delaney & Bonnie and Friends (formed by the married couple Bonnie and Delaney Bramlett). Clapton liked them so much that he recruited them as the opening act for his band Blind Faith on their sole tour in 1969, and they would also appear on Clapton’s first solo album, Eric Clapton (1970). The live album On Tour with Eric Clapton (1970) cracked the US Top 30 and was Delaney & Bonnie’s most successful release.
