Bobby Whitlock
Derek and the Dominos Founder Dead at 77
Published
Derek & the Dominos founder Bobby Whitlock has passed away, confirmed by TMZ.
His manager Carol Kaye expressed that he died Sunday morning at 1:20 AM after a brief illness, surrounded by family at his home in Texas.
The family is currently identifying a charity for fans to donate to in his memory.
His wife, Coco Carmel Whitlock, paid tribute to his remarkable journey from poverty to success, stating, “How do you express in but a few words the grandness of one man who came from abject poverty in the south to heights unimagined in such a short time?”
She fondly remembers their shared adventures in music, poetry, and painting, reminiscing, “I feel his hands that were so intensely expressive and warm on my face and the small of my back whenever I close my eyes, he is there.”
She concludes with a quote Bobby lived by, “Life is what you make it, so take it and make it beautiful.”
Whitlock, a co-founder of Derek and the Dominos in 1970 with Eric Clapton, made significant contributions to their album “Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs” and had a lasting impact on the music industry long before that.
His All Music bio reveals his early career as a musician at Memphis’ Stax Studios and being the first white artist signed to Stax Records, a prominent soul music label.
Whitlock’s collaborations extended to Beatles icon George Harrison on “All Things Must Pass” and uncredited work on the Rolling Stones’ “Exile on Main Street” in 1972.
In his final years, the co-writer of “Bell Bottom Blues” discovered a passion for painting, creating 1,800 pieces since 2018.
His website describes his painting as a reflection of his inner emotions, stating, “If anyone could paint how they feel, it is Bobby.”
He was 77 years old at the time of his passing.
RIP
