Latest news with #keyboardist
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bobby Whitlock, Derek and the Dominos Keyboardist and Co-Founder, Dead at 77
Bobby Whitlock, keyboardist in Eric Clapton's short-lived but acclaimed band Derek and the Dominos, has died at the age of 77. Whitlock's death early Sunday morning was confirmed by his manager Carol Kaye, who said in a statement to ABC Audio, 'With profound sadness, the family of Bobby Whitlock announces his passing at 1:20am on Aug. 10 after a brief illness. He passed in his home in Texas, surrounded by family.' More from Rolling Stone The World's Hardest Beatles 'Abbey Road' Quiz George Harrison's Quiet Love Affair With Formula One George Harrison's Unfinished Breakfast Toast From 1963 Sells to Beatles Fan The Memphis-born Whitlock began his career in the mid-Sixties at his hometown Stax Records, becoming the first white artist signed by the label and recording alongside the likes of Booker T & The M.G.'s and Sam & Dave. In the late-Sixties, Whitlock would join the husband-wife duo Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett and an army of talented musicians in a group dubbed Delaney & Bonnie and Friends; some of those 'Friends' included a post-Cream Eric Clapton, guitarist Duane Allman, bassist Carl Radle, and drummer Jim Gordon. Those four artists and Whitlock would eventually form Derek and the Dominos. Whitlock, who previously played on Clapton's 1970 self-titled debut album, co-wrote half of the songs that appear on Derek and the Dominos' 1970 studio album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, including the classic rock standard 'Bell Bottom Blues,' 'Anyday,' 'Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?,' and opener 'I Looked Away.' Whitlock also played the piano part on the band's classic 'Layla,' and had long been vocal about Rita Coolidge being credited with the song's second movement; drummer Jim Gordon, Coolidge's boyfriend at the time, was instead credited as 'Layla' co-writer. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs would later be named be named one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. However, it was not commercially successful upon release, and compounded with the 1971 death of Duane Allman as well as Clapton's drug addiction, Derek and the Dominos ultimately broke up in 1971 in the midst of recording their second album. While recording that failed sophomore album in London, Whitlock also worked on his own self-titled debut album, which featured his Derek and the Dominos band mates as well as George Harrison; Whitlock previously contributed organ and piano to the former Beatle's 1970 masterpiece All Things Must Pass, appearing on songs like 'My Sweet Lord,' 'What Is Life,' the title track, and the vinyl-length Apple Jam. (Whitlock also appeared, uncredited, on the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main St., and later claimed that he and the Stones' Mick Taylor, and not Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, co-wrote that album's 'I Just Want to See His Face.') Whitlock's second solo album, 1972's Raw Velvet, also featured Clapton and Harrison. Whitlock released two more solo LPs before largely leaving the the music industry by the end of the Seventies. However, by the turn of the millennium, Whitlock returned to recording, often accompanied by his wife and musician CoCo Carmel. Whitlock and Clapton also reunited in 2000 to perform 'Bell Bottom Blues' together on Later With Jools Holland: Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bobby Whitlock death: Derek and the Dominos co-founder dies aged 77
Bobby Whitlock, the singer and keyboardist who formed Derek and the Dominos with Eric Clapton, has died. He was 77. The Memphis-born musician also played on George Harrison's 1970 album All Things Must Pass, among many other classic recordings. His death was confirmed by his manager Carol Kaye, who told CBS News he died of cancer in the early hours of Sunday morning, surrounded by his family in Texas. In a statement, Whitlock's wife, Coco Carmel Whitlock, said: '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? 'As he would always say: 'Life is what you make it, so take it and make it beautiful.' And he did. Farewell my Love, I'll see you in my dreams.' Whitlock, whose given names were Robert Stanley, was born on March 18, 1948. As a teenager, he met and befriended the musicians recording at Stax Studios in Memphis, and learned to play the organ from soul acts like Booker T. & the M.G.'s and Sam & Dave. His first credited recordings came when he sang and played keyboards on a pair of Delaney & Bonnie albums in 1969, Home and Accept No Substitute. While touring with Delaney & Bonnie, Whitlock was introduced to the guitarist Eric Clapton. The Delaney & Bonnie and Friends band backed Clapton on his self-titled debut solo album in 1970, and the same year, Whitlock and Clapton formed a new band with bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon: Derek and the Dominos. The blues-rock group released just one album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, in November 1970. It featured several songs co-written by Whitlock, notably 'Bell Bottom Blues'. He shared the vocals with Clapton on much of the record, and took the lead on 'Keep on Growing' and 'Thorn Tree in the Garden'. The four also played together on former Beatle George Harrison's triple album All Things Must Pass, and on Dr John's The Sun, Moon & Herbs (1971). In 1972, Whitlock released his self-titled solo album, which featured appearances from Harrison and all the members of Derek and the Dominos. He put out a second solo record, Raw Velvet, just a few months later, followed by One of a Kind (1975) and Rock Your Sox Off (1976). In the 1980s, Whitlock moved to a farm in Mississippi and did occasional session work while raising his children. He didn't resume his solo career until 1999's It's About Time. The following year, he reunited with Clapton to play 'Bell Bottom Blues' on Later... with Jools Holland. In 2010 he published a memoir, Bobby Whitlock: A Rock 'n' Roll Autobiography. Whitlock is survived by his wife, his three children Ashley Brown, Beau Whitlock and Tim Whitlock Kelly, and his sister Debbie Wade.
The Sun
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
David Kaff dead aged 79: Spinal Tap keyboardist & Chuck Berry band member dies as tributes pour in for rocker
ROCK legend David Kaff has died at 79. The keyboardist performed with the likes of Chuck Berry, and gained fame as a star in This is Spinal Tap. 1 Kaff's band Mutual of Alameda's Wild Kingdom announced the news of his death on Friday, July 11. They wrote: "Our brother David Kaffinetti passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday. "We are devastated by this event." He was known for portraying the keyboardist Viv Savage in popular 1984 musical comedy This Is Spinal Tap. The mockumentary centred on the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap - characterised as "one of England's loudest bands". Kaff was a founding member of the rock group Rare Bird from 1969 to 1975. The band released five studio albums, with their song "Sympathy" selling an estimated one million copies globally.
Independent Singapore
30-05-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
'Not bad,' 1st-time busker delighted to earn S$125.30 after 40 minutes
TikTok screengrab/ @rongtinn SINGAPORE: When a woman who tried her hand (or should we say, voice) at busking for the first time earlier this week, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise for her and her keyboardist, thanks to a supportive 'angel' and those who gathered round to watch them perform. Rong Tin documented her experience on TikTok, where she showed that it was more nerve-wracking than probably most of us could ever imagine. @rongtinn Will be busking again this wed (28/5, from ard 7:30-9:30pm) in front of The Cathay! Come find me if you are free ❤️ #sg #busking ♬ original sound – Ronggg While she was 'super excited' about the experience, her first foray into busking did not start out smoothly at all, as the keyboard bag of her accompanist broke just as they left the car and headed outside 313@Somerset mall, where they were set to perform, which made her wonder if it was a 'sign' of things to come that evening. Luckily, the bag was soon fixed by her 'awesome partner,' and they set up soon after. However, she was beset by doubts, thinking, 'What if nobody stops to watch our performance at all? What if we don't get a single cent from today?' The location hardly helped, as she realized while beginning to sing that her voice needed to compete with the other noises in the vicinity, leading her to quip, 'Now I know why nobody actually picks this location.' Nevertheless, not one to give up, they continued singing, and things began to turn when she saw one woman filming them. 'She looks like an angel to me,' she said. And then, another woman dropped a S$50 bill into the keyboard case, which served as their donation box. In her video, Ms Rong thanked the two women, giving them a special shoutout because after that, 'magically,' more people began dropping money into the case, and at one point, a small crowd had gathered around them. They ended at 9:40 p.m. after their speaker ran out of battery, and counted their earnings in the car. Ms Rong and her partner ended up making S$125.30 for their maiden 40-minute performance and headed out to get 'a nice supper' afterward. 'I think that's not bad,' she said, adding that they also got a new speaker from the money they made that night. Ms Rong also performed on Wednesday night in front of The Cathay. Here's a sample of her lovely voice. @rongtinn Want to turn your hobby into a source of income? Download WerkSG now 😀 Not only can u list ur services but also look for plenty of job opportunities! Most importantly, it's free for all to use @WerkSG #fyp #werksg #sg #sgjobs ♬ original sound – Ronggg – Ronggg You can find out more about Ms Rong here. /TISG Read also: This is why SG 'is one of the safest countries in the world' — Man asks busker to make announcement after car owner leaves window open
