Bobby Whitlock Dies at 77

Derek and the Dominos founder Bobby Whitlock has died at his Texas home after a brief illness, TMZ confirms.

Bobby Whitlock Dies at 77

Bobby Whitlock died at his home in Texas on Sunday morning after a brief illness, his manager and wife said. He passed away at 1:20 AM and was surrounded by family. He was 77.

Whitlock helped shape the 1970 album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs as a cofounder of Derek and the Dominos with Eric Clapton. Before his major breakthrough, he worked as a teen in Memphis recording sessions and became the first white artist signed to Stax Records, a label that helped define the Memphis soul sound. His career also linked him to George Harrison on All Things Must Pass, and he is widely cited, though uncredited, on Exile on Main Street by the Rolling Stones. In later years he turned to painting, completing about 1,800 pieces since 2018, according to his website.

Whitlock’s life traces a path from early Memphis sessions to a landmark rock album, showing how a single musician can stretch across blues, soul and rock. His behind‑the‑scenes influence on Layla remains a reminder that some of rock’s most enduring moments come from players who rarely seek the spotlight. His late‑life painting also reveals a restless artist always looking for new ways to express feeling.

The death invites a broader look at how music history remembers contributors who aren’t household names. Whitlock’s credits span genres and eras, yet public memory often centers on louder names. A fuller reckoning would value the multi‑talented figures who helped shape a golden era while pursuing other forms of art and expression.

Highlights

The music world loses a bridge between blues, soul and rock, and a reminder that art has many forms.