Bobby Whitlock, the influential musician and co-founder of Derek & the Dominos, has died at age 77. He passed away early Sunday morning, August 10, 2025, at his home in Texas after a brief illness, surrounded by loved ones.
A legendary figure in rock and soul music, Whitlock’s career began in Memphis, where he was the first white artist signed to the storied Stax Records label. This early immersion in the Memphis soul scene led to collaborations with such luminaries as Sam & Dave and Booker T. & the MG’s, and later, to significant contributions with Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. His wide-ranging talent as a keyboardist, songwriter, and vocalist brought him into the orbit of Eric Clapton, with whom he formed Derek & the Dominos in 1970.
Whitlock played a key role in the band’s landmark album, Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs, co-writing and performing on several classic tracks, including “Tell the Truth,” “Bell Bottom Blues,” and “Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?”. The album, driven by Clapton’s impassioned guitar work and Whitlock’s soulful vocals and keyboard, is now regarded as a crowning achievement in rock history.
Beyond the Dominos, Whitlock’s session work included collaborations with music legends. He contributed to George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and appeared, though uncredited, on the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street. He later wrote songs recorded by artists such as Lady Gaga, Cher, and Sheryl Crow.
After retreating from the music scene for some years, Whitlock returned to recording and performing in the late 1990s, often working alongside his wife, Coco Carmel Whitlock. In his final years, he embraced painting, producing over 1,800 works since 2018, which reflected his deeply emotional artistic spirit.
Coco Carmel Whitlock paid tribute to her husband’s resilience and artistic vision, saying, “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? My love Bobby looked at life as an adventure, taking me by the hand leading me through a world of wonderment from music to poetry and painting... 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 finished her remarks with his own guiding mantra: “Life is what you make it, so take it and make it beautiful”.
Whitlock’s death means Eric Clapton is now the last surviving member of Derek & the Dominos. Whitlock will be remembered not only for his music but for a life dedicated to creative expression, perseverance, and the pursuit of beauty in all forms.
