Bobby Whitlock: A Rock n Roll Biography

Bobby Whitlock/Marc Roberty: A Rock n Roll Biography
McFarland & Co Inc

For your average rock fan the name Bobby Whitlock may not mean very much although in reality it should as this man was a big part of one of the most highly regarded albums of the last forty years helping to write some of the songs that helped define rock music. For those people of course who read the credits on records you may well know the name and even own said album.

Bobby Whitlock of course was one quarter of Derek and the Dominos the band Eric Clapton formed in 1970. Bobby had met Eric Clapton through Delaney and Bonnie when Clapton joined the husband and wife led Delaney and Bonnie and Friends. Bobby was one of the Friends

Through many musical adventures both good and occasionally bad Bobby Whitlock has continued his journey through music and continues to make great music to this day these days working with his wife CoCo Carmel

This book co-written by Bobby with help from respected journalist and author Marc Roberty and a foreword written by Eric Clapton, will certainly be a revelation to those fans of Derek and the Dominos but more than that it is a fascinating story of a man for whom the music bug bit early. Tracing Bobby’s life from his childhood ion the American South through California and rather strangely Surrey this book is more than just your average muso’s biography. This is the story of a man with immense talent who has battled through his own demons just as surely as his former band mate Eric Clapton has over the last forty years.

A refreshingly honest account of his life both personally and also musically I found it almost impossible to put down.

Of course as I said earlier for fans of Derek and the Dominos this book finally lays bare just how the band came together, found immense success not to mention satisfaction by the music they created only to lose it through the almost depressingly familiar story of drug abuse. This is not a depressing read however it is one of the most uplifting books and story’s I have ever read and not only that despite the wreckage that the Dominos left in their wake and bear in mind one member (Carl Radle) has subsequently died another closely associated musician (Duane Allman) has also died and one member (Jim Gordon) sits in jail serving a sentence for murder, Bobby Whitlock comes through this all a much wiser man but with his talent and more importantly his soul still intact.

These days Bobby seems happiest performing in a more low key manner although I like many people sincerely hope that Bobby and Eric manage to re convene perhaps as “Derek and the Domino” and produce more fine music together. That really would put the cherry on top of the already happy ending to the book and after all Clapton has recently worked with Steve Winwood performing Blind Faith songs and also Cream so a tour or an album featuring Bobby who really was along with Clapton the axis on which the Dominos revolved should in fairness be considered.

Another knock on effect of this book of course will be that it will point you in the direction of the music he has made and even if the Layla album was the only album he had helped create then that would be enough. Happily there is a whole lot of great music to be found bearing this man’s name and that he continues to make music is one of life’s pleasures.

This book ultimately is a must read book for anyone remotely interested in music or LIFE!

For more infomation and to buy music from Bobby Please check out his website here:

http://www.bobbywhitlockandcococarmel.com/