Bobby Whitlock, cofounder of Derek and the Dominos, has died at 77.
Whitlock’s manager, Carol Kaye, told TMZ he passed away early Sunday at 1:20 a.m. at his home in Texas following a brief illness.
Family members were by his side. She said relatives are working to select a charity where fans can make donations in his memory.
His wife, Coco Carmel Whitlock, remembered his journey from humble beginnings.
“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 said in a statement.
Born in Tennessee, Whitlock’s musical roots ran deep. As a teenager, he was a regular presence at Memphis’ legendary Stax Studios, where he became the first white artist signed to the storied soul label.
Stax played a pivotal role in shaping the “Memphis Sound” of the 1960s, and Whitlock’s early work there set the stage for his career.
In 1970, he teamed with Eric Clapton to form Derek and the Dominos, contributing heavily to their album Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs.