Bobby Whitlock, the singer-keyboardist and co-founder of ‘70s blues-rock band Derek & the Dominos alongside Eric Clapton , has died, according to his manager Carol Kaye. In a statement to Variety , Kaye shared that Whitlock died earlier this morning following a cancer diagnosis. He was 77.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 18, 1948, Whitlock gravitated towards music at a young age, both as a fan and a student interested in learning the keyboard and organ. As a teenager, Whitlock started befriending artists in the Stax Records orbit, including Booker T. & the M.G.’s, the Staples Singers, Albert King, and others, eventually weaseling his way into their circuit by way of that respectful admiration. After he earned his first proper recording credit performing handclaps on Sam & Dave’

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