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I was looking for some old Eric Clapton classics on Youtube for a future Clapton tribute for Saturday Nite Nostalgia and came across a few videos of Delaney and Bonnie and Friends. I was thinking to myself, unless one is a baby boomer and/or someone who followed Eric Clapton and/or others such as George Harrison, Leon Russell, Duane Allman. The fact is, he had influenced so many musicians of the time and it is impossible to talk about Delaney Bramlett or his ‘friends’ without dropping any famous names at all. Yet, so many of his friends became more famous than he and his wife, Bonnie ever were.
It has been said that Delaney Bramlett was the one who taught Eric Clapton to sing and it was Bonnie who co-wrote Clapton’s Let It Rain. Delaney had also taught George Harrison how to play slide-guitar.
INn 1969, Delaney and Bonnie open are the opening act for the Blind Faith (the band Eric Clapton was playing in at that time) Tour. It was said that Clapton preferred playing Delaney and Bonnie songs and did play with them when they opened. Below is the song, Poor Elijah with Eric Clapton and George Harrison in a tribute performance to Clapton’s influence, blues’ legend, Robert Johnson.
Funny, up until a few years ago the only song I knew from Delaney and Bonnie and Friends was that honky tonk-ish (to me it was just, well, hokey), Never Ending Song of Love in 1970. Below is a slide show tribute to Delaney and Bonnie with of course, Friends and/or family, to the Honky Tonk-ish song: deal with it; play it without the sound. I believe it was submitted by their daughter Michele.. I thought it was touching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_gOw27cgj8
Below, Delaney and Bonnie with Duane Allman.
Unfortunately typical of many of these rock stars, Delaney treated Bonnie badly and they would divorce in 1973 and of course, their musical collaboration ended. Both would have solo careers with varying degrees of success.
Delaney died in 2008. Bonnie is still performing. She is currently supporting her daughters, who are trying to lobby to get Delaney into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
Enjoy!
Yep and remember the song as well. One of those songs that you couldn’t stand but yet knew all the words to and ended up singing along. Did not know that Delaney had that much influence, yet his name did seem to often come up in the periphery. Thanks for the tune and memories.