MUSIC NEWS - Delaney Bramlett, 69, passed away yesterday in Los Angeles. The singer, songwriter and producer who wrote several classic rock songs like "Let It Rain" and worked with musicians George Harrison and Eric Clapton, died Saturday at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Los Angeles as a result of complications from gallbladder surgery, said his wife Susan Lanier-Bramlett.
Born in Mississippi in 1939, Bramlett arrived in LA in the 1960s and played guitar in the house band (Shindogs) for the TV pop show "Shindig." With his then-wife Bonnie Lynn he formed the short-lived Southern blues-rock band Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. The group toured and was an opening act for Blind Faith, the supergroup that featured British guitarist Eric Clapton. Clapton still credits Delaney for pushing him to sing and teaching him the art of voice. Bramlett and his first wife divorced in the '70s, and parted ways professionally as well. During his career, Bramlett performed, co-wrote or recorded with stars such as Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, John Lennon, Dave Mason, Billy Preston, J.J. Cale, the Everly Brothers and Mac Davis. He also produced artists including Etta James and Elvin Bishop. Possibly best known for standards such as "Superstar," co-written with Leon Russell, which has been recorded by several performers, most recently by Sonic Youth in a version featured on the Grammy-nominated soundtrack of the movie "Juno." Bramlett also co-wrote "Let It Rain" with Clapton, who also recorded it, and "Never Ending Song of Love," which was recorded by more than 100 artists including Ray Charles, George Jones and Tammy Wynette. Bramlett recently released an album, "A New Kind of Blues," on indie label Magnolia Gold Records.
R.I.P. Delaney
Posted by: MadMadMargo | Dec 29, 2008 at 04:43 PM