Carl Radle

Carl Dean Radle (June 18, 1942 – May 30, 1980) was an American bassist who toured and recorded with many of the most influential recording artists of the late 1960s and 1970s. Radle is best remembered for his work with Eric Clapton from 1969 to 1979, including as a member of his band Derek and the Dominos. Radle is sometimes called Clapton's "right hand man" as he helped him during dark periods of his life battling drug addiction.

Radle had first found fame as the bassist for pop band Gary Lewis & the Playboys from 1965 to 1967. In 1969 he joined the session group who backed husband and wife recording duo Delaney & Bonnie, which is where he met Eric Clapton and formed Derek and the Dominos in 1970. Radle played on all of Clapton's solo material released in the 1970s before Clapton fired all of his backing members in 1979.

Over the course of his career, Radle played on a number of gold and platinum singles and albums and garnered the respect of many musicians. Radle died in 1980 from organ failure caused by effects from hard drug and alcohol consumption and was posthumously inducted to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2006.

Career

Early career Radle's professional career started out when Leon Russell, a fellow Tulsa sound musician, offered him his entry into the music industry, inviting him out to California.

His big break came along in the mid-1960s, as the bass player in Gary Lewis & the Playboys. In 1967, Gary Lewis was drafted into the U.S. Army, he ended the band and Radle started working as a session musician.

Carl also was a member of Colours, a psychedelic cult band from Dot Records for whom he played on the first album and guest appeared on the second. In 1970, Radle joined Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour.

Eric Clapton Radle was best known for his long association with Eric Clapton, starting in 1969 with Delaney and Bonnie and Friends and continuing in 1970 with Derek and the Dominos, recording with drummer Jim Gordon, guitarist Duane Allman, and keyboardist Bobby Whitlock. It was also revealed in that 2004 interview that Radle and the rest left because Delaney refused to give them a raise. During Clapton's three-year hiatus, Radle furnished him with a supply of tapes of musicians with whom he had been working. Dick Sims and Jamie Oldaker were the core of Clapton's band during the 1970s. Radle served as more than a sideman, acting also as arranger on several songs, notably "Motherless Children". Radle earned credit as an associate producer of Clapton's album No Reason to Cry.

In 1979, Radle, Dick Sims and Jamie Oldaker, who were Clapton's backing band, were told through telegrams that he had fired them from being in his backing band.

Death Radle died at his home in Claremore, Oklahoma in May 1980,

Legacy In 1991, Clapton remembered Radle in an interview saying he was like a brother to him and also spoke about how Carl helped Clapton during a period in the 70s when he was living in seclusion and addicted to heroin. In later years he also felt regret for firing Radle in 1979 even though he helped him through dark times and regretted not seeing Radle again until his death less than a year later and claimed he felt responsible for parts of his death.

He was posthumously inducted to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Endless Boogie (1971)

With Derek and the Dominos

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970) In Concert (1973) The Layla Sessions: 20th Anniversary Edition (1990) (poshumous) Live at the Fillmore (1994) (posthumous)

With Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton (1970) 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974) E. C. Was Here (1975) There's One in Every Crowd (1975) No Reason to Cry (1976) Slowhand (1977) Backless (1978)

With Delaney & Bonnie

Home (1969) The Original Delaney & Bonnie & Friends (1969) On Tour with Eric Clapton (1970) Motel Shot (1971) D&B Together (1972)

With Dave Mason

Alone Together (1970) It's Like You Never Left (1973)

With George Harrison

All Things Must Pass (1970) The Concert for Bangladesh (1971) Extra Texture (Read All About It) (1975)

With Leon Russell

Leon Russell and the Shelter People (1971) Carney (1972) Hank Wilson's Back (1973) Stop All That Jazz (1974) Will O' the Wisp (1975) Live in Japan (1975)

With Marc Benno

Minnows (1971) Ambush (1972) Lost In Austin (1979)

With JJ Cale

Naturally (1971) 5 (1979)

With Freddie King

Texas Cannonball (1972) Woman Across the River (1973) Burglar (1974)

Others:

1968

Soul Folk In Action — The Staple Singers Daughters of Albion — Daughters of Albion Colours — Colours

1969

Harlan County — Jim Ford

1970

Mad Dogs & Englishmen — Joe Cocker

1971

The Sun, Moon & Herbs — Dr. John País Tropical — Sérgio Mendes Klatu Berrada Nitku — Dependables John Simon's Album — John Simon Asylum Choir II — The Asylum Choir

1972

Ambush – Marc Benno Willis Alan Ramsey — Willis Alan Ramsey Through the Eyes of a Horn — Jim Horn The Lady's Not for Sale — Rita Coolidge Play the Blues — Buddy Guy/Junior Wells Bobby Keys — Bobby Keys

1973

Essence to Essence — Donovan Angel Clare — Art Garfunkel

1976

Joey Stec — Joey Stec