Delaine Alvin " Delaney" Bramlett (July 1, 1939 – December 27, 2008) was an American singer and guitarist. He was best known for his musical partnership with his wife Bonnie Bramlett in the band Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, which included a wide variety of other musicians, many of whom were successful in other contexts.
Early life
Bramlett was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi. He began playing guitar when he was 8 years old, but did not get serious about the instrument until he was a teenager. He started singing in school and at twelve he had a quartet. Bramlett joined the United States Navy before he was 17, serving for two and a half to three years. He took boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes, spending over half his hitch there.
After his discharge, he moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s, where he worked as a bartender before he started performing in clubs.
Career
Bramlett was performing at the Palomino Club in North Hollywood when he was asked to appear in a pilot for a new television show,
Shindig!.
By 1965, Bramlett was a regular member of the Shindogs, the show's
house band. He collaborated as a songwriter with fellow musicians Joey Cooper,
Mac Davis, and
Jackie DeShannon.
[ Obituary: Delaney Bramlett; Songwriter Who Wrote 'Let It Rain'. Los Angeles Times, December 28, 2008.] During this time, he worked with J.J. Cale and
Leon Russell and released some unsuccessful solo singles. Bramlett was the first artist signed to Independence Records, headed by Phil Skaff.
His debut single "Guess I Must be Dreamin' " was produced by Russell,
entering the Cashbox "Looking Ahead" survey on May 20, 1967,
ultimately peaking at 26 on the chart on June 10, 1967.
In the late 1960s, British guitar icon Eric Clapton joined Delaney & Bonnie & Friends on tour, during which Bramlett produced and played on Clapton's debut solo album, Eric Clapton. Clapton has credited Bramlett for pushing him to sing and teaching him the art of rock vocals.[Ward, Ed. Eric Clapton: Eric Clapton (review). Rolling Stone, September 3, 1970.] Bramlett co-wrote and produced the song "Teasin' " for King Curtis which appeared on Curtis' 1970 album Get Ready.
Bramlett wrote, recorded, or appeared on stage with many notable performers, including Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix,
Members of the Friends appearing in concert or recording with Bramlett on Friends albums include Clapton, Harrison, Leon Russell, Curtis, Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, Dave Mason, Rita Coolidge, Carl Radle, Jim Gordon, Bobby Whitlock, Jim Keltner, Bobby Keys, and Gram Parsons.
Their album Delaney & Bonnie & Friends On Tour With Eric Clapton (1970) reached No. 29 on the Billboard 200.
In 2006, Bramlett was one of the duet artists on the Jerry Lee Lewis album Last Man Standing,[ PBS 106.7FM: Real Radio – Jerry Lee Lewis' "Last Man Standing" , pbsfm.org.au; accessed August 18, 2014.] singing and playing guitar on "Lost Highway". In 2008, Bramlett released his first CD in six years, A New Kind of Blues.[ Delaney Bramlett: "A New Kind of Blues" . CD Baby.] He died later that year.
Personal life
Bramlett was married to
Bonnie Bramlett. The couple had a daughter
Bekka Bramlett, who was a member of
Fleetwood Mac from 1993-1995 and has had a long career as a vocalist, backing various country and pop artists, and releasing several solo albums. Their marriage was marred by violence due to their cocaine addictions.
They divorced in 1972, ending their musical partnership as well. Bramlett married Kim Carmel Bramlett in 1992. They were together for 13 years. Kim, a musician/singer and chief engineer at the studio, recorded the last several albums during the period of 1989–2000. They divorced in 2001.
Bramlett died from complications of gallbladder surgery at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Los Angeles on December 27, 2008.[ Obituary: Delaney Bramlett; songwriter who wrote 'Let It Rain', Los Angeles Times, December 28, 2008.] Surviving were his widow, actress Susan Lanier-Bramlett; a brother, John Wayne Bramlett; three daughters, Michele Bramlett, Suzanne Bramlett, and Bekka Bramlett; and two grandchildren. He was buried at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Legacy
Described in an obituary as a "Southern Legend",
Bramlett's song "Never Ending Song of Love" has been covered by others and was used on the soundtrack of the films
RV and
A Good Year.
Bramlett was inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame on January 18, 2011.
Discography
Delaney & Bonnie
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1969: Home (Stax Records STS-2026)
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1969: Accept No Substitute AKA (Elektra Records EKS-74039)
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1970: Delaney & Bonnie & Friends On Tour with Eric Clapton (Atco Records SD 33-326)
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1970: To Bonnie from Delaney (Atco SD 33-341)
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1971: Genesis (early recordings from 1964 to 1965 and 1967) (GNP Crescendo GNPS-2054)
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1971: Motel Shot (Atco SD 33-358)
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1972: Country Life (Atco SD 33-383)
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1972: D&B Together (Columbia Records KC-31377) -note: reissue of Country Life.
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1972: The Best of Delaney & Bonnie (Atco SD-7014)
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1990: The Best of Delaney & Bonnie (Rhino Records R2-70777)
Solo
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1972: Some Things Coming (Columbia KC-31631)
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1973: Mobius Strip (Columbia KC-32420)
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1975: Giving Birth to a Song (MGM SE-5011)
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1977: Class Reunion (Prodigal P6-10017-S1)
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1998: Sounds From Home (Zane ZN-1013)
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2004: Sweet Inspiration (rec. 1989) (Lemon LEM-36)
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2007: A New Kind of Blues (Magnolia Gold MGR-7181)
Other credits
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1969: Elvin Bishop, Best of Elvin Bishop: "Tulsa Shuffle" – Rhythm guitar, background vocals, producer
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1970: The Crickets, Rockin' 50's Rock 'n' Roll – Producer
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1970: Elvin Bishop, Best of Elvin Bishop: "Crabshaw" – Producer
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1970: Eric Clapton, Eric Clapton – Arranger, rhythm guitar, background vocals, producer
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1970: Leon Russell, Leon Russell – Guitar
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1970: Dave Mason, Alone Together – Guitar, vocals
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1971: John Simon, John Simon's Album – Tambourine
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1972: Elvin Bishop, Rock My Soul – Guitar, vocals, producer
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1972: John Hammond Jr, I'm Satisfied – Producer, vocals, guitar
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1972: Eric Clapton, The History of Eric Clapton – Guitar, vocals
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1972: Eric Clapton, Eric Clapton at His Best – Producer
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1972: Duane Allman, An Anthology – Rhythm guitar, vocals, producer
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1972: Everly Brothers, Stories We Could Tell – Guitar, vocals
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1973: Jerry Lee Lewis, Sometimes a Memory Ain't Enough – Guitar, vocals
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1973: Pacific Gas & Electric, Best – Producer
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1973: John Ussery, Ussery – Percussion, producer, slide guitar
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1973: Jerry Lee Lewis, The Session...Recorded in London – Bottleneck guitar
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1974: Duane Allman, An Anthology Vol. II – Guitar, vocals
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1976: Free Creek, Summit Meeting – Guitar
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1978: Commander Cody, Flying Dreams – Vocals
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1978: Dann Rogers, Hearts Under Fire – Background vocals
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1982: Eric Clapton, – Rhythm guitar, producer
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1988: Eric Clapton, Crossroads – Guitar, vocals, producer, horn arrangements
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1991: Zoo, Shakin' the Cage – Background vocals
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1992: Phil Driscoll, Picture Changes – Background vocals
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1992: Classic Rock Classic Rock Cema – Producer
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1996: Heroes of Country Music, Vol. 5 – Vocals, producer
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1997: Hank Thompson, Hank, Real Thing – Background vocals, National dobro
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1998: Ian Whitcomb, You Turn Me On: The Very Best of Ian Whitcomb – Bass guitar
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1998: T. Graham Brown, Wine into Water – Guitar, vocals
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1999: Dave Mason, Ultimate Collection – Background vocals
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2006: Jerry Lee Lewis, Last Man Standing, "Lost Highway" – Vocals
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2006: (performer: "Attention to Me", "Coffee", "I Had to Come Back", "Something's Gotta Be Wrong") / (writer: "Attention to Me", "Coffee", "I Had to Come Back", "Something's Gotta Be Wrong")
External links
