Delaney Bramlett

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.

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.

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. 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. Bramlett co-wrote and produced the song "Teasin'" for King Curtis which appeared on Curtis' 1970 album Get Ready.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.