Jim Gordon, the Grammy-winning rock drummer who worked with Eric Clapton and George Harrison, died at 77. After “a long sentence and lifelong fight with mental illness,” the artist passed away from natural causes at a California Medical Center in Vacaville, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Times. ”.
As Derek and The Dominos’ drummer, Gordon rose to prominence in the blues rock scene. Later, he worked with several well-known musicians, including Tom Petty, Steely Dan, Alice Cooper, and Tom Waits.
His life took a sad turn in 1983 when he was diagnosed with schizophrenia following the murder of his mother, who was 72 years old. For his crimes, he received a 16-year to a life sentence.
Gordon is best known for his contributions to the 1971 song “Layla” by Derek and The Dominos, which he co-wrote with Clapton and for which he won his only Grammy Award.
Jim Gordon battled addiction and mental illness all of his life. According to Variety, he mistreated singer Rita Coolidge, his then-girlfriend, in the 1970s. Gordon claimed that after killing his mother in 1983, he experienced voices and felt like a zombie was leading him. “.
Eric Clapton admitted to Rolling Stone in 1991, “I had no idea that he had a crazy history of visions and hearing voices from a young age. “But it was never obvious while we were working together,” he continued. It was merely the worst possible vibrations. Never in a million years would I have said he was crazy. For me, the drugs were the main focus. “.
Despite his troubled past, Gordon was a drummer who was highly regarded. On the list of the 100 greatest drummers in history compiled by Rolling Stone, he came in at 59. In addition to his collaborations with some of the best rock artists in the business, Gordon inspired hip-hop.
According to Rolling Stone, Gordon’s drum solo from the Incredible Bongo Band’s RandB single “Apache” influenced Bronx dancers. Everyone started looking for the perfect beat, trying to beat that record, Herc said. Even now, they have yet to surpass that record. “.
