Carl Radle

From late 1970 until the end of that decade, Carl Radle was one of the top bassists in rock music. He began the decade as a star on his instrument by virtue of his membership in the short-lived legendary band Derek & the Dominos, alongside Eric Clapton and yoked to drummer Jim Gordon in an outstanding rhythm section -- but it was the sheer quality of his work that had led him to that point and sustained him for years after. Born in Oklahoma City in 1942, he reached his teens just as the rock & roll boom began. By the early '60s, he'd made his way to California, where he played for a time as a member of Skip & the Flips, a group organized by future Byrd Skip Battin, playing alongside drummer Billy Mundi. He entered the orbit of his fellow Oklahoman Leon Russell and played numerous sessions for him during the latter's days as an arranger -- although uncredited, Radle played on many recordings for Gary Lewis & the Playboys. For a time in the late '60s, he was also a member of the band Colours, which cut two LPs for Dot Records at the end of the decade.