ERIC CLAPTON with DOYLE BRAMHLL II / WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIEND, DOYLE (1CD)

Doyle Bramhall II has firmly established himself as Eric Clapton's indispensable "right-hand man." Since 2000, his contributions—both in terms of songwriting and instrumental support—have been immense; it is no exaggeration to say that without him, Clapton might not have been able to extend his career so successfully. Here, we have gathered a selection of tracks and live performances that showcase Doyle Bramhall II’s exceptional musical sensibility and playing prowess. We hope this collection allows you to appreciate the talent that so thoroughly impressed Clapton. Clapton first discovered Doyle in the late 1990s; during a tour, his manager had prepared a stack of CDs by various artists for Clapton to listen to and relax with during his downtime, and Doyle’s album happened to be among them. Upon casually picking up and listening to the disc, Clapton was instantly captivated by Doyle’s unique style. He immediately instructed his manager to track Doyle down and invited him to participate in his next project: the 2000 collaborative album with B.B. King, *Riding with the King*. That marked the beginning of the deep bond between Clapton and Doyle.

Let’s take a look at the individual tracks.

1. Marry You 2. I Wanna Be — These are two songs penned by Doyle that appeared on *Riding with the King*. For this blues album with B.B. King, Clapton made a deliberate choice to cover two of Doyle’s songs. He also personally recruited Doyle to join the sessions—a testament to how instantly "smitten" he was with the artist. The inclusion of these two tracks created an impact that went far beyond a standard collection of blues covers. Beyond the quality of the songs themselves, they were invaluable for demonstrating B.B. King’s ability to adapt flexibly to such contemporary material. Doyle complements Clapton and B.B., delivering superb support while acting as the unsung hero behind the scenes. "Marry You" is included here as the promotional CD single version, and "I Wanna Be" as the promotional radio edit version.

3. Superman Inside: Clapton invited Doyle back for his next album, *Reptile* (released in 2001). Doyle rose to the occasion, contributing new songs—one of which became a killer track with the strongest rock vibe on the album. Doyle’s songwriting sense is truly remarkable. This release features a rare alternate vocal version that was originally exclusive to the album's DVD-Audio edition. Clapton had hoped to have Doyle join the promotional tour for the album, but it wasn't to be; Doyle had already been booked for the tour of former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters, who had also set his sights on him. It is amazing to see a talent like Doyle being sought after by legends of such magnitude.

4. Lost And Found / 5. Piece Of My Heart: Unable to let Doyle go, Clapton enlisted his help again for the 2005 album *Back Home*; Doyle not only participated in the sessions but also contributed two songs. "Lost And Found" was born from a jam session with Clapton; at the time, Clapton recounted with amazement, "After we jammed, I told Doyle I wanted to turn it into a proper song, and he finished it in a single night." Doyle’s talent is truly extraordinary. "Piece Of My Heart" is arguably the album's finest masterpiece; despite contributing such a magnificent track, Doyle stepped into a supporting role, allowing guest John Mayer to take the spotlight (it is Mayer who plays the lead lines and obbligatos throughout). It shows a truly admirable attitude. Clapton cuts in from the left channel toward the end, engaging in a breathtaking musical interplay with Mayer. It is the absolute highlight of the album. 6. Everything You Need: Clapton finally contributed to one of Doyle's albums. Featured on *SHADES*—Doyle's fifth solo album, released in 2018—Clapton’s playing here feels like it is gently complementing Doyle’s own performance. Despite being a shared solo spot, the tone is tender; it seems to embody Clapton’s quiet appreciation for Doyle’s long-standing friendship and contributions.

7. Diamonds Made From Rain: A song penned by Doyle and included on Clapton’s 2010 album, *CLAPTON*. This track presents the promotional radio edit version and features Sheryl Crow on vocals. In an album largely composed of cover songs, this original composition by Doyle adds a special brilliance to the record. It is an outstanding track that offers a glimpse into Doyle’s romantic side.

8. Layla: Clapton finally realized his long-held wish to add Doyle to his touring band in 2004. This track captures a stereo soundboard recording from the April 25, 2004, concert in Belfast, Ireland—broadcast on UK FM radio during that inaugural tour (sourced from the Mid-Valley release *BLACK BEAUTY*). Doyle’s precise riffs, chord work, and tasteful counter-melodies—which stay true to the original version—speak volumes about his talent. He was clearly a different breed of side guitarist compared to those who had come before.

9. Compared To What: Doyle possesses a wide network of connections and was active in the duo "Pacifico" alongside Wendy & Lisa (members of Prince’s band, The Revolution). This track features a rare live performance—captured via a stereo audience recording—where Clapton made a surprise guest appearance during their gig at Club Largo in Hollywood, California, on August 10, 2005. Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums and Susannah Melvoin—Wendy’s twin sister and Doyle’s wife at the time—also participated on this stage. Following two magnificent solos by Clapton, we hear a Jimi Hendrix-esque solo from Doyle. The version included here is a condensed edit—running 7 minutes and 41 seconds—of a performance that actually spanned 18 minutes. This song was also performed during the legendary joint concert by Clapton and Beck in Saitama in 2009; this suggests that Clapton and Doyle, having enjoyed the feel of the song at this earlier gig, recommended its inclusion in the setlist to Beck.

10. Little Wing: This track is taken from the final show of the Japan leg of the 2006 "Back Home" World Tour—held at the Nippon Budokan on December 9—featuring a triple-guitar lineup with slide guitar virtuoso Derek Trucks joining Doyle and Clapton (sourced from *Starsign*, a release featuring a superb stereo audience recording of the concert). The performance of this song that day was truly special. During the middle section, just as Doyle was about to hand off the solo to Derek after the scheduled one chorus, Clapton gestured to him—as if saying, "Keep playing!"—prompting Doyle to extend his solo. It was extremely rare for Clapton to do something like that. Was he perhaps trying to acknowledge and reward Doyle for his contributions up to that point in the tour? Or was there another reason? It may be that, in the sight of Doyle playing so passionately, Clapton glimpsed the phantom of Jimi Hendrix.

11. Got To Get Better In A Little While: Another number from the Dominos era follows. This is a live recording (stereo audience source) from the "British Summer Time" festival held in London's Hyde Park on July 8, 2018, where the band performed as the headline act for a crowd of 65,000 (taken from the Mid Valley release *It’s Coming Home*). Sonny Emory of Earth, Wind & Fire handled the drumming duties for this performance. Emory’s contribution generated a powerful groove that fueled the band; both Clapton’s first solo and Doyle’s second solo are outstanding as a result. Although this song has been performed with various backing musicians since 2004, the quality of this specific performance is so high that it feels like the definitive version of the track.

12. Gotta Get Over: This track is a live recording (stereo audience source) from the June 2, 2013, concert in Leipzig, Germany, part of Clapton’s 50th-anniversary tour. The original version—penned by Doyle—appeared on Clapton’s album *Old Sock*, released that same year, but the live rendition took on an even groovier feel. From the intro featuring Clapton and Doyle playing in unison to their high-energy solos and the powerful backing vocals, this track perfectly showcases the brilliance of Doyle’s songwriting in a live setting.

13. The Core: This is a rare live performance (stereo audience source) of the song, played during a one-off appearance at the Greenwich Town Party in Greenwich, Connecticut, on May 26, 2018—a year when Clapton was otherwise taking a break from touring. It marked the first time the song had been included in the setlist in 40 years (since 1978). While the original version appeared on the album *Slowhand* and featured vocals by Marcy Levy (a female singer in the band at the time), Doyle handles all the vocal parts in this performance. While Clapton’s razor-sharp playing on this track—performed after a long hiatus—is a highlight, Doyle’s soulful solo and vocals also demand your attention.

We have gathered a collection of rare and outstanding tracks that spotlight Doyle Bramhall II, Clapton’s trusted musical partner. Doyle will undoubtedly remain an indispensable presence for Clapton in the future. Interestingly, back in 2001—just after he began collaborating with Doyle—Clapton had actually announced his official retirement from touring; that was the very same period he was persuading Doyle to join his touring band. Perhaps he reversed his decision to retire because he realized that working with Doyle was something he simply had to do before ending his live performance career. If that is the case, Doyle might well be the man who made Clapton change his mind about retiring. That’s pretty cool.