Mastermind Behind "Layla" - Tom Dowd

Tom Dowd was a musician, engineer, producer, physicist, mathematician, and everyday genius. Along with Eric Clapton he discusses how the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs came together with Clapton, Duane Allman, and Derick and the Dominos.

Filmed at Criteria Studios in Miami, FL, Dowd is shown at work behind the soundboards and reflecting on his memorable career. Dowd, whose creative spirit and passion for innovative technology helped shape the course of modern music, takes the controls behind the mixer relearning the title song Layla 30 years after its creation. From "Tom Dowd The Language of Music."

Mr. Dowd's credits include recording sessions with Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Otis Redding, John Coltrane, The Allman Brothers Band, Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Cream, Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Booker T. & the MG's and countless other musical luminaries.

Born 20 October 1925 in New York, New York, died 27 October 2002 in Aventura, Florida.

One of Tom Dowds legacies is a music treasure chest filled with timeless classics.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Layla
• Derek
• and
• the
• Dominos
• Eric
• Clapton
• Tom
• Dowd
• Bobby
• Whitlock
• Jim
• Gordon
• Carl
• Radle
• Aretha
• Franklin
• Ray
• Charles
• Otis
• Redding
• John
• Coltrane
• The
• Allman
• Brothers
• Band
• Tito
• Puente
• Dizzy
• Gillespie
• Thelonious
• Monk
• Cream
• Rod
• Stewart
• Lynyrd
• Skynyrd
• Booker
• T.
• MG's
• Les
• Paul
• Beacon
• Theater
• New
• York
• NYC
• 3/19/09
• Warren
• Haynes
• Trucks
• Otiel
• Burbridge
• Gregg
• Jaimoe
• Butch
• Marc
• Quinones
• ABB

[rr8324036]

When I was 12 I attended a summer camp in PA and Tom Dowd's son bunked in the next cabin, in fact, he went by the nickname Bunky. Anyway, Bunky told a bunch of us his dad was in the music business and could get us any albums we wanted. Long story short, we gave in our lists and on parents day we each had an envelope with our bunks with the records we requested. I'll never forget the kindness of this man doing this for a bunch of scruffy camp kids.

[stinger1956]

It was such a joy to watch this.. You could see this older man Mr. Dowd.. the years just dissolved as he brought up the diffrent faders. Just awesome.. Eric Clapton is still one of my favorite artists of all time.. He continues to grow and evolve in my opinion,, and is still just as humble in his own abilities.. and is still learning and in awe of so many other muscians.. Awesome video... Totally makes youtube worth having the web.. Thank you for your post . :)

[305bigdad]

This is very very cool. So glad I found this and thank you for posting!

[VendettaPtown]

Love You Tom;)

[essertpitay]

It's hard to believe Clapton still feels unsure about his abilities.

[lyricarol]

I saw the whole documentary -- it's available on Netflix. I highly recommend it! Every time I see this guy, especially in this clip, I wish I had known and married him. Really. I would have married him.

[aarfeld]

@luvtotruck: And it would have been a very different, inferior album if not for Tom's involvement, which was accidental as Tom was to have been in Italy during its recording. Recorded with horns the first night, they were not a good fit and it didn't work out well, as Tom pointed out to the band during a late-night playback of the tapes uptown at Atlantic Records studio. He persuaded them to ditch the backing horns--retaining only Thom Ducet on Blues harp on the final recording.

[luvtotruck]

RIP TO THE MAN WHO GAVE US THE GREATEST LIVE RECORDING OF ALL TIME. LIVE AT THE FILLMORE EAST FROM THE ABB. FORTY ONE YEARS LATER WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REALLY GREAT LIVE RELEASES NOTHING HAS SURPASSED IT'S MONUMENTAL GREATNESS!

[PeterKleinhenzVideos]

Screw the "Dos Equis" guy! Tom Dowd is the world's most interesting man!

[neilcarswell]

Tom's last good conversation with me, other than scolding me one last time for calling him intoxicated and messing up his answering machine with a long message while he was waiting to receive another message while in session in California from Greg Allman, was the simple but oh so true words to me of , "keep the faith," Gregg scolded me once in NYC, for cursing in front of a lady once also, I was a mess back then!!! I hear Greg and Tom are both doing great ," These Days."

[MaaaarrJ]

@rr8324036 hey man,what were the albums you got?

[DirkjeA]

Mr. Dowd tells the story of the meeting between Duane Allman and Eric Clapton with so much enthousiasm and joy, it makes me happy just to watch. The way he explains the song, and tells how he is rediscovering it again by listening, is so charming, really touching.