Jim Gordon, a session drummer for the Wrecking Crew and member of Eric Clapton’s band, Derek and the Dominos who was diagnosed with schizophrenia after killing his mother, has died at the age of 77.
In 1983, Gordon killed his mother in a psychotic episode. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison, but never showed up for any of his parole hearings. As of this year, he was serving his sentence at the California medical facility in Vacaville, where he died of natural causes on Wednesday, March 15, a representative confirmed.
Born in Southern California, James Beck Gordon began playing the drums in his early teens and quickly gained a reputation as a talented and versatile musician. His big break came in the late 1960s when he was hired as a session drummer for The Everly Brothers.
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With legendary drummer Hal Blaine as his mentor, Gordon became a member of the group of session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew and played on albums including The Beach Boys’ Pet sounds The Birds Notorious Bird Brothers.
In 1970, while participating in the sessions for George Harrison All things must passGordon formed Derek and the Dominos alongside Eric Clapton, Karl Radl and Bobby Whitlock. The short-lived blues band recorded and released their only album, Layla and other miscellaneous love songsbefore breaking up in early 1971. The album’s title track, which Gordon co-wrote, is widely considered one of the greatest songs in rock history.
Gordon spent the ’70s working with some of the biggest names in music, including Tom Waits (heart saturday night), Tom Petty (Tom Petty and Heartbreakers), Frank Zappa (Apostrophe (‘)( Harry Nilsson )Nelson Schmilson), and Steely Dan (Pretzel Logic), among many others.
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In June 1983, Gordon attacked and killed his 72-year-old mother, Osa Marie Gordon. He claimed a voice told him to kill her, and he was later diagnosed with acute schizophrenia. However, due to California’s insanity defense reform law, he was unable to use insanity as a defense.
