1970's On Tour with Eric Clapton represented the biggest commercial success for blue-eyed soul singers Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett almost immediately upon release thanks to its association with the most famous guitarist in the world at the time. It remains the pair's second most famous release after 1971's trope-making Motel Shot and a major footnote in the timeline of classic rock, serving as the meeting point for the backing musicians later associated with the landmarks All Things Must Pass (by George Harrison) and Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (by Derek and the Dominos), along with Joe Cocker's similar Mad Dogs and Englishmen.
On Tour with Eric Clapton was rereleased in 2010 as a four-disc box set documenting four entire performances from the tour, the last three of which featured George Harrison as a backing guitarist as well.
Tracklist (original 1970 version):
Side One
- "Things Get Better" - 4:20
- "Poor Elijah – Tribute to Robert Johnson Medley" - 5:00
- "Only You Know and I Know" - 4:10
- "I Don't Want to Discuss It" - 4:55
Side Two
- "That's What My Man Is For" - 4:30
- "Where There's a Will There's a Way" - 4:57
- "Comin' Home" - 5:30
- "Little Richard Medley – Tutti Frutti/The Girl Can't Help It/Long Tall Sally/Jenny Jenny" - 5:45
Personnel:
- Bonnie Bramlett — vocals
- Delaney Bramlett — guitars, vocals
- Eric Clapton — lead guitars, vocals
- Leon Russell — guitars, keyboards
- Dave Mason — guitars
- George Harrison — guitars (2010 box set only)
- Bobby Whitlock — organ, keyboards, vocals
- Carl Radle — bass guitar
- Jim Gordon — drums, percussion
- Tex Johnson – percussion
- Doug Bartenfeld – guitar
- Bobby Keys — saxophone
- Jim Price — trombone, trumpet
- Rita Coolidge — backing vocals
Where There's A Trope, Sure Enough Honey, There's A Way!
- Christian Rock: "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", from the boxed set. Elizabeth would be thrilled.
- Cover Version: Aside from the concluding Little Richard medley, the band also plays his "You're My Girl (I Don't Want To Discuss It)", Eddie Floyd's "Things Get Better", and Bessie Smith's "That's What My Man Is For". The boxed set adds William Bell's "Everybody Loves A Winner" and "My Baby Specializes", the traditional hymn "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", and a Bobby Whitlock-fronted run through the Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'".
- Defeat Equals Friendship: Clapton agreed to join the group as a direct result of their consistently outplaying his Supergroup Blind Faith during their shared tour.
- Deliberately Monochrome: The album cover is in black-and-white.
- Early-Bird Cameo: The album on the whole counts as an early bird cameo for the casts of All Things Must Pass and Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. It also boasts the first appearances of "Where There's A Will, There's A Way" and "Only You Know And I Know", which would appear on the debuts of Bobby Whitlock and Dave Mason respectively. The boxed set also has Clapton making a vocal appearance on "I Don't Know Why", which would turn up on his own debut.
- Genre-Busting: Stax soul meets Clapton-styled Blues Rock.
- Homage: "Poor Elijah – Tribute to Robert Johnson Medley", a homage to Robert Johnson.
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Limited Special Collector's Ultimate Edition: The 2010 Boxed Set. - Live Album: All songs are live.
- Medley: "Little Richard Medley", a medley of Little Richard songs.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: In its time, the tour was actually a victory lap after outshining Blind Faith repeatedly. Over the years, the ensuing album has become a straight example due to bigger things the players would accomplish.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: "Where There's A Will, There's A Way" is directly inspired by Bobby Whitlock's failing marriage to a childhood friend.
- Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll: It was the sixties, after all. The effects of cocaine overuse supposedly forced the Bramletts to re-record their vocals in the studio (common practice at the time).
- Special Guest: Clapton's presence was and is a major selling point of the record. George Harrison may not appear in the title, but his appearances certainly draw attention to the boxed set.
- Step Up to the Microphone: Once each for Eric Clapton and keyboardist Bobby Whitlock (boxed set only).
- Vocal Tag Team: The Bramletts, as always.
