Watch Doobie Brothers and Peter Frampton Cover Eric Clapton
The Doobie Brothers and Peter Frampton have teamed up for a socially distant cover of Eric Clapton’s “Let It Rain.” According to Doobies singer and guitarist Tom Johnston, the collaboration came about organically.
“A couple of months ago, Peter and I were going over various tunes after deciding to do a song or video together,” Johnston explained to Rolling Stone. “I tossed out ‘Let It Rain’ by Eric Clapton and he loved the idea. He’s a phenomenal guitarist and a fan of Clapton’s, as am I, so it seemed a great idea to take to the rest of the guys.”
From there, each musician recorded his respective part remotely; the track came together once all of the pieces were assembled. The result is a rendition that’s true to Clapton’s 1970 original, while also adding deeper instrumental composition, including some inspired guitar riffs by Frampton and Johnston.
You can watch the song’s music video - recorded remotely in similar fashion to the track itself - below.
“It was so much fun playing with my friends the Doobie Brothers, even virtually,” Frampton said of the experience. “I look forward to a time when we can, hopefully, play together in person.”
Both artists have remained active in 2020, even as the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered the music industry. After postponing their 2020 tour - which would have seen the group reunite with singer Michael McDonald - the Doobie Brothers have delivered several at-home performances this year, including teaming with Dave Mason, Sammy Hagar, Mick Fleetwood and McDonald to cover Traffic's “Feelin’ Alright.”
Meanwhile, Frampton has released his highly anticipated memoir, Do You Feel Like I Do?, chronicling his long career, while also detailing his battles with substance abuse and the health issues that forced him to retire from touring.