The Doobie Brothers and Peter Frampton have teamed up for a remote streaming version of the song “Let It Rain” by Eric Clapton.
According to Doobies singer and guitarist Tom Johnston, the collaboration occurred 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 their respective part from home; the track was attached once all the pieces were assembled. The result is a faithful rendition of the 1970 Clapton original, while adding a deeper instrumental work, including some Frampton and Johnston invigorated guitar riffs.
“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 been active in 2020, even as the COVID-19 pandemic has hampered the music industry. After suspending their 2020 tour, which would have marked the group reuniting with singer Michael McDonald, the Doobie Brothers have offered several home performances this year, including collaborating with Dave Mason, Sammy Hagar, Mick Fleetwood and McDonald.
Frampton has published his highly anticipated memoir, Do You Feel Like I Do ?, which chronicles his long career, where he also details his battles with substance abuse and health problems that drove him to retire from touring.
Keep going for the video below: