Derek & The Dominos were never meant to be a permanent band - in fact, their brief existence (1970 - 1971) burned like a flare: sudden, brilliant, and gone before most people realized what they’d seen. Yet in that short time, they created “Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs”, an album now regarded as one of rock’s towering achievements. The story begins with Eric Clapton, already a guitar legend from his work with The Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Cream, and Blind Faith. By 1970, Clapton was weary of fame and wanted to be part of a real band, not the star. He found kindred spirits in three American musicians from Delaney & Bonnie’s touring group: keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle, and drummer Jim Gordon. They started playing together in small clubs under the deliberately anonymous name Derek & The Dominos. They began recording their debut album in Miami with producer Tom Dowd. During the sessions, a guest dropped in: Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. Clapton and Allman hit it off instantly, trading fiery guitar lines and pushing each other to new heights. Out of this collaboration came “Layla”, a passionate, double-guitar masterpiece inspired by Clapton’s unrequited love for Pattie Boyd, the wife of his close friend George Harrison. “Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs”, released in November 1970, was a deep dive into blues, rock, and raw emotion. Critics praised its intensity, but the record sold modestly at first. By the time “Layla” became a hit, the band had already begun to fracture. Personal tensions, heavy drug use, and the pressures of touring took their toll. Duane Allman returned to The Allman Brothers (and died tragically in a motorcycle accident in 1971), and Clapton spiraled into heroin addiction. Derek & The Dominos recorded some tracks for a second album in 1971, but the sessions collapsed. The band dissolved quietly, leaving behind just one completed studio album - but one that would grow in stature over decades, eventually ranked among the greatest in rock history. Today, Derek & The Dominos are remembered not as a footnote in Clapton’s career, but as a rare example of lightning in a bottle: four musicians meeting at the perfect moment, pouring their heartbreak, joy, and virtuosity into a single body of work that still sounds urgent and alive.