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Murderer and Eric Clapton drummer dies at 77

<p>Jim Gordon, an infamous session drummer from the ‘60s and ‘70s, has passed away at the age of 77. </p> <p>Gordon, who in his prime played with the likes of the Beach Boys and George Harrison, died in a psychiatric prison in California’s Vacaville. He had been sentenced to 16 years to life after killing his mother during a psychotic episode in 1983, and it is reported that he never attended parole hearings, or ever left prison. </p> <p>His publicist Bob Merlis confirmed the news in a statement, where he also explained that Gordon had died of natural causes. </p> <p>Gordon was born and raised in Los Angeles, and opted to pursue a career as a drummer while a teenager, even turning down a scholarship to UCLA. At just 17, he toured the United Kingdom with the Everly Brothers. </p> <p>His professional resume only grew from there, with Gordon going on to become on the primary drummers for George Harrison’s <em>All Things Must Pass</em>. Additionally, he contributed to songs by The Beach Boys on <em>Pet Sounds</em>, Cher, Nancy Sinatra, Judy Collins, and Bobby Darin. </p> <p>In 1970, he formed a group - Derek and the Dominos - with Eric Clapton. Together they wrote the hit ‘Layla’, with Gordon playing both piano and drums. Gordon’s girlfriend at the time, Rita singer Coolidge, claimed she had written the piano section. </p> <p>Gordon’s relationship with Coolidge ended when he physically assaulted her. </p> <p>As the years went by, Gordon developed issues with addiction, telling <em>Rolling Stone</em> in 1985 that he considered himself to be an alcoholic, and admitted to using heroin. By the late ‘70s, after he had confessed to hearing voices in his head, his mother had requested he seek help. </p> <p>“He used to talk to me about hearing voices,” Bobby Whitlock informed <em>Rolling Stone</em> in 2013, “but I told him that it was his consciousness speaking to him. He said it was someone else. Evidently he never stopped or even lightened up on his drug and alcohol intake. </p> <p>“The end result was the destruction of his family.”</p> <p>As Gordon’s mental health deteriorated, so did his career. He claimed to often hear his mum’s voice, and despite a number of medical interventions, he never maintained a consistent treatment schedule. </p> <p>And in June 1983, his mother paid the price, when Gordon fatally struck the 71-year-old Osa Marie Gordon with a hammer and knife. </p> <p>In the wake of her murder, Gordon was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and sentenced to his 16-years-to-life in prison. In 2018, he was deemed to still pose “an unreasonable risk of threat to public safety.” </p> <p>However, those who had known and worked with Gordon before the dark period of his life wanted to pay tribute to the late drummer, taking to social media to write of his professional success, citing some of his greatest hits and collaboration. </p> <p>Gordon’s publicist, Eric Alper, did so while confirming the news, adding that he “will be missed.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jim Gordon, one of rock’s all-time greatest drummers, has died at the age of 77.<br />Not only did he play in the Wrecking Crew, but also with Derek and the Dominos, Joe Cocker, Gordon Lightfoot, Merle Haggard, Joan Baez, Tom Petty, and hundreds of others, and will be missed. <a href="https://t.co/m3jP5LKaqB">pic.twitter.com/m3jP5LKaqB</a></p> <p>— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThatEricAlper/status/1636133384853282818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Eric Clapton’s ex-wife - Pattie Boyd - to whom he was married 10 years, paid her respects with a throwback picture of Gordon at a drum kit, writing that she was “sorry to hear of the passing of Jim Gordon.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm sorry to hear of the passing of Jim Gordon. Some of you will know that Jim co-wrote 'Layla' with Eric when they were both in Derek &amp; The Dominoes.<br />Jim also worked with George on the 'All Things Must Pass' album.<br />RIP <a href="https://t.co/83YPA664yt">pic.twitter.com/83YPA664yt</a></p> <p>— Pattie Boyd (@thepattieboyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/thepattieboyd/status/1636388726850072576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p><em>Images: Twitter, Getty</em></p>

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What really happened when Eric Clapton's 4-year-old son died in 1991

<p>A biography has shed light on the tragedy of the death of music legend Eric Clapton’s young son in 1991.</p> <p>It was supposed to be the start of a new beginning on the fateful day when music legend Eric Clapton’s young son sadly died in 1991 – he was only four years old.</p> <p>But the tragic moment instead became the inspiration for two of the artist’s iconic songs.</p> <p>Clapton, now 73 years old, had Conor with Italian actress Lory del Santo who had custody of their son, and only the day prior to Conor’s death had taken him on a special day out to the circus at Long Island.</p> <p>According to the biography <em>Slowhand: The Life And Music Of Eric Clapton</em>, by Philip Norman, an excerpt of which has been published in the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6324449/Biographer-PHILIP-NORMAN-reveals-Eric-Claptons-tortured-life.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a></em>, it was the first time the acclaimed guitarist had taken his son out by himself.</p> <p>Clapton “intended to be a proper father,” writes Norman.</p> <p>The next morning, as Clapton was due to arrive to pick up Conor for another day out, this time to the Bronx Zoo and lunch at an Italian restaurant, tragedy struck.</p> <p>Conor was running around the 53rd apartment in the New York high-raise his mother shared with Italian film producer Silvio Sardi, excited to see his “papa.”</p> <p>A janitor had been working on the windows in the living room but one was still open recounts Norman.</p> <p>“He called out to the nanny to watch the child, but before she could react, Conor dashed past her, jumped up on to the low window-ledge where he’d normally press his nose against the glass to gaze out – and disappeared,” he wrote. </p> <p>The four-year-old tragically fell to his death.</p> <p>Clapton wrote his iconic chart-toppers Circus Left Town and Tears in Heaven in response to the devastating accident, the deeply emotional lyrics from the latter some of the most well-known in classic music:</p> <p>“Would you know my name/ If I saw you in heaven?/ Would it be the same / If I saw you in heaven? / I must be strong and carry on / 'Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven.”</p> <p>Two days before Clapton’s 46th birthday, he said goodbye to Conor at his son’s funeral.</p> <p>Clapton once descried his son as “the one thing in my life that good could come out of.”</p>

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Tragedy strikes Sharon Stone’s family

<p>Sharon Stone has revealed her 11-month old nephew and godson, River, has died only days after he was found in his crib with 'total organ failure' that left him clinging to life in a coma.</p> <p>The <em>Basic Instinct </em>star, whose video tribute is set to Eric Clapton's <em>Tears in Heaven</em>, revealed the tragic news on Monday via her Instagram account.</p> <p>Stone took to her Instagram account, asking fans to pray for River saying he would need a ‘miracle’ to survive.</p> <p>He was the youngest child of Stone's brother, Patrick, and his wife, Tasha, who live in Ohio with their three children.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTNcofsJlLC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTNcofsJlLC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sharon Stone (@sharonstone)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>While sharing the news of his death, Stone posted a video of her nephew with the caption: 'River William Stone. Sept 8, 2020 - Aug 30, 2021'</p> <p>It is still unknown at this time exactly what happened to the child and Stone has not yet shared any other information about his passing.</p> <p><strong>River’s mother posted a plea for prayers</strong></p> <p>River's mother Tasha also wrote an impassioned plea for prayers on her Facebook page last week, revealing that her son had been airlifted to UPMC Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh on Thursday, where he was fighting for his life in a coma.</p> <p>Tasha wrote: 'This is the HARDEST thing I have ever had to post but I am BEGGING everyone and anyone who prays please pray HARD for River,' the devastated mother wrote. 'Every single second of this is literally killing me. I just want my sweet sweet boy back.'</p> <p>She didn't share the cause of her son's condition but she said doctors had told her River would “never be the same” if he ever woke up from his coma.</p> <p>'The doctor said if he does pull through he will never be the same,' Tasha wrote on her Facebook post: 'Please I am begging for prayers that my baby can be healed and come back with his family who love him so very much. I am beyond heartbroken.'</p> <p>Neither Tasha or Patrick have commented as yet on their son's tragic passing, and no details about the causes of his illness have been shared.</p> <p><strong>Stone was in Venice when she heard about River<br /></strong></p> <p>Stone was in Venice, Italy, when news of River's condition was revealed and she returned to the US over the weekend.</p> <p>There are a number of severe medical conditions which can lead to multiple organ failure in children but the leading cause is sepsis, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.</p> <p>Sepsis - which can be sparked by another infection in the body - is particularly dangerous for children, because the symptoms are more easily missed than they are in adult patients.</p> <p>Birth defects and other undiagnosed illness can also lead to paediatric organ failure but it is not yet known whether any of these conditions caused River's severe illness.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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