Hopefully, this will be the last one this year. James Brown, last Christmas, Eartha Kitt this Christmas.

Rock songwriter Delaney Bramlett dies in L.A. at 69
Dec. 28, 2008, 3:45 PM EST

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Singer-songwriter -producer Delaney Bramlett, who penned such classic rock songs as “Let it Rain” and worked with musicians George Harrison and Eric Clapton, has died. He was 69.

Bramlett died Saturday shortly before 5 a.m. at UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Los Angeles as a result of complications from gallbladder surgery, his wife Susan Lanier-Bramlett said.

Jerry Garcia, left, with Delaney Bramlett in 1970 (©AP)

Born in Mississippi, Bramlett enjoyed a career in the music business that spanned 50 years. With his then-wife Bonnie Lynn, he created the Southern blues-rock band Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. The group opened for Blind Faith, which featured British guitarist Clapton, in 1969.

He is perhaps best known for standards such as “Superstar,” co-written with Leon Russell, which was recorded by Usher, Luther Vandross, Bette Midler, The Carpenters and most recently, Sonic Youth, in a version featured on the Grammy-nominated soundtrack of the movie “Juno.”

He co-wrote “Let it Rain” with Clapton, who also recorded it, and “Never Ending Song of Love,” which was recorded by more than 100 artists including Ray Charles, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Patty Loveless and Dwight Yoakam.

During his career, he performed, co-wrote or recorded with stars such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, John Lennon, Dave Mason, Billy Preston, the Everly Brothers and Mac Davis. He also produced artists including Etta James and Elvin Bishop.

He recently released an album, “A New Kind of Blues,” on independent label Magnolia Gold Records.