Letter: I didn't propose to Donovan's wife

I HAVE been friends with Donovan and his wife Linda since 1969. I read in Donovan's book several years ago that Linda said I asked her to marry me. That is simply not true, but I decided to not even go anywhere with it as I figured that it was her fantasy. I said nothing about it thinking it would pass into obscurity. Then I read the article in your paper (Spectrum, 29 May).

The truth is that his wife showed up at Eric Clapton's house two days after I first arrived there and was planning on staying but she was sent packing that very day. There never was a party that she was at with us. There was only Eric and me there at the time. The Dominos had not even been formed yet. And top that all off with the fact that I was still married to my first wife for a year after I first went to England. Marrying anyone was the furthest thing from my mind.

I believe this tall tale of a party and me being down on my knees begging her for her hand in marriage was fabricated to save face. Hers! There was no party. No marriage proposal. Nothing anywhere near it. I never have been down on my knees begging anyone for anything in my life. Especially begging for her to marry me.

I am sorry this has gone this far. I should have said something when I read his book but didn't. But Donovan should have asked me about the allegation when he was writing his book. I checked out every fact before my book went into print in my recently released autobiography, Bobby Whitlock - A Rock'n'Roll Autobiography. This is not meant to demean anyone. This refutal is simply to set the record straight. I did not ask for Donovan's wife's hand in marriage!

Bobby Whitlock, Austin, Texas