A bass guitarist who toured and recorded with several of the most influential artists of the late 1960s and 1970s but best known for his long association with Eric Clapton.

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, his first success was as a member of Gary Lewis & the Playboys in 1965.

In 1969 he began his long association with Clapton, initially with Delaney and Bonnie and Friends and subsequently in 1970 with Derek and the Dominos, playing alongside drummer Jim Gordon.

In 1970 he took part in Joe Cocker's famous Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. He worked on all of Clapton's solo projects from 1970 until 1979 and was a member of Clapton's touring band from 1974 until 1979. Radle was instrumental in facilitating Clapton's return to recording and touring in 1974. During Clapton's three-year hiatus, Radle furnished him with a supply of tapes of Okie musicians with whom he had been working. Dick Sims and Jamie Oldaker were musicians who became the core of Clapton's 1970s band. Radle also acted as arranger on several songs, most notably Motherless Children, and was credited as associate producer on No Reason to Cry.

Radle can be seen in the the Concert for Bangladesh film and also played on albums by Dave Mason, J.J. Cale, George Harrison, Joe Cocker and Buddy Guy among others. He can also be seen on the Band's Last Waltz.

Radle died in 1980 from a kidney infection, the effects of alcohol and narcotics.