Eric Clapton

b. Eric Patrick Clapp, 30 March 1945, Ripley, Surrey, England. The world's premier living rock guitarist will be forever grateful to his grandparents, for it was they who bought him his first guitar. The young Eric was raised by his grandparents Rose and Jack Clapp after his natural mother could not face bringing up an illegitimate child at the age of 16. Eric received the £14 acoustic guitar for his 14th birthday, then proceeded to copy the great blues guitarists, note for note. His first band was the Roosters, a local R&B group whose members included Tom McGuinness, a future member of Manfred Mann and latterly part of the Blues Band. Clapton stayed for eight months until he and McGuinness left to join Casey Jones And The Engineers. This brief sojourn ended in 1963 when Clapton was sought out by the Yardbirds, an aspiring R&B band, who needed a replacement for their guitarist Tony Topham. The reputation the Yardbirds then built was largely centred around Eric, who had already attained his nickname Slowhand by the partisan crowd at Richmond's Crawdaddy club. Clapton stayed for 18 months until musical differences interfered. The Yardbirds were taking a more pop-orientated direction and Eric just wanted to play the blues. He departed shortly after the recording of For Your Love. The perfect vehicle for his frustrations was John Mayall/Bluesbreakers, one of Britain's top blues bands. It was with Mayall that Clapton would earn a second nickname; God! Rarely had there been such a meteoric rise to such an exalted position. Clapton only made one album with Mayall but the record is now a classic. BLUES BREAKERS shows Clapton on the now famous cover behind a copy of the Beano comic.
Between Mayall and his next band Clapton made numerous session appearances and an interesting recording session with a conglomeration called the Powerhouse. They recorded three tracks, ‘Crossroads, I Want To Know and Steppin' Out. The line-up comprised; Paul Jones, Steve Winwood, Jack Bruce, Pete York and Clapton. He was elevated to superstar status with the formation of Cream in 1966 and together with ex-Graham Bond Organisation members, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker he created one of the most influential rock bands of our time. Additionally, as L'Angelo Mysterioso he played the beautiful lead solo on George Harrison's While My Guitar Gently Weeps for the Beatles' THE BEATLES (The White Album). Cream lasted just over two years, and shortly after their demise he was back again with Ginger Baker, this time as Blind Faith. The line-up was completed by Steve Winwood and Rick Grech. This ‘supergroup’ was unable to stay together for more than one self-titled album, although their financially lucrative American tour made the impending break-up easier to bear. During the tour Clapton befriended Delaney And Bonnie and decided he wanted to be their guitarist. He joined them before the sweat had dried, following his last Blind Faith gig in January 1970. He played on one album, DELANEY AND BONNIE ON TOUR, and three months later he had absconded with three of the former band to make the disappointing ERIC CLAPTON. The band then metamorphosed into Derek And The Dominos. This memorable unit, together with Duane Allman, recorded one of his most famous compositions: the perennial Layla. This clandestine love song was directed at George Harrison's wife Pattie, with whom Clapton had become besotted. George, unaware of this, invited Eric to play at his historic Bangla Desh Concert in August 1971. Clapton then struggled to overcome a heroin habit that had grown out of control, since being introduced to the drug during the recording of LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS. During the worst moments of his addiction he began to pawn some of his precious guitars and spent up to £1,500 a week to feed his habit.
Pete Townshend of the Who was appalled to discover that Eric was selling his guitars and proceeded to try to rescue Clapton and his girlfriend Alice Ormsby-Gore from certain death. Townshend organized the famous Eric Clapton AT THE RAINBOW concert as part of his rehabilitation crusade, along with Steve Winwood, Rick Grech, Ron Wood and Jim Capaldi. His appearance broke two years of silence, and wearing the same suit he had worn at the Bangla Desh concert he played a majestic and emotional set. Although still addicted, this was to be the turning point in his life and following pleas from his girlfriend's father, Lord Harlech, he entered the famous Harley Street clinic home of Dr. Meg Patterson for the initial treatment.
A rejuvenated Clapton began to record again and released the buoyant 461 OCEAN BOULEVARD in August 1974. The future pattern was set on this album; gone were the long guitar solos, replaced instead by relaxed vocals over shorter, more compact songs. The record was an incredible success, a number 1 hit in the US and number 3 in the UK. The singles drawn from it were also hits, notably his number 1 US hit with Bob Marley's I Shot The Sheriff. Also included was the autobiographical message to himself, Give Me Strength and the beautifully mantric Let It Flow. Clapton ended 1974 on a high note, not only had he returned from the grave, but he had finally succeeded in winning the heart of Pattie Harrison.
During 1975 he maintained his drug-free existence, although he became dependant on alcohol. That same year he had further hits with THERE'S ONE IN EVERY CROWD and the live E.C. WAS HERE. Both maintained his reputation. Since then Clapton has continued to grow in stature. During 1977 and 1978 he released two further big selling albums, SLOWHAND and BACKLESS. Further single success came with the gentle Lay Down Sally (co-written with Marcella Detroit, later of Shakespear's Sister) and Promises, while other notable tracks were Wonderful Tonight, J.J. Cale's Cocaine, and John Martyn's May You Never. Clapton had completely shrugged off his guitar hero persona and had now become an assured vocalist/songwriter, who, by chance, played guitar. A whole new audience, many of whom had never heard of the Yardbirds or Cream, saw Clapton as a clean, healthy individual with few vices, and no cobwebs in his attic. Clapton found additional time to play at the Band's historic LAST WALTZ concert.
The '80s have been even kinder to Clapton with every album selling vast quantities and being critically well-received. ANOTHER TICKET and MONEY AND CIGARETTES, which featured Ry Cooder, were particularly successful during the beginning of the '80s. BEHIND THE SUN benefited from the firm production hand of Clapton's close friend Phil Collins. Collins played drums on his next album, AUGUST, which showed no sign of tiredness or lack of ideas. This particularly strong album contained the excellent hit Behind The Mask and an exciting duet with Tina Turner on Tearing Us Apart. Throughout the record Clapton's voice was in particularly fine form. JOURNEYMAN in 1989 went one better, not only were his voice and songs creditable but Slowhand had discovered the guitar again. The album contains some of his finest playing. Not surprisingly it was a major success. Clapton has contributed to numerous artists’ albums over many years, including; John Martyn, Phil Collins, Duane Allman, Marc Benno, Gary Brooker, Joe Cocker, Roger Daltrey, Jesse Davis, Dr. John (Mac Rebannack), Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Rick Danko, Champion Jack Dupree, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Freddie King, Alexis Korner, Ronnie Laine, Jackie Lomax, Christine McVie, the Mothers Of Invention, the Plastic Ono Band, Otis Spann, Vivian Stanshall, Stephen Stills, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Doris Troy, Roger Waters and many, many more. He also appeared as the Preacher in Ken Russell's film of Pete Townshend's rock-opera Tommy.
Clapton has enjoyed a high-profile during the past few years with his touring, the Live Aid appearance, television documentaries, two biographies, and the now annual season of concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall. His 24 nights there in 1991 was a record. Such is his popularity that he could fill the Albert Hall every night for a year. As a final bonus to his many fans he plays three kinds of concerts, dividing the season with a series of blues nights, orchestral nights and regular nights. In the '90s Clapton's career went from strength to strength, although the tragic death of his son Conor in 1991 halted his career for some months. During December 1991 he toured Japan with George Harrison, giving Harrison the moral support that he had received more than a decade earlier. UNPLUGGED in 1992 became one of his most successful albums. On this he demonstrated his blues roots, playing acoustically in relaxed circumstances with his band (including sterling support from Andy Fairweather-Low), Clapton oozed supreme confidence. The poignant Tears In Heaven, about the death of his son, was a major hit worldwide. He has already earned the title of the greatest white blues guitarist of our time, but he is now on the way to becoming one of the greatest rock artists of the era too. An encouraging thought for a man whose life had all but ended in 1973.