As
a multiple Grammy winner and member
of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,
Eric Clapton’s
love of guitar was set off by a performance
by Jerry Lee Lewis and decided to
teach himself how to play at age 13.
By the time he was 17, he was in his
first band, The Roosters. His name
really came to prominence when he
became a member of The Yardbirds,
alongside greats Jeff
Beck and Jimmy
Page. It’s here that he
earned the nickname “Slowhand”;
he would restring his guitar on stage
to the slow clap of the fans.
It
was after he left in 1965 that he
joined Bluesbreaker, only to break
from them as well and form his own
band, Cream, which has been hailed
as one of the greatest groups. However,
great or not, in-fighting would be
their downfall.
Claptons
best album, as part of Derek and he
Dominoes, was the double Layla and
Other Assorted Love Songs, with the
title track finding its inspiration
in the real-life love triangle between
Clapton, friend George
Harrison, and Patti, Harrison’s
wife (whom Clapton later married).
Like
many artists, drugs and alcohol would
take over Clapton’s life for
some time but during the 80’s,
he released five successful consecutive
albums which reminded his fans of
his pure, raw talent.
It
was during the 1960’s that graffiti
around London and New York read “Clapton
is God” which is a sentiment
that still rings true for many.
Date of Birth: March 3, 1945
|
Copyright
|
