Eric Clapton
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BirthDate BirthPlace |
03/29/1945
Ripley, Surrey, England |
Title |
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| Played lead guitar on the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." |
| Has played guitar on songs by Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, George Harrison, Elton John, B.B. King, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Stephen Stills, Sting, Roger Waters and Frank Zappa. |
| Though unsure of himself as a singer, he pressed on with vocals and released his self-titled solo debut in 1970. |
| Formed Derek and the Dominos in 1970, releasing the classic Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs album that same year. |
| Joined John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, a blues-purist group, in 1965. It was with them that he earned another nickname: "God." |
| Formed the supergroup Blind Faith with Steve Winwood, Ginger Baker and Ric Grech after Cream disbanded. The band released one album before breaking up. |
| Formed Cream with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker in July 1966. |
| Never met his biological father, who was a Canadian soldier stationed in Britain during World War II. |
| Wrote the Grammy-winning "Tears From Heaven" for his 4-year-old son Conor, who died in 1991 when he fell from a 53rd-floor apartment in New York City. |
| Joined his first band, the Roosters, at age 17, in early 1963. |
| Broke up Cream in 1968 due to personality conflicts and a desire to get away from music driven by extended guitar solos. |
| Introduced to the blues by Uncle Mac's Children's Hour, a children's radio show that occasionally played blues songs. |
| Three-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: with the Yardbirds (1992), Cream (1993) and on his own (2000). |
| Founded Crossroads Centre, an alcohol-drug treatment facility in Antigua, in 1998. |
| Influences included Big Bill Broonzy and Muddy Waters. |
| Struggled with addictions to alcohol and heroin, finally becoming sober in 1987. |
| Backed John Lennon at the Toronto Rock 'n' Roll Revival Festival in 1969. |
| Believed that his mother Patricia, who had him out-of-wedlock at age 16, was his sister; learned the truth at age 9. |
| Quit the Yardbirds because of their move to a pop sound with the hit single "For Your Love." |
| Inspired by his then-unrequited love for Pattie Boyd, wife of George Harrison, to write "Layla." |
| Recruited to the Yardbirds in October 1963; earned the nickname "Slowhand" during his stint with the band. |
| Became a close friend of George Harrison. |
| Received his first guitar at age 13. |
| Raised by his grandparents. |
