Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton was born on May 30, 1945, in England. He is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. In 2000, Clapton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He holds a variety of awards, including several Grammies.

Clapton was brought up by his grandparents. They gave Eric his first guitar as a birthday gift when he was just 14. After just two years of practice, he became a good guitarist and joined a local band. In 1963, he was invited into the band Yardbirds, which was very popular in England.

In 1965, Eric left the band and decided to join a blues group Bluesbreakers. After Clapton became their guitarist and vocalist, the band gained impressive popularity.

In 1966, Clapton formed his own band Cream. The musicians focused on live concerts rather than on studio work. In 1968, the group released a double album Wheels of Fire, which received platinum certifications in the USA and the UK. The same year the band split up.

Clapton was invited to the recording sessions of various artists, including Frank Zappa’s We’re Only in It For the Money (1967) and The Beatles’ White Album (1968). Then Clapton joined the band Blind Faith, which, regardless of its popularity, existed only for several months. They released one album, went on one tour, and disbanded.

In 1970, Clapton, who at the moment worked with the band Derek & The Dominos recorded the LP Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. The single from that album “Layla”, which was dedicated to George Harrison’s wife and Clapton’s future wife Patty, became a hit.

Between 1970 and 1974, Clapton was fighting a drug addiction. Upon returning to the music world, Eric recorded 461 Ocean Boulevard, in which he debuted as a pop artist.

In 1991, Clapton’s 4-year-old son Connor died after falling from the 53rd floor of a Manhattan building. Eric dedicated his song “Tears in Heaven” to his son. The song was performed in the movie Rush and brought Clapton two Grammy awards in 1993.

In 1992, Clapton released an acoustic album Unplugged, which became his most sold LP. It sold over 14 million copies.

In 2006, Clapton recorded The Road to Escondido, which received a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2008.

In 2007, Clapton wrote an autobiography, which became a bestseller and was translated into 12 languages. Clapton continues to record new songs and performs live.