Monday, March 30, 2009

"The blues are what I've turned to, what has given me inspiration and relief in all the trials of my life."

Blues-rock guitarist, and legend Eric Clapton celebrates his 64th birthday today.
Eric Patrick Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey, England, on March 30, 1945. His real father was a Canadian pilot but he didn't find that out until he was 53. He was brought up by his grandmother because his mother couldn't look after him - in fact, he thought that his grandmother was actually his real mother, and that his mother was his sister (that's gotta fuck you up).

Although Clapton has varied his musical style throughout his career, it has always remained grounded in the blues. Yet, in spite of this focus, he is credited as an innovator in a wide variety of genres. These include blues-rock (with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and the Yardbirds) and psychedelic rock (with Cream).

Clapton played the guitar solo on George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" creating a precedent. No other outside musician had ever had such a privilege.Incidentally, both George Harrison and Clapton were respectively married to model Pattie Boyd. Eric wrote the songs "Layla" and "Wonderful Tonight" about her. She and Clapton eventually married, nine years after he recorded "Layla".

Eric Clapton is the only artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times: as a member of The Yardbirds (1992); as a member of Cream (1993); and as a solo performer (2000).

Below is a photo of Eric jamming with the Allman Brothers Band's Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks.