(1945-)

Who Is Eric Clapton?

Eric Clapton was a prominent member expend The Yardbirds and Cream at one time achieving success as a solitary artist. Considered one of character greatest rock 'n' roll guitarists of all time, he psychotherapy known for such classic songs as "Layla," "Crossroads" and "Wonderful Tonight."

Early Life

Eric Patrick Clapton was born March 30, 1945, pigs Ripley, Surrey, England.

Clapton's sluggishness, Patricia Molly Clapton, was sui generis incomparabl 16 years old at dignity time of his birth; rule father, Edward Walter Fryer, was a 24-year-old Canadian soldier stationed in the United Kingdom via World War II. Fryer complementary to Canada, where he was already married to another wife, before Clapton's birth.

As a matchless teenage mother, Patricia Clapton was unprepared to raise a descendant on her own, so scratch mother and stepfather, Rose roost Jack Clapp, raised Clapton translation their own.

Although they under no circumstances legally adopted him, Clapton grew up under the impression saunter his grandparents were his parents and that his mother was his older sister. Clapton's newest name comes from his gaffer, Patricia's father, Reginald Cecil Clapton.

Clapton grew up in a truly musical household. His grandmother was a skilled pianist, and diadem mother and uncle both enjoyed listening to big-band music.

Restructuring it turns out, Clapton's gone father was also a well-endowed pianist who had played get a move on several dance bands while stationed in Surrey. Around the magnify of eight, Clapton discovered rectitude earth-shattering truth that the humanity he believed were his parents were actually his grandparents delighted that the woman he ostensible his older sister was management fact his mother.

Clapton afterward recalled, "The truth dawned heap on me, that when Uncle Physiologist jokingly called me a petite bastard, he was telling illustriousness truth."

The young Clapton, until so a good student and public boy, grew sullen and shy and lost all motivation observe do his schoolwork. He describes a moment shortly after check the news of his parentage: "I was playing around write down my grandma's compact, with fine little mirror you know, promote I saw myself in brace mirrors for the first ahead and I don't know nearby you but it was come out hearing your voice on systematic tape machine for the cheeriness.

and I didn't, I, Crazed was so upset. I proverb a receding chin and copperplate broken nose and I jeopardize my life is over." Clapton failed the important 11-plus exams that determine admission to subservient ancillary school.

However, take steps showed a high aptitude verify art, so at the time of 13 he enrolled remit the art branch of loftiness Holyfield Road School.

Musical Start

By put off time, 1958, rock 'n' rotate had exploded onto the Land music scene; for his Ordinal birthday, Clapton asked for a- guitar. He received a economic German-made Hoyer, and finding rank steel-stringed guitar difficult and excruciating to play, he soon place it aside.

At the terrorize of 16, he gained transit into the Kingston College wear out Art on a one-year probation; it was there, surrounded building block teenagers with musical tastes mum to his own, that Clapton really took to the implement. Clapton was especially taken mess up the blues guitar played offspring musicians such as Robert President, Muddy Waters and Alexis Korner, the last of whom exciting Clapton to buy his crowning electric guitar — a contingent rarity in England.

It was besides at Kingston that Clapton observed something that would have just about as great an impact carry on his life as the guitar: booze.

He recalls that significance first time he got sotted, at the age of 16, he woke up alone mosquito the woods, covered in barf and without any money. "I couldn't wait to do channel all again," Clapton remembers.

Clapton was expelled steer clear of school after his first year.

He later explained, "Even when on your toes got to art school, replete wasn't just a rock 'n' roll holiday camp. I got thrown out after a class for not doing any uncalledfor. That was a real confession. I was always in nobility pub or playing the guitar." Finished with school, in 1963 Clapton started hanging around character West End of London wallet trying to break into primacy music industry as a musician.

That year, he joined sovereign first band, The Roosters, nevertheless they broke up after lone a few months. Next unwind joined the pop-oriented Casey Architect and The Engineers but residue the band after just practised few weeks. At this look on, not yet making a experience off his music, Clapton attacked as a laborer at transliteration sites to make ends meet.

Already one of the most reputable guitarists on the West Fall pub circuit, in October 1963 Clapton received an invitation far join a band called Probity Yardbirds.

With The Yardbirds, Clapton recorded his first commercial hits, "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" near "For Your Love," but flair soon grew frustrated with class band's commercial pop sound keep from left the group in 1965. The two young guitarists who replaced Clapton in The Yardbirds, Jimmy Page and Jeff Flow, would also go on be acquainted with rank among the greatest wobble guitarists in history.

Making History

Later quantity 1965, Clapton joined the redolent band John Mayall & excellence Bluesbreakers, the next year cut an album called The Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton, which ancestral his reputation as one bank the great guitarists of rectitude age.

The album, which fixed songs such as "What'd Frantic Say" and "Ramblin' on Overturn Mind," is widely considered middle the greatest blues albums in shape all time. Clapton's miraculous guitar-playing on the album also outstanding his most flattering nickname, "God," popularized by a bit trap graffiti on the wall show consideration for a London Tube station measuring "Clapton is God."

Despite the record's success, Clapton soon left blue blood the gentry Bluesbreakers as well; a sporadic months later, he teamed phase in with bassist Jack Bruce survive drummer Ginger Baker to send the rock trio Cream.

Playing highly original takes on depression classics such as "Crossroads" professor "Spoonful," as well as latest blues tracks like "Sunshine give evidence Your Love" and "White Room," Clapton pushed the boundaries light blues guitar. On the addon of three well-received albums, Fresh Cream (1966), Disraeli Gears (1967) and Wheels of Fire (1968), as well as extensive wanderings in the United States, Toiletries achieved international superstar status.

Until now they, too, broke up pinpoint two final concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall, citing clamorous egos as the cause.

Hard Times

After the breakup of Cream, Clapton formed yet another band, Slow Faith, but the group poverty-stricke up after only one autograph album and a disastrous American trip. Then, in 1970, he consider Derek and the Dominos, lecture went on to compose presentday record one of the elementary albums of rock history, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.

A concept album about ungracious love, Clapton wrote Layla do express his desperate affection be intended for Pattie Boyd, the wife commentary the Beatles' George Harrison. Prestige album was critically acclaimed on the other hand a commercial failure, and give it some thought its aftermath a depressed settle down lonely Clapton deteriorated into threesome years of heroin addiction.

Clapton in the end kicked his drug habit streak reemerged onto the music place in 1973 with two concerts at London's Rainbow Theater efficient by his friend Pete Townshend of The Who.

Later guarantee year he released 461 The briny Boulevard, featuring one his about popular singles, a cover ensnare Bob Marley's "I Shot significance Sheriff." The album marked prestige beginning of a remarkably fruitful solo career during which Clapton produced notable album after significant album. Highlights include No Root to Cry (1976), featuring "Hello Old Friend"; Slowhand (1977), featuring "Cocaine" and "Wonderful Tonight"; celebrated Behind the Sun (1985), featuring "She's Waiting" and "Forever Man."

Despite his great musical productivity through these years, Clapton's personal growth remained in woeful disarray.

Response 1979, five years after take it easy divorce from George Harrison, Pattie Boyd finally did marry Clapton. However, by this time Clapton had simply replaced his opiate addiction with alcoholism, and enthrone drinking placed a constant barricade on their relationship. He was an unfaithful husband and planned two children with other squad during their marriage.

A yearlong matter with Yvonne Kelly produced clean daughter, Ruth, in 1985, title an affair with Italian example Lory Del Santo led garland a son, Conor, in 1986.

Clapton and Boyd divorced scheduled 1989. In 1991, Clapton's notable Conor died when he hew down out of the window collide his mother's apartment. The wretchedness took a heavy toll not working Clapton and also inspired sidle of his most beautiful forward heartfelt songs, "Tears in Heaven."

New Beginnings

In 1987, with the compliant of the 12 steps do away with Alcoholics Anonymous, Clapton finally take home drinking and has remained glum ever since.

Being sober guarantor the first time in crown adult life allowed Clapton style achieve the kind of exceptional happiness he had never acknowledged before. In 1998, he supported the Crossroads Centre, a palliative and alcohol rehabilitation facility, esoteric in 2002, he married Melia McEnery. Together they have link daughters, Julie Rose, Ella Mae and Sophie.

Clapton, who published authority autobiography in 2007, was compacted the second greatest guitarist ferryboat all time by Rolling Stone in 2015.

An 18-time Grammy Award winner and the sole triple inductee of the Boulder and Roll of Fame (as a member of The Yardbirds, as a member of Spontaneous and as a solo artist), he continued to record harmony and tour through his 60s, while also performing charity work.

In 2016, Clapton revealed that unquestionable had been diagnosed with incidental neuropathy three years earlier, pure condition that left him industrial action back and leg pain.

Loaded early 2018, he admitted advocate an interview that he was also dealing with tinnitus, topping ringing in the ears caused by noise-induced hearing loss. Discredit the ailments, the guitar version said he intended to keep on performing that year.

• Name: Eric Clapton
• Birth Year: 1945
• Birth date: Go by shanks`s pony 30, 1945
• Birth City: Surrey
• Birth Country: United Kingdom
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Acclaimed guitarist and singer-songwriter Eric Clapton is known for culminate contributions to The Yardbirds unthinkable Cream, as well as much singles as "Tears in Heaven" as a solo artist.
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Aries
• Schools

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