Eric Clapton Biography

Eric Patrick Clapton was born in Ripley,Surrey, England on March 30,1945. Clapton quickly rose to fame in the mid- sixties with the Yardbirds who at one time or another would have the top 3 british rock guitarists in Clapton, Beck, and Page. Not satisfied with the direction they were taking, Clapton jumped ship in 1965 to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, where his talents blossomed and he soon attracted a fanatical following that would shout to the world, "Clapton is God!"

His stint with the Bluesbreakers was short-live however, and a year later he had formed with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce what many consider as the ultimate power rock trio in Cream. They would produce 3 successfull albums that only fueled his ascension to the throne of Rock God. In 1969, Clapton, Baker, Traffic's Steve Winwood, and new bassist, Rick Grech, formed Blind Faith, the first "supergroup" in rock. Their successful american tour could not prevent the demise of the band however, and after guest appearances with Delaney and Bonnie, Clapton formed Derek and the Dominos with studio musicians he had used on his 1970 solo album along with contributions from a previously unknown slide guitarist, Duane Allman.

Despite the success of their first album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Stories, the group was short-lived, and in the early seventies Clapton retreated from the limelight battling an ever-burgeoning heroin addiction.

Returning in 1974 with the album,461 Ocean Boulevard, Clapton has run an amazing string of gold and platinum successes that has left him the only 3-time inductee to the rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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