Eric Patrick Clapton, C.B.E. was born on March 30, 1945, in Ripley, Surrey, England. He was raised by his grandparents and grew up thinking his mother was his sister. For his 13th birthday, Clapton got his first guitar and practice religiously to learn the chords and rhythm of blues music.

Eric Clapton

“That I change the world/ I would be the sunlight in your universe/ You will think my love was really something good/ Baby if I could change the world.”

Early Years

Eric Patrick Clapton, C.B.E. was born on March 30, 1945, in Ripley, Surrey, England. He was raised by his grandparents and grew up thinking his mother was his sister. For his 13th birthday, Clapton got his first guitar and practice religiously to learn the chords and rhythm of blues music. In 1961, he attended Kingston College of Art for a year; later he joined David Brock to play the local pubs in Surrey. In 1963, Clapton was member of The Roosters, a R&B group from Britain. Later that year, he played with Casey Jones & The Engineers for a short while. He also joined the blues-rock band, The Yardbirds and was a member of the band for two years. After playing with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers for only two months, Clapton move to Greece and played with the band, The Glands with his friend Ben Palmer. It was his participation on the Blue Breakers album that helped him gain international fame.

On His Own

In 1966, Clapton formed the band Cream with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker. Even though he played, “For Your Love,” an American hit by the Yardbirds, Clapton had not gained popularity in the U.S. Cream made their debut at the National Jazz and Blue Festival in 1966. Around this same time, Jimi Hendrix was a budding British guitarist and gave Clapton a run for his title of the best guitarist in Britain. The following year, Clapton made his first trip to the U.S., performing nine shows in New York at RKO Theater. The band later recorded and released Disraeli Gears in May 1967. Over the next two years the band sold more than a million records and toured the U.S. And U.K. The Cream disbanded after two years of stressful touring and conflicts between band members. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Cream in 1993. For the next few years, Clapton collaborated with artists like Ringo Starr, Plastic Ono Band, Leon Russell, Dr. John, Delaney, and Billy Preston.

Success Across the Pond

Eric Clapton and Friends or better known as Derek and the Dominos released the two part album, Layla and the album titled smash hit. Despite the lack of success of the album, the band embarked on a U.S., and recorded and released a double album. While working on the second album, Clapton left the band. Since then he has been had success in many different genres. His rendition of “I Shot the Sheriff,” is credited for helping establish Bob Marley as an international artist. His Delta Blues song, “Me and Mr. Johnson,” and “Tears in Heaven,” a song dedicated to his son was one of the biggest hits of his career. Clapton and Robert Johnson's collaboration on “Crossroads” has been one of the most influential songs of his career.

Personal Life

Throughout much of his early years, Clapton was addicted to drugs and alcohol, as well as, various unsuccessful romantic relationships. After his failed affair with Pattie Boyd, Clapton took a hiatus from recording and returned to his hometown in which he also received help for his heroine addiction. In 1974, after beating his heroine addiction he reunited wit Pattie Boyd, but he began drinking heavily. In 1982, Clapton checked himself into Hazeldon Treatment Center in Center City, Minnesota. In 1984, while married to Pattie, Clapton fathered a child, Ruth born in 1985, with Yvonne Kelly, but his daughter was not publicly acknowledged until 1994.

Did You Know...

… Eric Clapton is ranked fourth on the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” by Rolling Stone Magazine

… The day before Jimi Hendrix died, Eric Clapton bought him a left-handed Stratocaster for his upcoming birthday

… Is the only artist to be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 3 times…

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