Eric Clapton’s playing style of guitar has been legendary and he has been a force in rock music since the middle of the 1960s. He has been three-times inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as a solo artist as well as a member of the famous group the Yardbirds and Cream.
At the time when Clapton was in his “golden years” one fan sprayed the phrase “Clapton is God” on a wall in Islington, London during the 1960s. Here are a few things which you need to know about Eric Clapton, who has won 18 Grammy Awards during his career.
Clapton’s nickname was given by the man who managed the Yardbirds, Giorgio Gomelsky. He tagged Clapton with that famous nickname in early 1964. According to the Yardbirds rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, whenever Clapton broke a guitar string during a concert, he would remain on stage and replace it. While English audiences waited they would begin a slow handclap, which is called “to be given the Slowhand.”
Eric Clapton had a complicated relationship with the Beatles guitarist George Harrison. According to the Rolling Stone, in 1979 Clapton had a marriage with Pattie Boyd which was the first wife of George Harrison.
After Cream, Clapton formed Blind Faith, which disbanded after one album. He then formed Derek and the Dominos in 1970 and recorded his signature hit, “Layla.” The song, whose distinctive opening riff and wailing guitar coda are legendary in rock music today, remains a radio standard. Clapton also performed an acoustic version of the song on MTV’s “Unplugged” series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ5idZHWVn4
After Eric Clapton kicking a heroin habit in the middle of 70s, he produced a string of hits and successful albums, such as the well-known “I Shot the Sherriff,” “Hello Old Friend,” “Cocaine,” “Lay Down Sally,” and “Wonderful Tonight.”
One quote by Eric Clapton for the end, he said, “People who tend to go after money as a solution for whatever they feel they lack had better be careful what they pray for, because they just may get it.”
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