Questions
Where and when was Eric Clapton born?
He was born on March 30, 1945, in Ripley, Surrey, England.
How did he get the nickname Slowhand?
Reportedly the name came from his Yardbirds days, when he would break guitar strings mid concert and the audience would do a slow handclap while he replaced them. Giorgio Gomelsky coined Slowhand as a pun on it.
What is the story behind the Clapton is God graffiti?
In 1967 an unknown admirer spray painted Clapton is God on a wall in Islington, North London. A famous photo captured the slogan with a dog urinating on the wall, and Clapton reportedly found it embarrassing.
Which famous bands was Clapton in?
He played with the Yardbirds, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, and Derek and the Dominos before his long solo career.
How did Cream get started?
Cream was one of the earliest supergroups, formed in 1966 with Ginger Baker on drums and Jack Bruce on bass. Their first gig was on July 29, 1966, at the Twisted Wheel Club in Manchester.
What were Cream’s big hits?
In the US, Sunshine of Your Love reached No. 5 in 1968, White Room hit No. 6 in 1968, and Crossroads reached No. 28 in 1969. The band disbanded in November 1968.
Did Cream ever reunite?
Yes. They briefly reunited in 1993 for their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, then had a fuller reunion in May 2005 at the Royal Albert Hall and in October 2005 at Madison Square Garden.
What is Clapton’s most famous song?
Layla, recorded with Derek and the Dominos in 1970, is among his most iconic. He later had his first US No. 1 hit with a 1974 cover of Bob Marley’s I Shot the Sheriff.
What is the story behind Tears in Heaven?
Clapton co-wrote it with Will Jennings as an expression of grief after his four year old son Conor died on March 20, 1991, following a fall from a New York City apartment window. The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1992.
Is he the only three time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee?
Yes. Clapton has been inducted three times, as a solo artist, with the Yardbirds, and with Cream, making him the only three time inductee to the institution.
How big was his Unplugged album?
Recorded on January 16, 1992, at Bray Film Studios in Berkshire, Unplugged reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Diamond for over 10 million copies sold in the US.
How many Grammy Awards has he won?
He has received 18 Grammy Awards. At the 35th Annual Grammy Awards he took home six, for the Tears in Heaven single and the Unplugged album.
Where does he rank among guitarists?
Rolling Stone ranked him No. 2 on its 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, and he placed No. 4 on Gibson’s Top 50 Guitarists of All Time list.
How many records has he sold?
As a solo artist he has sold around 100 million records, making him one of the best selling musicians of all time.
What is Wonderful Tonight from?
Wonderful Tonight is one of his best loved ballads, appearing on his 1977 album Slowhand.
