Eric Clapton
Latest about Eric Clapton

Martin unveils its reissue of Eric Clapton’s 'Unplugged' acoustic — but his affinity for the brand began long before that seminal show
By Phil Weller published
The two new acoustics celebrate 30 years of collaboration between Martin and Clapton, but the luthier’s builds were shaping his career decades earlier

When Albert Lee received a Les Paul Custom from Eric Clapton, he had no idea how much history it held
By Phil Weller published
Clapton made the guitar famous, but it’s been played by a host of guitar icons and was featured on two of his vital classic rock albums

When George Harrison’s “Lucy” Les Paul was “kidnapped” in 1973, he went to extreme measures to get it back
By Phil Weller published
The cherry-finished Les Paul — dubbed Lucy — had been owned by several famous guitarists, including Eric Clapton, who gifted it to Harrison in 1968

Why Rory Gallagher rejected the chance to bring Cream back from the dead in 1968
By Phil Weller published
Clapton’s power trio imploded almost as quickly as it had arrived, but the band’s management didn’t want the party to end

Pete Townshend on how Jimi Hendrix led him to write ‘Tommy,’ the Who's 1969 breakthrough
By Matt Resnicoff published
“I realized that what I had was a bunch of gimmicks which he had come and taken away from me,” the Who guitarist told us. “I took refuge in my writing”

Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson says Eric Clapton convinced him he had a limited future as a guitarist
By Gary Graff published
Anderson credits Clapton and albums by Dire Straits, Pink Floyd and Frank Zappa with shaping his musical direction

B.B. King on the night in 1967 when he jammed with Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix
By Christopher Scapelliti, Andy Ellis last updated
The night marked the moment King recognized his influence on the new generation of blues guitarists — but he had no bitterness for his years in obscurity

Eric Clapton hated Cream’s “Crossroads." But is there an even longer version of it?
By Christopher Scapelliti last updated
Producer Tom Dowd said Cream never played “Crossroads” for less than seven minutes in concert and was certain the 'Wheels of Fire' recording was an edit
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