Eric Clapton is an English rock guitarist, songwriter, and singer, universally regarded as one of the greatest guitarists in the history of popular music. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards, sold millions of albums worldwide, and achieved legendary status through songs such as Change the World, I Shot the Sheriff, Layla, Tears in Heaven, and Wonderful Tonight. His distinctive blues-based style and emotional expression have made him a defining figure in rock and blues music.

Eric Clapton was born on 30 March 1945 in the small town of Ripley, Surrey, England. His mother, Patricia Molly Clapton, was only sixteen years old at the time of his birth. His father, Edward Walter Fryer, was a twenty-four-year-old Canadian soldier stationed in England during World War II. Because Fryer was required to return to Canada after the war, the couple never married.

Until the age of nine, Clapton was raised believing that his grandparents, Rose Clapton and her second husband Jack, were his parents, and that his real mother was his older sister. Years later, when Patricia returned to England after marrying a Canadian soldier, the truth was revealed. From his mother’s new marriage, Clapton gained three half-siblings: Cheryl, Heather, and Brian. This revelation deeply affected Clapton, causing emotional distance between him and his family.

On his thirteenth birthday, Clapton received a Spanish Hoya guitar as a gift, along with a marimba. Struggling to master the instruments, he nearly gave up music altogether. Quiet, shy, and introverted, he nevertheless stood out for his sharp sense of humor. While attending Hollyfield School in Surbiton, Clapton developed a deep passion for blues music.

In 1964, Clapton joined the blues-rock band The Yardbirds. However, he left the group a year later when they shifted toward a more pop-oriented sound. In 1965, he joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, where his exceptional blues guitar skills quickly earned him widespread acclaim. Fans famously graffiti-covered walls with the phrase “Clapton is God,” cementing his early legend.

In mid-1966, Clapton formed the power trio Cream with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker. The band released three highly influential albums—Fresh Cream, Disraeli Gears, and Wheels of Fire—before disbanding in 1968. Their final live recordings were released in 1969 as Goodbye.

That same year, Clapton briefly formed Blind Faith before founding Derek and the Dominos with Bobby Whitlock, Jim Gordon, and Carl Radle. The group released the iconic album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, featuring the song Layla, one of Clapton’s most enduring works. In 1970, Clapton released his first solo album, Eric Clapton.

Between 1971 and 1972, Clapton struggled with heroin addiction, halting his career. He returned to music in 1973 with a live performance at London’s Rainbow Theatre, later released as Eric Clapton’s Rainbow Concert. His comeback album, 461 Ocean Boulevard, released in July 1974, featured the chart-topping hit I Shot the Sheriff.

Although subsequent albums such as There Is One in Every Crowd, E.C. Was Here, and No Reason to Cry received mixed responses, Clapton reached new heights in 1977 with the release of Slowhand. The album included classics like Wonderful Tonight, Lay Down Sally, and Cocaine, solidifying his legendary status.

During the early and mid-1980s, Clapton’s career experienced a decline, though albums such as Money and Cigarettes, Behind the Sun, and August kept him active. His live compilation Crossroads (1988) and the studio album Journeyman restored his critical and commercial success.

Clapton’s personal life was marked by tragedy. While married to Pattie Boyd, he had a relationship with Yvonne Kelly, resulting in the birth of his daughter Ruth Clapton in 1985. After divorcing Boyd in 1989, he entered a relationship with Italian model Lory Del Santo, with whom he had a son, Conor Clapton, born in 1986.

On 20 March 1991, Clapton suffered devastating loss when four-year-old Conor fell from a New York apartment window and died. This tragedy inspired the song Tears in Heaven, featured on the soundtrack of Rush. The song earned Clapton six Grammy Awards.

In 1992, Clapton released the landmark live album Unplugged, followed by the critically acclaimed blues album From the Cradle in 1994. Later works included Pilgrim (1998), featuring the hit My Father’s Eyes, and collaborations such as Riding with the King with B.B. King in 2000.

In 2016, Eric Clapton publicly announced that due to a neurological condition, he could no longer play the guitar, marking the quiet end of one of the most influential performance careers in music history.

Legacy
Eric Clapton remains one of the few artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times—as a solo artist, and as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. His influence on rock, blues, and guitar culture is immeasurable, and his work continues to inspire generations of musicians worldwide.

Source: Biyografiler.com