"Some people talk about me like a revolutionary. That's nonsense; all I did was copy B.B. King. "

Living Legend of The Blues

Eric Clapton is a talented Grammy Award winning guitarist, singer, song writer, and composer. He is one of the most influential rock era musicians, and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times.

Clapton was born illegitimately to a 16-year-old mother, Patricia; his father was a Canadian soldier who was shipped off to war prior to Clapton's birth. As a result, he grew up with his grandparents, believing they were his parents. From an early age, Clapton enjoyed blues, and at 13 he received his first guitar, but nearly gave up with it because it was so difficult to learn. When he was 17 he joined his first band, called The Roosters. Still in London, he joined the blues-influenced rock band The Yardbirds in 1963, and stayed for two years. During this time he found his own distinct style and became one of the most popular guitarists in London, and toured England. Clapton left the band in 1965.

After the Yardbirds he began exploring hard rock with the band Cream, which was one of the earliest supergroups. Cream's music varied from pop soul to blues-based instrumental, and featured Clapton's electric guitar lines. The band broke up in 1968. They briefly united in 1993 to perform a ceremony for an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; they reunited in 2005 to play sold-out concerts in London and released a CD and DVD recording of their shows. Before the formation of Cream, Clapton was not well known in the United States.

A second supergroup, "Blind Faith" resulted in one tour and the release of the Blind Faith album in 1969. Afterwards, Clapton moved to New York, stepped into the background and toured as a sideman for the group Delaney and Bonnie and Friends until 1970. In 1970 Clapton released his first solo album, titled Eric Clapton.

At the beginning of his solo career, Clapton became a heroin addict. In 1973, Pete Townshend of The Who organized a concert titled the "Rainbow Concert" to help Clapton overcome his addiction. In 1975 he played The Preacher in a version of The Who's Tommy. After overcoming the addiction, Clapton put together a new band and released 461 Ocean Boulevard in 1974. He continued to release albums and toured regularly; a highlight of this time period was No Reason to Cry, which included Bob Dylan and Slowhand, featuring the hit single "Wonderful Tonight."

The 1980s produced a period of extensive touring with Phil Collins and the album August on which they collaborated. He also remade "After Midnight," which promoted Anheuser-Busch beer products. Also in the 80s he collaborated with Michael Kamen in the 1985 BBC TV thriller serial, Edge of Darkness.

While married to Pattie Boyd-Harrison, Clapton started a relationship with Yvonne Khan Kelly, whom he had a daughter with. Clapton and Boyd-Harrison divorced in 1989 due to Clapton's affair with Italian model Lory Del Santo; she gave birth to their son Conor in 1986. On March 20, 1991, Conor died when he fell from a 53-story building while jumping on his bed, landing on the roof of an adjacent four-story building. Clapton expressed his grief in "Tears in Heaven."

Clapton's guitars have gained widespread attention, and has helped popularize models of the electric guitar. Clapton helped began Hard Rock Cafe's collection of memorabilia. As a regular at the original Hard Rock Cafe in Hyde Park, London, Clapton gave a signed guitar to the cafe to designate his favorite bar stool. In turn, Pete Townshend donated one with a note that said "Mine's as good as his! Love, Pete."

Clapton employs a man to care for his guitars. His collection of 750 guitars is kept in a controlled environment. At times, it is said that he has owned over 2,000 guitars.

It is rumored that Clapton has slept with over a thousand women.