Eric Clapton: the 100 most inspiring musicians of all time
British rock musician Eric Clapton (born Eric Patrick Clapp (b. March 30, 1945, Ripley, Surrey, Eng.) was a highly influential guitarist in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later became a major singer-songwriter.
Eric Clapton was raised by his grandparents after his mother abandoned him at an early age. He began playing the guitar in his teens and briefly studied at the Kingston College of Art. After playing lead guitar with two minor bands, in 1963 he joined the Yardbirds, a rhythm-and-blues group in
which his blues-influenced playing and commanding technique began to attract attention.
Clapton left the Yardbirds in 1965 when they pursued commercial success with a pop-oriented style. That same year he joined John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and his guitar playing soon became the group’s principal drawing card as it attracted a fanatic following on the London club scene.
In 1966 Clapton left the Bluesbreakers to form a new band with two other virtuoso rock musicians, bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker. This group, Cream, achieved international popularity with its sophisticated,
high-volume fusion of rock and blues that featured improvisatory solos. Clapton’s mastery of blues form and phrasing, his rapid runs, and his plaintive vibrato were widely imitated by other rock guitarists.
The high energy and emotional intensity of his playing on such songs as “Crossroads” and “White Room” set the standard for the rock guitar solo. Cream disbanded in late 1968, however, after having recorded such albums as Disraeli Gears (1967), Wheels of Fire (1968), and Goodbye (1969).
In 1969 Clapton and Baker formed the group Blind Faith with keyboardist-vocalist Steve Winwood and bassist Rick Grech, but the group broke up after recording only one album. Clapton emerged as a capable vocalist on his first solo album, which was released in 1970. He soon
assembled a trio of strong session musicians (bassist Carl Radle, drummer Jim Gordon, and keyboardist Bobby Whitlock) into a new band called Derek and the Dominos, with Clapton as lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter.
The guitarist Duane Allman joined the group in making the classic double album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970), which is regarded as Clapton’s masterpiece and a landmark among rock recordings. Disappointed by Layla’s lackluster sales and addicted to heroin, Clapton
went into seclusion for two years. Overcoming his addiction, he made a successful comeback with the album 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974), which included his hit remake of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff.” On the album, Clapton adopted a more relaxed approach that emphasized his songwriting
and vocal abilities rather than his guitar playing.
Over the next 20 years Clapton produced a string of albums, including
Slowhand (1977), Backless (1978), Money and Cigarettes (1983), August (1986), Unplugged (1992)—which featured the Top Five hit “Tears in Heaven,” written after the death of his son—and From the Cradle (1994). He explored his musical influences with a pair of Grammy-winning collaborations:
Riding with the King (2000) with blues legend B.B. King and The Road to Escondido (2006) with roots guitarist J.J. Cale. The critical and commercial success of these albums solidified his stature as one of the world’s greatest rock musicians. Clapton, an autobiography, was published in 2007. In 2000 Clapton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Download and Play Along with Eric Clapton’s sheet music here.
Browse in the Library:
Artist or Composer / Score name | Cover | List of Contents |
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Waltz – Noce i Dnie OST (Nights and days) | ||
Waltz For Debby Bill Evans (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Waltz For Debby – Bill Evans (Complete) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Waltz For Debby – Bill Evans (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Waltz From The Balet ‘coppelia’ (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Waltz In A Minor F. Chopin (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Waltz In E Minor Op. 39 No. 4 – Johannes Brahms (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Ward-Jackson’s Gymnastics For The Fingers And Wrist – based On Anatomical Principles (By Edwin Ward-Jackson) 1874 | ||
Watermark (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Watermelon Man (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Waters of Irrawaddy (Hans Zimmer) from the movie Beyond Rangoon | ||
Wave – Vou Te Contar Jobim (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Wayne Shorter – Ana Maria | ||
Wayne Shorter Artist Transcriptions The New Best of | Wayne Shorter Artist Transcriptions The New Best of | |
Wayward Sisters – Nocturnal Animals OST (Abel Korzeniowski) | ||
We are the champions (Queen) | ||
We Are The World Songbook | we are the world | |
We Shall Overcome Essays on a Great American Song (Book) by Victor B.Bobetsky | ||
We Wish You A Merry Christmas | ||
We Wish You A Merry Christmas – Anonymous (Guitar arr. sheet music with TABs) | We Wish You A Merry Christmas – Anonymous (Guitar arr. sheet music with TABs) | |
We Wish You A Merry Christmas – Guitar TABlature | ||
We Wish You A Merry Christmas (piano solo sheet music) | ||
We Wish You A Merry Christmas Trad. English Christmas carol | ||
We Wish You A Merry Christmas Trad. English Christmas carol.mscz | ||
Weather Report – A Remark You Made (Guitar TABS) | Weather Report – A Remark You Made (Guitar TABS) | |
Weather Report – The best of Weather Report (Full score) | Weather Report – The best of Weather Report (Full score) | |
Weather Report Best Of Weather Report Band Score Book | Best Of Weather Report Us Book | |
Weber – Der Freischütz (Ouvertüre) Piano Solo arr | ||
Weber – Der Freischütz (Ouvertüre) Piano Solo arr.mscz | ||
Weber – Der Freischutz Overture piano solo arr. | ||
Weber op 65 Invitation to the Dance (Invitation to the Waltz) | ||
Weber’s Last Thought – C.M. von Weber | ||
Wedding Collection for Piano Solo | Wedding Collection for Piano Solo | |
Wednesday Morning 3 A M – Simon & Garfunkel (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Weight Of The World – Nier Automata Piano Collections (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Weissenberg En Avril A Paris (April In Paris) Charles Trenet | ||
Well Tempered Praise – Mark Hayes piano | Well Tempered Praise – Mark Hayes piano | |
Well Tempered Praise II by Mark Hayes | Well Tempered Praise II by Mark Hayes | |
Well Tempered Praise III – Mark Hayes piano | Well Tempered Praise III – Mark Hayes piano | |
Well Tempered Praise Vol 4 Gospel Classics by Mark Hayes | Well Tempered Praise Vol 4 Gospel Classics by Mark Hayes | |
Well-Known Piano Solos – How To Play Them (By Charles W Wilkinson) (1915) | ||
Wes Montgomery Wine And Roses By Henry Mancini Solo Guitar | ||
Wes Montgomery – Unit 7 Solo Transcription | Wes Montgomery – Unit 7 Solo Transcription | |
Wes Montgomery – Artist Transcriptions for guitar by fred Sokolow | Wes Montgomery – Artist Transcriptions for guitar by fred Sokolow | |
Wes Montgomery – Au Privave transcription | ||
Wes Montgomery – Days of wine and roses transcription | ||
Wes Montgomery – Take The A Train transcription | ||
Wes Montgomery Essential Jazz Lines (Mel Bay) | Wes Montgomery Essential Jazz Lines (Mel Bay) | |
Wes Montgomery Jazz Guitar Artistry arr. by Zafar Soood with TABs | Wes Montgomery Jazz Guitar Artistry arr. by Zafar Soood | |
Wes Montgomery Jazz No Blues Guitar | ||
Wes Montgomery The Early Years (Mel Bay) Jazz Guitar Solos Tablature | Wes Montgomery The Early Years (Mel Bay) Jazz Guitar Solos Tablature | |
Wes Montgomery The End Of A Love Affair Guitar Tabs | ||
West Side Story – Somewhere (Voice and Piano) Leonard Bernstein | West Side Story – Somewhere | |
West Side Story (The Musical) Vocal Score Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim | West Side Story Vocal Score – Leonard Bernstein | |
Westlife – Cant Lose What You Never Had | ||
Westlife – Flying Without Wings | ||
Westlife – If I Let You Go | ||
Westlife – Mandy | ||
Westlife – You Raise Me Up Guitar arr. with TABs | Westlife – You Raise Me Up Guitar arr. with TABs | |
Westlife Unbreakable Greatest Hits | ||
Wet Wet Wet – Love Is All Around | ||
Wexford Carol (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Wham , George Michael And Me By Andrew Ridgeley (Book) | ||
Wham Make It Big Piano Vocal Guitar Chords | Wham Make It Big Piano Vocal Guitar Chords | |
What a Wonderful World – Thiele & Weiss | ||
What a wonderful world – Louis Armstrong.mscz | ||
What A Wonderful World (Lead Sheet With Lyrics ) Musescore File.mscz | ||
What a Wonderful World (lead sheet) – Thiele & Weiss | What a Wonderful World (lead sheet) – Thiele & Weiss | |
What A Wonderful World (Musescore File).mscz | ||
What a wonderfull World (Jazz Standard) Guitar Tablature TABs | What a wonderfull World (Jazz Standard) Guitar Tablature TABs | |
What A Wonderlful World (Lead Sheet) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
What You’re Made Of – Même Si (Lucie Silvas – Grégory Lemarchal | ||
What’s That Sound An Introduction To Rock And Its History By John Covach And Andrew Flory (Book) | ||
When A Man Loves A Woman Calvin Lewis & Andrew Wright | ||
When Almonds Blossomed – Giya Kancheli | When Almonds Blossomed – Giya Kancheli-1 | |
When Almonds Blossomed (Musescore File).mscz | ||
When I Fall In Love – Victor Young (Bill Evans Ver.) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
When I fall in love Bill Evans version | When I fall in love Bill Evans version | |
When I’m Sixty-Four (Beatles) | ||
When Lights Are Low (Benny Carter) As Played By Miles Davis (Musescore File).mscz | ||
When The Saints Go Marchin In – Gospel Traditional Folk song (Piano solo with Lyrics) | When The Saints Go Marchin In – Gospel Traditional Folk song (Piano solo with Lyrics) SAMPLE | |
When The Saints Go Marching In – Fun piano arrangement | When The Saints Go Marching In – Fun piano arrangement | |
When you told me you loved me (Jessica Simpson) | ||
When You Wish Upon A Star (Musescore File).mscz | ||
When You Wish Upon A Star (From The Film Pinocchio) Easy Piano Solo Arr. Sheet Music (Musescore File).mscz | ||
When You Wish Upon A Star (Leigh Harline and Ned Washington) from Pinocchio Jazz Piano Solo arr. sheet music | When You Wish Upon A Star (Leigh Harline and Ned Washington) from Pinocchio Jazz Piano Solo arr. sheet music | |
When You Wish Upon A Star (Solo Piano Arr ) David Dinh | ||
When You’re Gone (Avril Lavigne) | ||
When You’re Smilling (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Where have all the-flowers gone (guitar & voice) | Where-have-all-the-flowers-gone (guitar & voice) | |
While your lips are still red (Nightwish) | ||
Whistling away the dark (Darling Lili OST) Henry Mancini | ||
White Album 2 Ending 3 Sayonara No Koto | ||
White Christmas -Irving Berlin – Piano sheet music | ||
White Christmas Irving Berlin (Musescore File).mscz | ||
White Christmas Medley (Liberace) | ||
White skin like the moon (Jane Eyre 2011 OST) Dario Marianelli | ||
Whitesnake – Here I Go Again | ||
Whitesnake Guitar Collection with TABs | Whitesnake Guitar Collection with TABs | |
Whitesnake Is This Love Piano Vocal Guitar Chords | Whitesnake Is This Love Piano Vocal Guitar Chords | |
Whitney Houston – Jesus Loves Me Sheet Music | ||
Whitney Houston The Best Of | Whitney Houston, The Best Of | |
Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You | ||
Whitney Houston – It’s Easy To Play Whitney Houston | Whitney Houston – It’s Easy To Play Whitney Houston | |
Whitney Houston – Saving All My Love For You | ||
Whitney Houston – The Greatest Hits | Whitney – The Greatest Hits | |
Whitney Houston – The Greatest Love Of All | ||
Whitney Houston I will always love you | Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You | |
Whitney Houston My Love Is Your Love | Whitney Houston My Love Is Your Love | |
Who wants to live forever (Queen) | ||
Whole New World Sheet Music, A – Alan Menken | ||
Why Jazz? A Concise Guide – Kevin Whitehead (book) | ||
Wicked The Musical Sheet Music Full song Book Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz | Wicked the musical contents — Wicked The Musical Sheet Music Full Book | |
Wieck – Piano Studies | ||
Wiklund Adolf Fran Mitt Fonster (From my Window) Piano Solo | ||
Wild – Fantasy On Gershwin’s Porgy And Bess | Wild Fantasy On Gershwin’s Porgy And Bess | |
Wild Gershwin Seven Virtuoso Etudes | Wild Gershwin Seven Virtuoso Etudes | |
Wild, Earl – Gershwin Étude No. 4 based on Embraceable You Piano | Wild, Earl – Gershwin Etude No. 4 based on Embraceable You Piano | |
Wilde Theme (Debbie Wiseman) | ||
Wilhelm Kempff Musik Des Barock Und Rokoko – Nr. 13 Menuett G-Moll G.F. Händel (Musescore File).mscz |
ERIC CLAPTON Live at Budokan, Tokyo, 2001 (Full Concert)
Live at Budokan, Dec 4, 2001
Eric Clapton – guitar / vocals Andy Fairweather Low – guitar / vocals David Sancious – keyboards / guitar / vocals Greg Phillinganes – keyboards Nathan East – bass / vocals Steve Gadd – drums
Key To The Highway 0:38 Reptile 3:41 Got You On My Mind 10:25 Tears In Heaven 14:21 Layla (acoustic) 18:51 Bell Bottom Blues 23:33 Change The World 28:37 River Of Tears 35:15 Goin’ Down Slow 44:04 She’s Gone 49:28 I Want A Little Girl 57:01 Badge 1:01:36 Hoochie Coochie Man 1:07:42 Five Long Years 1:12:39 Cocaine 1:20:57 Wonderful Tonight 1:25:44 Layla (electric) 1:32:58 Sunshine Of Your Love 1:43:05 Somewhere Over The Rainbow 1:50:00