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 |
---|---|---|
All Sondheim Vol IV Music and lyrics | All Sondheim Vol IV Music and lyrics | |
All That Jazz piano-vocal Arrangement | ||
All The Things You Are (Guitar And Tabs) | All The Things You Are (Guitar And Tabs) | |
All The Things You Are (Guitar And Tabs) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
All The Things You Are By Jerome Kern Guitar Transcription | ||
All The Things You Are Jerome Kern Oscar Hammerstein 2nd 1940 Jazz Standard (Vintage sheet music) | ||
All Time Standards (Songbook) Jazz Guitar Tablature Chord Melody Solos (Jeff Arnold) | All Time Standards (Songbook) Jazz Guitar Tablature Chord Melody Solos (Jeff Arnold) | |
All Time Standards Piano (Arr. Gabriel Bock) | All Time Standards Piano (Arr. Gabriel Bock) | |
All You Need Is Ears George Martin with Jeremy Hornsby 1979 (Book) The story o the recording genius who created The Beatles | ||
Allan Holdsworth Just for the curious book Guitar with Tablature | ||
Allan Holdsworth Melody Chords For Guitar | ||
Allan Holdsworth Super Guitarist with TABs | Allan Holdsworth Super Guitarist with TABs | |
Alle prese con una verde Milonga (Paolo Conte) | ||
Allevi, Giovanni – Back To Life | ||
Allie Wrubel – Gone with the Wind | ||
Allman Brothers Guitar Songbook | Allman Brothers Guitar Songbook | |
Allman Brothers, Best Of The (Piano, Vocal, Guitar) | Allman Brothers, Best Of The (Piano, Vocal, Guitar) | |
Allman Brothers, The – The Definitive Collection For Guitar Vol 1 with Tablature | Allman Brothers, The – The Definitive Collection For Guitar Vol 1 | |
Alma Redemptoris Mater | ||
Almeno tu nell’universo (Mia Martini) | ||
Almir Chediak Ivan Lins Guitar Songbook Vol 2 | Ivan Lins Guitar Songbook Vol 1 by Almir Chediak | |
Alok – Hear Me Now Sheet Music | ||
Alone together (Howard Dietz & Arthur Schwartz) | Alone together (Howard Dietz Arthur SchwArtz) | |
Alone Together (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Alone Togheter Guitar Solo Transcription Jazz Standard | ||
Alphaville Forever Young (piano & Guitar) | Alphaville Forever Young (piano & Guitar) | |
Also Sprach Zarathustra Op. 30 – Richard Strauss (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Alternative Rock Sheet Music Collection | Alternative Rock Sheet Music Collection | |
Always on my mind – Elvis Presley – easy arrangement for piano, with fingering | ||
Amadeus – W.A. Mozart (film score arr. for piano solo by D. Fox) | Amadeus – W.A.Mozart | |
Amadeus (original soundtrack piano solo arrangements) | Amadeus (Film score book) Piano Solos | |
Amalia Rodriguez FADOS Melodias De Sempre (GUITAR) | Amalia Rodriguez FADOS Melodias De Sempre (GUITAR) | |
Amando amando (Renato Zero) | ||
Amar Pelos Dois (Salvador Sobral) | ||
Amarcord (Nino Rota) | ||
Amazing Grace – Tradicional (Piano ) | ||
Amazing Grace Traditional (Jazzy ver. sheet music) | ||
Amazing Phrasing – Guitar 50 Ways to Improve Your Improvisational Skills (Guitar TABs Amazing Phrasing) (Tom Kolb) | Amazing Phrasing – Guitar 50 Ways to Improve Your Improvisational Skills (Guitar TABs Amazing Phrasing) (Tom Kolb) | |
Amelie Poulain – 6 pieces for piano – Yann Tiersen – Yann Tiersen | ||
America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee Easy Piano Level 2 | ||
America Greatest Hits Piano Vocal Guitar chords | America Greatest Hits Piano Vocal Guitar chords | |
America Greatest Hits (piano & Guitar) | America greatest | |
America Horse With No Name Piano vocal | America Horse With No Name Piano vocal | |
America’s Songs The Stories Behind The Songs Of Broadway, Hollywood, And Tin Pan Alley (Philip Furia, Michael Lasser) Book | ||
American Folk Songs For Guitar with Tablature | American Folk songs | |
American Folk Songs, My First Book of – Bergerac | ||
American Indian Melodies A. Farwell Op.11 (1901) | American Indian Melodies A. Farwell Op.11-min | |
American Pie (sheet music) | ||
American Popular Music (Book) by Larry Starr and Christopher Waterman | ||
Americana – Alegre, Magín (Guitarra) | Americana – Alegre, Magín (Guitarra) | |
Amici Miei (Carlo Rustichelli) | ||
Amor mio (Battisti) | ||
Amore bello (Claudio Baglioni) | ||
Amy Beach – Op.15 Four Sketches in Autumn | ||
Amy Grant – Breath Of Heaven | ||
Amy MacDonald This Is The Life | AMY MACDONLAD | |
Amy Winehouse – Valerie | ||
Amy Winehouse – Valerie (sheet music) | ||
Amy Winehouse Amy Amy Amy | ||
Amy Winehouse Back To Black Songbook | Amy Winehouse Back To Black Songbook | |
Amy Winehouse Frank Songbook | Amy Winehouse Frank | |
Amy Winehouse I Heard Love Is Blind | ||
Amy Winehouse Just Friends | ||
Amy Winehouse Rehab | ||
Amy Winehouse You Know Im No Good | ||
An affair to remember (Harry Warren) | ||
An American In Paris An George Gershwin (Concert Band)An American In Paris An George Gershwin (Concert Band) Arr. by Naohiro Iwai | ||
An American Tail – The Marketplace – James Horner | ||
An Introduction To Bach Studies (eBook) | ||
An Irish Blessing (Musescore File).mscz | ||
An Irish Blessing (SATB) Choral | An Irish Blessing (SATB) | |
Analisis musical claves para entender e interpretar la Música (M. y A. Lorenzo) Español | ||
Analysis Of Tonal Music An Schenkerian Approach Allen Cadwallader and David Gagné (Book) | ||
Analyzing Bach Cantatas by Eric Chafe (eBook) | ||
Analyzing Schubert by Suzannah Clark (Cambridge Un. Press) (eBook) | ||
Anastacia Not That Kind Songbook | Anastacia songbook | |
Anastasia Once Upon A December arr. by John Brimhall (Piano Solo 2 Versions Easy And Intermediate) | ||
Anastasia Sheet Music songbook Piano & vocal | Anastasia Sheet Music songbook Piano & vocal | |
Ancora ancora ancora (Mina) | ||
Ancora qui (Django Unchained) Elisa – Ennio Morricone | ||
And the Waltz goes on (Anthony Hopkins) | ||
Andante (from String Quartet op. 22) P. I. Tchaikovsky | ||
Anderson Freire – So Voce Piano | ||
Andras Schiff – Music Comes Out Of Silence Book | ||
Andre Gagnon – L’air Du Soir | ||
Andre Gagnon – Le Reve De L’automne (sheet music Collection) | Andre Gagnon – Le Reve De L’automne (sheet music Collection) | |
Andre Gagnon – Les Jours Tranquilles | Andre Gagnon – Les Jours Tranquilles | |
Andre Gagnon – Meguriai | ||
Andre Gagnon – Nelligan | ||
Andre Gagnon – Petite Nostalgie | ||
Andre Gagnon – Reves D’Automne | Andre Gagnon – Reves D’Automne | |
Andre Gagnon – The Very Best Of Andre Gagnon (Sheet Music Songbook) | Andre Gagnon – The Very Best Of Andre Gagnon (Sheet Music Songbook) | |
Andre Gagnon Ciel D’Hiver | ||
Andre Gagnon Entre Le Boeuf et l’Ane Gris Musique Traditionelle | ||
André Gagnon L’air Du Soir | ||
Andre Gagnon Neiges | ||
André Gagnon Nelligan | ||
André Gagnon Origami | ||
André Gagnon Pensées Fugitives | ||
Andre Gagnon Pensées Fugitives | ||
André Gagnon Piano Solitude | Gagnon, André Piano Solitude | |
Andre Gagnon Prologue | ||
André Gagnon Selection Speciale de chansons (partitions musicales) | André Gagnon Selection Speciale de chansons (partitions musicales) | |
André Gagnon Un Piano Sur La Mer (Piano Solo Partition Sheet Music) | Gagnon André Un Piano Sur La Mer (Piano Solo Partition Sheet Music) | |
Andre Popp Paul Mauriat Love Is Blue Piano Solo Arr. | ||
André Previn – Play Like André Previn no. 1 | Andre Previn sheet music | |
Andre Previn – The Genius of (Piano Solos sheet music) | The genius of André Previn | |
Andre Rieu La Vie Est Belle (Songbook Collection As Performed By André Rieu) | Andre Rieu La Vie Est Belle (Songbook Collection As Performed By André Rieu) | |
Andrea Bocceli – Time To Say Goodbye | ||
Andrea Boccelli – Time To Say Goodbye | ||
Andrea Bocelli Romanza songbook (Guitar & Voice) | Andrea Bocelli Romanza songbook | |
Andrea Bocelli – Anthology (songbook) | ||
Andrea Bocelli – Con te partiro (Time to say Goodbye) Piano Solo arr | Andrea Bocelli – Con te partiro (Time to say Goodbye) Piano Solo | |
Andrea Bocelli – Con te partiro (Time to say Goodbye) Piano Solo.mscz | ||
Andrea Bocelli – The Best Of Songbook | Andrea Bocelli best of | |
Andrea Bocelli Celine Dion The Prayer Easy Piano And Vocal By David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa And Tony Renis | ||
Andrea Bocelli Celine Dion – The Prayer – Easy Piano and Vocal by David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa and Tony Renis.mscz | ||
Andrea Bocelli Cieli Di Toscana (Piano, guitar & Vocal) | Andrea Bocelli Cieli Di Toscana | |
Andrea Bocelli Sogno Songbook | Andrea Bocelli sogno | |
Andrea Bocelli The Prayer |
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