Eric Clapton

One of the legendary modern guitarists, Eric Patrick Clapton, was born in the British city of Ripley in 1945. Eric was an out-of-marriage son of a Canadian officer and an under-eighteen English girl, who gave the child to her parents for upbringing and moved to Germany. The boy considered his grandparents to be his parents; he was also said that he had an elder sister, who lived abroad. When the boy was nine, the relatives revealed him the truth, which influenced Eric immensely - he became a lonely and hideous child. Around that time, he started playing the guitar. After leaving the school, Clapton entered a college, but he was expelled for playing the guitar during lessons. At the age of seventeen, the young man started playing in different blues bands, including The Yardbirds. Clapton left this famous band in March 1965, as The Yardbirds turn the back on the classical blues. The same year, he was the guitarist for The Bluesbreakers.

In 1966, Clapton decided to found himself the blues band Cream along with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce. Albums called Fresh Cream, Disraeli Gears and Wheels Of Fire became the rock classics immediately, while the trio itself turn to be one of the first super-groups of the modern scene. However, tension between all the members of the collective, each of whom took drugs, resulted in a farewell live record Goodbye and Cream's disbanding. The next Clapton's prodigy Blind Faith released the self-titled album and dissolved in less than a year in spite of its wide popularity. In the beginning of 70's Clapton became the leader of Derek And The Dominos, which presented the world with the mega-hit Layla. This song about the love triangle was dedicated to model Patty Boyd, for that moment married to George Harrison of the Beatles. Nevertheless, later Patty answered with agreement to Clapton's passion and they married in 1979. This marriage came to its end in 1988. Derek And The Dominos was disbanded, and Clapton started his solo career, struggling with the cocaine addiction.

After the successful medication, the artist recorded the solo album called 461 Ocean Boulevard, featuring the famous cover for Bob Marley's reggae composition I Shot The Sheriff. In 1980, the live disc Just One Night was issued. It was a sound success. In spite of the flawless work, the musician started drinking heavily for that period, which resulted in his hospitalization in 1981. Gaining the control over drinking, Clapton made his fans happy with marvelous full-lengths of blues, reggae and pop during the whole decade of 80s. In 1990, the performer faced two strikes at once - the death of his friend and colleague Stevie Ray Vaughan and the death of his out-of-marriage son Conor. Clapton devoted one of his most powerful hits Tears In Haven to the decease of his son. In 1994, the artist came back to the classical blues, releasing the brilliant disc From The Cradle. Eric Clapton became the only one of the modern scene to enter the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame three times - as the member of The Yardbirds, Cream and as a soloist. In 2002, the singer married for the second time. For the current moment, he has three daughters from his second wife. The happy family life inspired Clapton greatly during the work over his album Back Home of 2005. In 2007 the famous guitarist published the autobiography, releasing lately the compilation of his best things called Complete Clapton.