Today we’re wishing one of the greatest guitarists of all time - Eric Clapton - a happy 72nd birthday! Unfortunately it’s been reported in the last couple of days that the guitar god has had to cancel shows due to severe bronchitis – not a nice way to spend your birthday.
Clapton first caught people’s attention in the early sixties with the Yardbirds and the Bluesbreakers in London’s exploding blues rock scene, going on to become a hero for guitar players everywhere with his unique phrasing, licks and timing, cemented by his studious knowledge of the blues.
His career has been extraordinary - he’s never stopped recording and touring, reinvented himself many times over, embraced a vast range of genres from jazz to reggae, written (or played on) so many absolute classic songs, and played with everyone from B.B. King to Paul McCartney. Oh and he can sing too.
Now spanning more than 50 years, Clapton’s career has resulted in 18 Grammy Awards and the distinct honour of being the only triple inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (as a solo artist and as a member of the Yardbirds and Cream).
As a musician who has inspired so many, who inspired him? Well he’s spoken on many occasions about the massive influence that the elusive American guitarist and song-writer JJ Cale had on him, saying Cale was “…the man whose music has inspired me for as long as I can remember” and “…he was my beacon”.
On that note, and because Clapton has just recently released the brilliant 2007 concert Live In San Diego: With Special Guest JJ Cale on double CD and now on triple vinyl, let’s have a look back in video at the special musical relationship between these two giants. This is not a "guitar hero" showing off with excessive "noodling", this is full of groove and feeling and shows Eric doing one of his favourite things - performing with his friends and musicians he admires. Here’s "Anyway the Wind Blows" from the San Diego concert:
Happy birthday, Eric…and get well soon!
- RB
