Trivia

On March 10, 1991, 4-year-old Conor Clapton died after falling out a window of his mother's 53rd-floor apartment. Eric Clapton's Grammy-winning song "Tears in Heaven" was dedicated to the memory of his son.

George Harrison was married to model Pattie Boyd from 1966 to 1977. Clapton fell in love with Boyd, and wrote "Layla" and "Wonderful Tonight" about her. She left Harrison for Clapton, and they were married from 1979 to 1989. Harrison and Clapton referred to each other as "husbands-in-law".

Shortly after the formation of Cream in 1966, the trio got a chance to jam with Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix was a fan of Clapton, and wanted a chance to play with him on stage.

Despite selling hundreds of millions of records as a solo artist and as a member of Genesis, Phil Collins has said that playing drums for Clapton was the highlight of his whole career.

On January 1, 2002, Eric Clapton and Melia McEnery were married at a church near his home in Surrey, England. Guests were told they were attending the christening of the couple's six-month-old daughter, Julie Rose. After Julie Rose and Clapton's 16-year-old daughter, Ruth, were baptized, the vicar called Clapton and McEnery to the front, and they exchanged wedding vows.

Before becoming a musician, he designed stained glass windows.

He is the only artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times: in 1992 as a member of The Yardbirds, in 1993 as a member of Cream, and in 2000 as a solo performer.

He was cured of heroin addiction through electro-acupuncture. Boy George received the same therapy ten years later.

He considers his sobriety the most important priority in his life.

While many people believe his nickname "Slow Hand(s)" is because his fingers are slow on the guitar, it is actually because once during a concert he played his guitar so hard that one of its strings broke, and he took time out to re-string it. As he did, the fans in attendance began a "slow hand" clap.

He enjoys Mixed Martial Arts.

He had a daughter, Ruth, with Yvonne Kelly in 1986. It was made public in 1993.

He was on the short list of guitarists to replace Brian Jones in The Rolling Stones.

While performing "Further On Up the Road" in The Last Waltz (1978), his guitar strap came undone. To cover for him while he fixed it, Robbie Robertson of The Band improvised a guitar solo.

Stephen Stills asked him to join Crosby Stills & Nash so that he could help beef up their sound in concert. He refused because he was in the middle of forming Blind Faith with Steve Winwood.

His son Conor, by Lory Del Santo, was born August, 21, 1986. At the time, Clapton was still married to Pattie Boyd.

He played guitar along with original James Bond guitarist Vic Flick on Michael Kamen's theme for Quyền Được Giết (1989). The duo were filmed "playing" in various London locations for the expected video. However, the producers decided to opt for a song, sung by Gladys Knight, and the Clapton/Flick instrumental has never been released.

He played guitar on Phil Collins's hits "If Leaving Me is Easy" and "I Wish It Would Rain Down." He also appeared in the music video for "I Wish It Would Rain Down".

When Clapton appeared at Live Aid in Philadelphia, one of his backing drummers was Phil Collins. Hours before, Collins had appeared at Live Aid's London concert at Wembley Stadium.

On February 24, 1993, Clapton became the first British artist to win 6 Grammys in one night: Record of the Year for "Tears in Heaven", Song of the Year for "Tears in Heaven", Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male for "Tears in Heaven" , Album of the Year for "Unplugged", Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male for "Unplugged", and Best Rock Song for "Layla" (unplugged version).

The Band's performance of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" at The Last Waltz (1978) is his favorite recorded performance of the song.

He played the guitar solo on the song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Beatles, creating a precedent. No other guitarist from outside the band performed on a song by the band.

He was very good friends with Duane Allman, and they held a great deal of respect for each other. Allman played guitar on the Derek and the Dominos song "Layla".

In 1969, played with John Lennon and Yoko Ono's The Plastic Ono Band at the Toronto Pop Festival. Other members included Klaus Voormann on bass and Alan White on drums.

In May 2005, he reunited with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce for a Cream reunion concert.

He played two farewell concerts on November 26th; Cream Farewell Concert (1969) in 1968, and The Last Waltz (1978) in 1976. Ironically, he'd decided to leave Cream partially because of The Band's music.

He has ties to both of the Allman Brothers. With Duane Allman's help, Clapton recorded the album "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs" in 1970. In 1991, Clapton wrote the score to the film Rush (1991), which featured Duane's brother, Gregg Allman.

His song "Presence of the Lord" (recorded with Blind Faith) is about finding Hurtwood Edge, his estate in Chelsea.

Once while playing a Cream concert, he suddenly stopped playing. Neither Ginger Baker nor Jack Bruce noticed.

His daughter Julie Rose was born June 13, 2001.

His daughter Ella Mae was born January 14, 2003.

He served Ginger Baker his very first French toast while discussing forming Cream.

He has performed at Madison Square Garden 45 times, more than any other venue in the United States.

He was a member of The Yardbirds, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, and Derek & The Dominos.

He was made an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the 1995 Queen's New Year Honours List for services to music.

His hits with Cream were "Wrapping Paper", "I Feel Free," "Strange Brew," "Sunshine Of Your Love," "Anyone For Tennis," "Crossroads," "White Room," and "Badge.".

Before the formation of Cream in 1966, he was all but unknown in the United States. He left The Yardbirds before "For Your Love" hit the American Top Ten.

He originally played Gibson guitars. He has played a Fender Stratocaster since 1970.

As of 2023 his residence in the UK is in the quintessential English village of Ewhurst, nestling in the Surrey Hills.

His album "Me and Mr Johnson" was a tribute to Robert Johnson.

In an article from the Daily Mail newspaper in 1995, Eric Clapton stated that he was putting his drink and drugs lifestyle behind him and beginning life anew. To this day, the guitarist has been true to his word.

During the worst period of his battle with alcohol, Clapton began to have seizures. After being examined by a doctor, the guitarist was told that he needed to stop drinking or die.

In June 2002, he participated in the Royal Jubilee Rock Concert, playing with Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, and Phil Collins.

His current backup band includes guitarist Andy Fairweather Low and bassist Nathan East.

He has owned a string of Ferraris.

He spent much of 2003 performing with artists such as B.B. King, Willie Nelson, and John Mayall. He did a special concert for his daughter, Ruth's, school in March.

With the death of drummer Ginger Baker in October 2019, he became the last surviving member of legendary trio Cream.

In 1996, he became linked to the singer Sheryl Crow.

In 2007, he released the book "Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Me" by Pattie Boyd with Penny Junor.

His guitars of choice include a Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson Les Paul Standard.