Eric Clapton (GB)

About

Also known as: Eric Claption, Eric Patrick Clapton, Slowhand

Few guitarists have cast as long a shadow as Eric Clapton, the Surrey born bluesman who went from Yardbirds prodigy to one of the defining voices in rock. His tone, feel, and phrasing shaped the way generations of players approached the electric guitar, earning him the nickname Slowhand and a spot at number two on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. He is also the only artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three separate times, as a solo act and as a member of both the Yardbirds and Cream. His catalog is enormous and restless. Cream's psychedelic blues workouts, Derek and the Dominos' tortured "Layla", a reggae crossing cover of "I Shot the Sheriff", the country tinged Slowhand, and the grief soaked "Tears in Heaven" all sit under the same name. He has sold over 100 million records and keeps returning to his roots, hosting the Crossroads Guitar Festival and recording traditional blues deep cuts. His latest studio album, Meanwhile, dropped in 2024.