Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, (born 30 March 1945) is an English musician, singer and songwriter

He is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist and separately as a member of the Yardbirds and Cream

Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time

Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"and fourth in Gibson's "

Top 50 Guitarists of All Time"

In the mid-1960s, Clapton left the Yardbirds to play blues with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers

Immediately after leaving Mayall, Clapton joined Cream, a power trio with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce in which Clapton played sustained blues improvisations and "arty, blues-based psychedelic pop"

For most of the 1970s, Clapton's output bore the influence of the mellow style of JJ Cale and the reggae of Bob Marley

His version of Marley's "

I Shot the Sheriff" helped reggae reach a mass market

Two of his most popular recordings were "

Layla", recorded by Derek and the Dominos, another band he formed, and Robert Johnson's "

Crossroads", recorded by Cream

Following the death of his son Conor in 1991, Clapton's grief was expressed in the song "

Tears in Heaven", which featured in his Unplugged album

Clapton has been the recipient of 17 Grammy Awards, and the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music

In 2004, he was awarded a CBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music

In 1998, Clapton, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua, a medical facility for recovering substance abusers

Contents 1 Early life 2 Early career, breakthrough, and international success 2

1 The Yardbirds

And the Bluesbreakers 2

2 Cream 2

3 Blind Faith, and Delaney and Bonnie and Friends 3 "

Layla" and solo career 3

1 Derek and the Dominos 3

2 Personal challenges and early solo success 4 Continued success 5

Resurgence and stardom 6 Collaboration albums 7 Clapton, Old Sock and recent events 8 Influences 9 Legacy 10 Guitars 11 Woman tone 12 Other media appearances 13 Personal life 13

1 Relationships and

Children 13

2 Political views 13

3 Controversy over remarks on immigration 13

4 Wealth and assets 13

5 Charitable work 14

Awards and honours 15 Football 16 Clapton's music in film and TV 17 Discography 17

1 Solo studio albums 18 References 19 Further reading 20 External links