10 Fascinating Insights About Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton stands as one of the most legendary and impactful guitarists in the history of rock music. Recognized by Rolling Stone as the second-greatest guitarist of all time, trailing only Jimi Hendrix, his career spans both solo projects and influential bands such as The Yardbirds, Blind Faith, Cream, and Derek and the Dominos. Revered as 'Slowhand' and often called 'God,' his soulful blues performances have mesmerized fans across decades.

To celebrate the rock legend's 75th birthday on March 30, 2020, here are 10 lesser-known facts about Eric Clapton.

1. Eric Clapton's early years were far from ordinary.

For much of his childhood, Eric Clapton grew up under the impression that his maternal grandparents were his actual parents. Born on March 30, 1945, to Patricia, a 16-year-old mother, and a 24-year-old Canadian soldier stationed in England during World War II, Clapton’s father left for Canada before his birth. Patricia entrusted Eric to her parents, and when she briefly returned when he was nine, the family introduced her as his older sister to avoid scandal. This reunion deeply affected Eric, transforming him from a diligent student into a reserved, artistic introvert.

2. At the age of 13, Eric Clapton stopped playing guitar, finding it too challenging.

Many budding guitarists start with inexpensive, hard-to-play instruments, leading to frustration and often causing them to quit before achieving mastery. Eric Clapton almost faced a similar setback. At 13, he received his first guitar, a German-made Hoyer, which was almost as large as he was. While it had a pleasant sound, the steel strings made playing incredibly difficult. "It sounded nice, but it was just such hard work, I gave up," Clapton recalled. "I started at 13 and quit by 13 and a half." Thankfully, he eventually returned to the instrument.

3. The origin of Clapton’s nickname 'Slowhand' has no connection to his guitar skills.

Eric Clapton’s moniker 'Slowhand' seems ironic for a musician renowned for his lightning-fast guitar solos. The nickname traces back to his time with The Yardbirds, which he joined in 1963 and left in 1965. During performances, Clapton frequently broke guitar strings, and while he replaced them, the audience would engage in a slow clap. This inspired the band’s manager, Giorgio Gomelsky, to coin the name 'Slowhand.' Clapton explained that the name was intended as a playful irony.

4. Clapton departed from The Yardbirds shortly after their debut hit.

In April 1965, The Yardbirds' song 'For Your Love' reached #3 on the UK charts. However, Clapton wasn’t there to celebrate. A staunch blues purist, he disagreed with bassist Paul Samwell-Smith and manager Giorgio Gomelsky over the band’s shift toward a more pop-oriented sound. Clapton disliked the guitar-less style of 'For Your Love,' which contributed to his decision to leave the group shortly after its March 1965 release. He recommended session guitarist Jimmy Page as his replacement, but Page, later of Led Zeppelin, turned down the offer. The role ultimately went to Jeff Beck.

5. Eric Clapton was once revered as a deity (possibly).

During the mid-1960s, the phrase 'Clapton is God' started appearing as graffiti across London, cementing Clapton’s legendary status as a guitar virtuoso. Although Clapton stated he never personally saw the messages, he acknowledged in his 2007 autobiography that he felt 'grateful' for them, as they bestowed upon him an 'untouchable' reputation. In 2016, Clapton hinted that the graffiti might not have been the work of an anonymous fan but rather Hamish Grimes, a promoter hired by The Yardbirds’ manager to energize crowds.

6. Clapton once stepped into the role of a Beatle for a day.

While recording The Beatles, also known as “The White Album,” in 1968, George Harrison felt his bandmates weren’t giving his song 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' the attention it deserved. To address this, he invited his friend Eric Clapton to play the guitar solo during a studio session. Clapton hesitated, as no outsider had ever contributed to a Beatles track, but the collaboration proved successful. 'I said, ‘Eric’s going to play on this one,’ and it was good because that then made everyone act better,' Harrison recalled. 'Paul got on the piano and played a nice intro, and they all took it more seriously.'

7. The iconic song 'Layla' was partially inspired by Clapton’s affection for George Harrison's wife.

One of Clapton’s most iconic tracks, 'Layla,' was released in 1970 by Derek and the Dominos. The song drew inspiration from two sources: the 12th-century Persian tale The Story of Layla and Majnun and Pattie Boyd, the then-wife of Beatles guitarist George Harrison, who was also Clapton’s close friend. 'I was amazed and thrilled by the song—it was so passionate and heartbreakingly dramatic—but I wanted to hold onto my marriage,' Boyd told The Guardian in 2008.

Boyd and Harrison divorced in 1977, and two years later, she married Clapton. Remarkably, Harrison harbored no resentment—he even performed at their wedding alongside Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

8. Clapton’s most successful U.S. hit was born from a personal tragedy.

In March 1991, Clapton faced an unimaginable loss when his four-year-old son, Conor, tragically fell from a New York City high-rise. After withdrawing from the public eye, Clapton collaborated with lyricist Will Jennings—who later co-wrote Celine Dion’s 'My Heart Will Go On'—to create 'Tears In Heaven.' Initially featured on the soundtrack for the 1991 film Rush, the song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Clapton’s best-selling single in the U.S. It also earned him Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year.

9. Eric Clapton is not the subject of Sheryl Crow's 'My Favorite Mistake.'

Similar to the speculation surrounding Carly Simon's 'You're So Vain,' rumors have long suggested that Sheryl Crow's 1998 hit 'My Favorite Mistake' was inspired by her breakup with Clapton. (The pair dated briefly in the late 1990s.) However, Crow, who has also been linked to Owen Wilson and was once engaged to Lance Armstrong, has dismissed these claims, clarifying that the song 'is about several people in my life who weren’t great choices—but not Eric. I’ve known Eric for over a decade, and I don’t consider that relationship a mistake.'

10. Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times.

In 1992, Eric Clapton earned his first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction as a member of The Yardbirds. He was honored again the next year for his role in Cream. His 2000 induction as a solo artist marked a historic milestone, making him the first—and so far, the only—artist to be inducted three times.