Eric Clapton Timeline

Eric Clapton 54

1945 Eric Clapton born in Ripley, Surrey 30 March 1945 Eric Patrick Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey, England, to 16-year-old Patricia Molly Clapton and Edward Fryer, a Canadian soldier who had returned to Canada before the birth. He was raised by his grandmother Rose and her husband Jack Clapp, believing for years that they were his parents and his mother was his older sister.
1958 Receives his first guitar Age 13 Received his first guitar as a birthday present. Initially frustrated by the difficulty of learning, he stuck with it — soon spending most of his time teaching himself from blues records.
1961 – 1962 Studies at Kingston College of Art Then expelled Enrolled at Kingston College of Art but was expelled after a year, as music had become all-consuming. He was already playing around Kingston and Richmond, absorbing blues from records.
1963 Joins The Yardbirds October 1963 Joined The Yardbirds in October 1963 as lead guitarist, replacing founder Top Topham. Less than two months later, on 8 December 1963, he recorded his first live album with the band at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond.
1964 – 1965 "Clapton is God" graffiti London Underground Anonymous fans began writing "Clapton is God" on walls around the London Underground — an early sign of the extraordinary devotion his playing was inspiring among British blues fans.
1965 Leaves The Yardbirds, joins Bluesbreakers Left The Yardbirds in March 1965, unhappy with their shift toward pop. Joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, where his raw, amplified blues playing began to define a new sound for British rock guitar.
1966 "Beano album" with John Mayall Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton Recorded "John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton" — the so-called "Beano album" after Clapton is pictured reading a Beano comic on the cover — regarded as the definitive British blues album and a landmark in electric guitar playing.
1966 Cream: "Fresh Cream" Debut album Cream's debut album "Fresh Cream" was released, launching the band as a major force in British rock and blues.
1966 Founds Cream with Baker and Bruce Left the Bluesbreakers to form Cream with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce — one of the first power trios in rock, blending blues, psychedelia and extended improvisation.
1967 Cream: "Disraeli Gears" "Sunshine of Your Love" Cream's second album "Disraeli Gears" featured "Sunshine of Your Love", one of rock's most recognisable riffs — a transatlantic hit that cemented the band's international fame.
1968 Cream: "Wheels of Fire" First platinum double album Cream's double album "Wheels of Fire" became the first platinum-certified double album in history.
1968 Cream disbands Royal Albert Hall farewell Cream played their farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall in November 1968 and disbanded — despite being one of the biggest bands in the world at the time.
1969 Blind Faith The first supergroup Formed Blind Faith with Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood and Ric Grech — widely regarded as the first rock "supergroup". Their one album went to #1 on both sides of the Atlantic, but the band toured only once before disbanding.
1969 Tours with Delaney & Bonnie & Friends Joined Delaney & Bonnie & Friends as a sideman for a European tour, which proved a major influence on his subsequent musical direction — away from guitar hero excess toward a more soulful, song-based style.
1970 "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs" With Duane Allman Derek and the Dominos recorded "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs", featuring Duane Allman on slide guitar. The title track "Layla" — inspired by Clapton's desperate, unrequited love for Pattie Boyd, wife of his friend George Harrison — became one of rock's greatest songs.
1970 Forms Derek and the Dominos Formed Derek and the Dominos with musicians from Delaney & Bonnie's band, initially touring anonymously so audiences wouldn't expect another guitar-hero showcase.
1970 Solo debut album "Eric Clapton" Released his self-titled debut solo album, though he immediately stepped back from the spotlight to form Derek and the Dominos.
1971 – 1973 Heroin addiction & withdrawal Near career-ending Following the collapse of Derek and the Dominos and his continued rejection by Pattie Boyd, Clapton became a reclusive heroin addict for nearly three years, barely performing.
1973 Rainbow Concert comeback 13 January 1973 Performed a comeback concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London, organised by Pete Townshend — his first significant public performance in over two years, released as an album in September 1973.
1974 "461 Ocean Boulevard" #1 album, "I Shot the Sheriff" Released "461 Ocean Boulevard", his commercial comeback album, which topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic and spawned the #1 single "I Shot the Sheriff", a cover of Bob Marley's song.
1977 "Slowhand" album His biggest-selling to date Released "Slowhand", his highest-selling album to that point, which included "Wonderful Tonight" and the hit "Lay Down Sally".
1977 "Wonderful Tonight" Written for Pattie Boyd Released "Wonderful Tonight", a tender ballad written for Pattie Boyd as she finished getting ready for a party. It became one of his best-known songs.
1979 Marries Pattie Boyd The muse of "Layla" Finally married Pattie Boyd, the woman whose rejection had inspired "Layla" — by now divorced from George Harrison. The marriage was troubled by Clapton's alcoholism and infidelities and ended in divorce in 1989.
1982 – 1987 Battles alcohol addiction Rehab in 1982 & 1987 Clapton was hospitalised for alcoholism in 1982 and entered rehab again in 1987, finally achieving sobriety through the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
1985 – 1986 "Behind the Sun" & "August" Phil Collins produced Released "Behind the Sun" (1985) and "August" (1986), both produced by Phil Collins, which brought him further mainstream pop success.
1986 Son Conor born With Lory Del Santo His son Conor was born to Italian model Lory Del Santo while Clapton was still married to Pattie Boyd.
1990 – 1991 "24 Nights" at Royal Albert Hall Performed a celebrated series of 24 concerts at the Royal Albert Hall across January–February 1990 and February–March 1991, with different band configurations including a blues night, an orchestra night and a rock night.
1991 Death of Eric Clapton's son Conor 20 March 1991 Clapton's four-year-old son Conor fell from the 53rd-floor window of a New York City apartment while in the care of his mother. The tragedy devastated Clapton; Conor's funeral was held in Ripley, the village where Eric was born.
1992 "Tears in Heaven" Written for Conor Wrote "Tears in Heaven" with Will Jennings as a way of channelling his grief over Conor's death. Originally written for the 1991 film Rush, the song won three Grammy Awards and became one of his most emotionally resonant recordings.
1992 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — The Yardbirds Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time, as a member of The Yardbirds.
1992 MTV Unplugged Best-selling live album ever Recorded the "Unplugged" concert for MTV — featuring acoustic versions of "Layla", "Tears in Heaven" and "Running on Faith". Released as an album, it became the best-selling live album in history, winning six Grammy Awards including Album of the Year.
1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — Cream Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the second time, as a member of Cream — making him the first artist ever inducted twice.
1994 "From the Cradle" All-blues album, #1 in UK & US Released "From the Cradle", an all-blues album of classic Chicago blues covers that reached #1 in both the UK and US — his first #1 in both countries simultaneously.
1998 "Pilgrim" Released "Pilgrim", his first album of mostly original material since "August" (1986).
1998 Founds Crossroads Centre, Antigua Rehab facility Founded the Crossroads Centre on the island of Antigua — a medical facility for people recovering from addiction to alcohol and drugs, drawing on his own experience of recovery.
2000 "Riding with the King" with B.B. King Grammy winner Released "Riding with the King" as a duet album with his hero B.B. King, which won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.
2000 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — Solo Career Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for a second time, this time for his solo career.
2002 Marries Melia McEnery Married Melia McEnery in a ceremony at St Mary Magdalene Church in Ripley, Surrey; they have since had four daughters together.
2002 Concert for George Royal Albert Hall Organised and performed at the Concert for George at the Royal Albert Hall — a tribute concert for his late friend George Harrison, who had died of cancer in November 2001.
2004 "Me and Mr. Johnson" Tribute to Robert Johnson Released "Me and Mr. Johnson", an album of Robert Johnson covers honouring the Mississippi bluesman who had most influenced his early playing.
2004 Awarded CBE Buckingham Palace Awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) at Buckingham Palace for services to music.
2004 Crossroads Guitar Festival Cotton Bowl, Dallas Launched the Crossroads Guitar Festival at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas — a benefit concert for his Crossroads Centre charity, bringing together the world's greatest guitarists. The festival has since been held every two years.
2005 "Back Home" Released "Back Home", his first album since "Reptile" (2001).
2005 Cream reunion concerts Royal Albert Hall & Madison Square Garden Reunited with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce for four sold-out nights at the Royal Albert Hall in May 2005, followed by three nights at Madison Square Garden in October — the first Cream performances since 1968.
2006 "The Road to Escondido" with JJ Cale Grammy winner Released "The Road to Escondido" with JJ Cale — a laid-back collaboration with one of his greatest musical influences, which won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album.
2008 – 2009 World tour with Steve Winwood Hyde Park, London Toured extensively with Steve Winwood, including a celebrated headline performance at Hyde Park, London in July 2008 — revisiting the Blind Faith era in a new light.
2010 "Clapton" album Released the self-titled album "Clapton", featuring duets with Sheryl Crow, Steve Winwood and Wynton Marsalis.
2013 "Old Sock" Released "Old Sock", featuring duets with Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood and Chaka Khan.
2015 70th birthday concert Madison Square Garden Celebrated his 70th birthday with a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York in May 2015, featuring guest appearances from many musicians he had worked with throughout his career.
2016 "I Still Do" Produced by T-Bone Burnett Released "I Still Do", produced by T-Bone Burnett — a back-to-basics blues and roots recording. Won the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album.
2018 "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" With Ringo Starr & others Recorded a charity version of John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" with Ringo Starr, Gary Brooker, Albert Lee and others, in aid of the Crossroads Centre.
2018 Reveals hearing loss & neuropathy Publicly revealed that he was suffering from tinnitus, hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy — a condition affecting his hands — while confirming he intended to keep performing.
2021 "The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown Sessions" Recorded an intimate acoustic and electric concert in the garden of his friend's villa during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2021 — released as both a film and a live album.
2025 80th birthday & still performing March 2025 Celebrated his 80th birthday on 30 March 2025, having continued to perform and record into his ninth decade — a testament to a career spanning more than sixty years of blues and rock.