Topic: Happy 65th Birthday Eric Clapton - 30 March 2010
Happy Birthday Eric.
“There is little doubt that if you asked most connoisseurs of white blues music to name the one most influential and respected English blues guitarist of all, you would be likely to hear the same name over and over again: Eric Clapton.”
This is the opening sentence from Chapter 3 Eric Clapton: Yardbird and Bluesbreaker in the book ‘Blues in Britain – The History 1950s to the Present’ by Bob Brunning. I’m reading this book at the moment and it’s a fascinating read. (On a side issue, it’s a shame it was published in 1995 as a huge amount has happened in British Blues music in the last 15 years.)
Whether you like all EC’s output or not, I doubt anyone would disagree with the above statement.
By the way, Joe. Did you remember to send Eric a birthday card?
“The guy who has helped the blues industry the most is Joe Bonamassa and I would say he is more rock than some rock stuff, so to me blues is whatever you want it to be!”
Simon McBride in my interview with him in Blues Matters! Issue #56