ABSTRACT
Born Eric Clapp in Ripley, England, Clapton has been one of the most influential rock/blues guitarists of the rock era, both as a member of groups like Cream and Blind Faith, and also as a solo artist. Clapton was an art student in London when he began playing blues guitar on the local club scene in 1963. He played with the blues-rock group the Yardbirds from late 1963 through early 1965, but left the band when it started to take a more pop direction. He next worked with blues revivalist John Mayall in his famous Bluesbreaker band, which established him as a powerhouse figure in the blues scene. He left Mayall in mid-1966 and formed Cream with bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker.
