But Clapton wasn’t around to enjoy the success. In April 1965, The Yardbirds tune 'For Your Love' peaked at #3 on the UK charts. Clapton left The Yardbirds right after they released their first hit. This inspired The Yardbirds's manager Giorgio Gomelsky to come up with the name “Slowhand.” According to Clapton, it was meant to be ironic. Clapton often broke strings during shows, and while he changed them, the audience would slow clap. As it turns out, the name dates back to his days with The Yardbirds, a band he joined in 1963 and stayed with until 1965. You can’t shred like Clapton does without some seriously quick digits. Clapton’s nickname “Slowhand” has nothing to do with his guitar technique.Įric Clapton’s nickname “Slowhand” is a strange one for a guy who’s made millions playing blazing guitar solos.

“So I started when I was 13 and gave up when I was 13 and a half.” Fortunately, he picked it up again.

'It sounded nice, but it was just such hard work, I gave up,” Clapton said. The steel-string guitar was nearly as big as Clapton was.

Yet Clapton himself nearly suffered this same fate: He received his first axe, a German-made Hoyer, when he was 13 years old. That’s why many aspiring rockers quit before they reach Eric Clapton levels of playing (if they ever can). Young guitar students often begin on cheap instruments that are difficult and frustrating to play. Eric Clapton quit playing guitar at age 13 because it was too hard.Įric Clapton performing on stage in Philadelphia in the summer of 1974. Patricia’s return traumatized Eric, turning him from a model student to a shy, artsy loner. She returned for a time when Eric was nine, and to avoid scandal, the family told people she was his older sister. Clapton’s father returned to Canada before Eric was born, and Patricia gave the boy to her parents to raise. His father was a 24-year-old Canadian soldier stationed in England during World War II. His mother, Patricia, was just 16 when she gave birth to the future rock legend on March 30, 1945. Eric Clapton had a pretty unusual childhood.įor much of his young life, Eric Clapton believed that his maternal grandparents were his parents. In honor of the rock icon's 75th birthday (March 30, 2020), here are 10 things you might not know about Eric Clapton. As a solo artist and a member of bands like The Yardbirds, Blind Faith, Cream, and Derek and the Dominos, the man known as “Slowhand” (and sometimes “God”) has thrilled generations of fans with his righteous bluesy wailing. Rolling Stone ranked the British icon #2 on its list of the all-time best guitarists, right behind Jimi Hendrix. Eric Clapton is among the greatest and most influential guitar players in rock history.

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