Eric Clapton Biography

Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE (born March 30, 1945), nicknamed "Slowhand", is a Grammy Award winning English guitarist, singer and composer, who is one of the most respected and influential musicians of the rock era, garnering an unprecedented three inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time.

Although Clapton's musical style has varied throughout his career, it has always remained rooted in the blues. Clapton is credited as an innovator in several phases of his career, which have included blues rock (with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and The Yardbirds) and hard rock (with Cream). Clapton has also achieved great chart success in genres ranging from Delta blues (Me and Mr. Johnson) to pop ("Change the World") and reggae ("I Shot the Sheriff").

Clapton is currently on his 2006-2007 world tour with good friend and longtime tourmate, Robert Cray as his supporting act.

Although Clapton's grandparents had eventually told him the truth about his parentage—that he was the illegitimate son of a Canadian serviceman—the precise identity of his father remained a mystery for many years. Clapton knew that his father's name was Edward Fryer, but few other details were known. This was a source of disquiet and speculation for Clapton, as witnessed by his 1998 song My father's eyes in which he writes "How did I get here? When will all my hopes arrive?...When I look in my father's eyes".

A Toronto journalist named Michael Woloschuk set about solving the mystery. He researched Canadian Armed Forces service records and tracked-down members of Edward Fryer's family, finally piecing together the story that Clapton's father was Edward Walter Fryer, born 21 March 1920, in Montreal and died 15 May 1985 in North York, Ontario. Fryer was a musician (piano and saxophone) and a lifelong drifter, who was married several times, had several children and apparently never knew that he was the father of Eric Clapton.