Eric Clapton appeared to be a reluctant soloist, playing with Cream, the Yardbirds and Blind Faith before releasing his very successful 1970 solo album, "Eric Clapton." He quickly assembled Derek and the Dominos for the remainder of 1970, laid low in...more
Eric Clapton appeared to be a reluctant soloist, playing with Cream, the Yardbirds and Blind Faith before releasing his very successful 1970 solo album, "Eric Clapton." He quickly assembled Derek and the Dominos for the remainder of 1970, laid low in '71 and '72 to battle heroin addiction and didn't strike out on his own again until two years later. His 1974 solo effort, "461 Ocean Boulevard," topped the charts and established him as a premier rock balladeer. The beauty and sentimentality of Clapton's lyrics are ripped from his life experience: the tragic death of his four-year-old son in March, 1991 became 'Tears in Heaven' on "24 Nights," a live album released in October of that year. 'Tears' was a massive hit, hailed as startlingly sweet, melancholy minus the maudlin. "MTV Unplugged," in 1992, was another huge success, followed by blues album "From the Cradle," and a collaboration with Simon Climie, "Retail Therapy," in 1997. In another collaboration, Clapton and B.B. King worked together on blues-influenced "Riding With the King" in 2000. The 2001 release, " Reptile," marked Clapton's return to the solo spot....less
