Sunday Blues at the 2025 Birthday of Eric “Slowhand” Clapton

by Robert Wilkinson

March 30 was the birthday of one of the greatest blues guitarist ever to pick a note, the remarkable Eric Clapton. Today we celebrate his music!

Eric Clapton (30 March 1945) is an extraordinary English guitarist. He’s the only musician ever inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame THREE times; once for his solo work, once for being a founding Yardbird, and of course, one of the three musical giants who made up the original “supergroup,” the awesome Cream. He’s certainly one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time, serving as a model for generations of blues players, extended jam guitar slingers, and through the demons he’s overcome, an example of how not to let the heights of fame and success destroy you.

This year we have samples of his amazing work with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, the Yardbirds, Cream, and a bunch of his solo performances. Great blues, great psychedelic electric guitar pyrotechnics, and next year I’ll add more clips as I have time. For now, enjoy his amazing guitar work, since once upon a time, the graffiti on the London subway walls proclaimed “Clapton is God.”

Before Mayall, he was lead player for the Yardbirds from October 1963 through March 1965. He played on their first album, but quit before they hit as a group. What you’re about to see and hear is the only known footage of Eric from that period.

From 1964, "Louise/I Wish You Would" and "I’m A Man"

At the beginning! Here’s the 33 minute album titled The Yardbirds 1963

He was the lead player for their first album release, but quit 4 months before its release in the Summer of 1965 so his picture isn’t on the cover! (He was replaced by Jeff Beck who played on "I'm Not Talking", "I Ain't Done Wrong", and "My Girl Sloopy." Eric played lead on all the other tracks.) The Yardbirds – For Your Love

He was with them in late 1964 when they recorded this gem at the Marquee Club! The Yardbirds Live at the Marquee Club - 1964

He then joined John Mayall in 1966 for his breakthrough album John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (1966)

They got together again 5 years later for this album! He plays on six tracks. Back to the Roots (1971 - "Prisons on the Road," “Accidental Suicide,” “Home Again,” “Looking at Tomorrow,” “Force of Nature,” “Goodbye December.”)

After he quit Mayall in 1966, he created the first power trio, the legendary band Cream! Today I’ll include a few great clips from that era!

Here’s a lip-synched version of one of my favorite tunes from Fresh Cream, the driving “I Feel Free”

Live at Beat Club, a performance of “Strange Brew”

From 1968 at the Revolution Club, here’s Cream live cranking out “Sunshine of Your Love” and “Tales of Brave Ulysses.” We’ll close this live set with an 8+ minute live performance of the iconic “Spoonful”

In November 1968, they said farewell with this incredible 69 minute videotaped show! Cream Live at Royal Albert Hall

For a last blast of live Cream, here’s a 2 hour and 16 show in Detroit from October 1967! Cream Live in Detroit – 1967

After Cream, in 1969 he teamed up with Ginger Baker, Ric Grech, and Stevie Winwood in Blind Faith. They gave us one album and this 47 minute performance video masterpiece! Blind Faith Live in Hyde Park – 1969

The solo years!

We begin with the original video of Eric Clapton and the legendary BB King doing the John Hiatt masterpiece “Ridin’ With The King”

Here’s Eric live at the 2004 Crossroads festival doing the Bob Marley classic! Reggae down!! “I Shot the Sheriff”

Live from Montserrat, here’s Eric on rhythm guitar with the great Mark Knopfler on lead, Sting on bass, and Phil Collins on drums doing Mark’s infinitely danceable “Money for Nothing”

From 1986 at the Montreux Jazz Festival, an hour and 52 of Eric playing his best! Eric Clapton at Montreux

From the Prince’s Trust 1987 concert, Eric and Sir George teamed up with Ringo, Jeff Lynne, and a few more friends to reprise their greatest collaborative effort! For your enjoyment, ”White My Guitar Gently Weeps”

From 1988 in Tokyo with Mark Knopfler and Elton John, a 10 minute performance of “Cocaine.” From the same gig, 7+ minutes of “Wonderful Tonight” (The whole show is one of our encores!)

In 1990 Eric played 57 minutes at the Royal Albert Hall! Eric Clapton Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Here’s a 48 minute video gem from 1994-95 titled Blues With Russell – Eric Clapton

Here's a live performance by Eric on the Stevie Ray Vaughan 1996 tribute DVD, complete with Jimmie Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, B.B.King, Buddy Guy, Dr.John, Art Neville and Double Trouble, cranking out “Rock Me Baby,” and follow with Eric, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan, and Hubert Sumlin in a very live smokin’ version of the Robert Johnson blues classic “Sweet Home Chicago” (“Six Strings Down” has vanished.)

I found it again! Here’s 80 minutes of “Eric Clapton Pays Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan”

The show’s disappeared, but I found this link to 14 songs from the 2008 Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood at Madison Square Garden

This is the entire 21 clip show (audio-only)!Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood at Madison Square Garden

These two clips feature some guitar work that is nothing short of amazing! Here’s a great live video performance from 2009 in NYC by Eric Clapton with the Allman Brothers doing the Derek and the Dominos hit, “Why Does Love Have To Be So Sad”

I also found a live, audio only performance by Derek and the Dominos of “Why Does Love Have To Be So Sad”

Also from the NYC gig with the Allmans, here’s Eric doing “Key To The Highway”

We now cut to his live performance at "The Concert for George," where he takes the lead, just as he did on The White Album. Yes, he was the first "non-Beatle" to play a lead instrument on a Beatles album, and here he appears with both Sir Paul and Sir Ringo in a poignant performance of George's masterpiece "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

I found 4 great performances by Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits playing at Nelson Mandela’s 70th Birthday Celebration at Wembley in 1988! First, “Lay Down Sally” which we’ll follow with “After Midnight.”

We now move into “Cocaine” and we’ll finish with the great Mark Knopfler dance number “Walk of Life”

For the closer, several versions of his biggest hit! First, live with Mark Knopfler and Elton John, Eric belts out “Layla”

Again with Mark, a slow groove acoustic performance of “Layla”

We’ll close this mini-homage to "Layla" with Eric, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page all on stage at MSG in 1983 cranking out “Layla”

Last year I had this full 85 minute Martin Scorsese November 1994 PBS Spotlight show at the Fillmore West, but this year that clip is gone. I found this 37 minute partial clip of that show. Welcome to Eric Clapton - Nothing But the Blues.

For the encore, 45 minutes of Eric live! For your enjoyment, Eric Clapton – Blues Tour Practice

For the second encore, here’s a complete 2 hour and 7 show from Tokyo in 1988 with Mark Knopfler as second lead and Elton John on keyboards! Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler and Elton John in Tokyo - 1988

Thanks for the years, Eric!

© Copyright 2025 Robert Wilkinson

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