Eric Patrick Clapton was born on 30 March 1945, the son of 16-year-old Patricia Molly Clapton and a 24-year-old Canadian soldier stationed in England during World War II. It was difficult for an unmarried 16-year-old to raise a child on her own in the mid-1940s. Pat’s parents, Rose and Jack Clapp, stepped in as surrogate parents and raised Eric as their own.
At the age of nine, he learned the truth about his real parents, a moment which affected him hugely and was a defining moment in his life.
He became hugely interested in music and got a guitar for his 13th birthday. After he left school he attended the Kingston College of Art but ended up being kicked out after only one year there for not spending enough time on Art studies, instead using all his time playing the guitar and listening to blues.
Eric spent his early music days busking around his home-county of Surrey before joining his first band age 17. During his early period, Eric was working as a labourer on building sites with his Grandad who was a master bricklayer and plasterer.
In 1965, Eric was invited to join the group John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers where he earned himself the nickname of “God” after a graffiti artist tagged the term ‘Clapton Is God’ on an Islington Tube Station wall.
Eric’s worldwide fame came after forming the band Cream and touring the US of A, after which he gained a reputation as being a master guitarist.
Since the days of Cream, Eric has recorded numerous albums with different bands, done solo work, composed, written a biography, amongst other things and is reportedly worth £140million (source – City & Guilds vocational rich list).
