Importance Score: 45 / 100 🔵
Eric Clapton at 80: A Resilient Icon Marks Milestone Birthday
As iconic guitarist Eric Clapton approaches his 80th birthday, the celebrated musician, known as “Slowhand,” continues to defy expectations, embarking on a significant tour across Japan, Europe, and the UK. Despite expressing the rigors of touring life, Clapton, like fellow octogenarian artists Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and Rod Stewart, has attained the remarkable landmark of joining the ’80-club’. This achievement is particularly noteworthy in a youth-obsessed industry that often casts aside seasoned performers.
Early Career and Musical Evolution
Throughout his illustrious career spanning over six decades, Clapton has demonstrated exceptional resilience. His musical journey has seen him transcend the boundaries of rock music, exploring diverse genres such as blues, country, and folk. Beginning in the London pub circuit with now-obscure pop bands, he quickly ascended to prominence with the formation of the formidable trio Cream alongside Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce. Cream’s pioneering fusion of blues and hard rock paved the way for a new generation of bands, including Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple.
Derek and the Dominos and Solo Success
Following Cream, Clapton established Derek and the Dominos, forever remembered for their enduring classic “Layla,” a track characterized by its explosive guitar work and emotive piano. Despite periods of personal instability, Clapton has consistently maintained the admiration of his fanbase for his masterful and innovative guitar playing. His extensive body of work has garnered global recognition, with album sales surpassing 100 million, and numerous accolades including 18 Grammy Awards, four Ivor Novello Awards, and three inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. These accomplishments remain unparalleled among living guitarists.
Recent Work and Controversies
While contemporary Eric Clapton concerts may not always reach the intensity of his earlier performances, his consummate skill, carefully chosen repertoire, and astute blending of musical styles affirm his status as a versatile artist. His recent album, “Meanwhile,” has been met with positive reception. This collection features compositions ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Chuck Berry, underscoring his ongoing creative vitality.
However, the album also includes collaborations with veteran vocalist Van Morrison, addressing themes of anti-lockdown sentiment and vaccine hesitancy, positions both artists publicly expressed during the pandemic. While the efficacy of widespread lockdowns is now subject to debate, anti-vaccine messaging remains a highly contentious issue. Despite these stances, Clapton appears unlikely to face significant repercussions at this stage of his career. Ironically, while he frequently sings about the blues, personal hardships have often befallen those around him.
Personal Life: Alice Ormsby-Gore and Tumultuous Relationships
Consider, for instance, Alice Ormsby-Gore, a woman of high society who was Clapton’s partner from 1968 to 1974. Meeting at just 16, Alice came from a privileged background; her father David was a notable diplomat and British ambassador to the United States during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. Despite an upbringing marked by affluence and connections, Alice’s relationship with Clapton took a tragic turn. Both individuals retreated into isolation at his Surrey residence, where their lives became dominated by substance abuse.
The arrival of heroin each week became a focal point of their existence. Clapton eventually overcame his drug dependency, although not his penchant for alcohol, before releasing his 1974 album “461 Ocean Boulevard” and embarking on a US tour. This marked the beginning of his professional resurgence, but tragically, it coincided with Alice’s long-term personal decline.
Entanglements and Tragedies: Pattie Boyd and Family Loss
Following their separation, Alice was succeeded as Clapton’s partner by Pattie Boyd, then the wife of Clapton’s close friend George Harrison. Pattie Boyd described this era as “chaotic.” In the meantime, Alice experienced a prolonged period of personal turmoil. Her world further fractured when she discovered her brother dead from suicide at his London apartment.
Tragedy had previously struck the Ormsby-Gore family with the deaths of Alice’s mother and favorite uncle in car accidents. In 1985, her father also died in a car crash at 66. Media outlets began to reference an “Ormsby-Gore family curse” to explain the sequence of misfortunes.
Recognition and Loss: OBE and Alice’s Demise
In January 1995, Clapton received an OBE for his contributions to music, a decision widely lauded. His income for the preceding year was estimated at £15.4 million, placing him among Britain’s highest-paid individuals. Three months later, Alice Ormsby-Gore was found deceased at her residence in a deprived area of Bournemouth at age 42. She resided in a modest apartment with makeshift window coverings.
A neighbor recalled seeing Alice occasionally walk to local shops, sometimes appearing unwell. The neighbor heard Alice was discovered “with a syringe.” The interwoven relationships among the rock elite of the 1970s were complex. George Harrison, still married to Pattie Boyd, had a brief relationship with Ronnie Wood’s wife, Krissy. Wood, in turn, became involved with Pattie. Jimmy Page reportedly had affairs with numerous women within their social circle. Subsequently, George Harrison began a relationship with Ringo Starr’s wife, Maureen.
Marriages, Fatherhood, and Reflection
Ringo Starr reacted with fury to this betrayal. Amidst this turmoil, Clapton convinced Pattie Boyd to leave Harrison and live with him. However, their arrangement was not exclusive. Pattie Boyd once returned home to find Clapton with fashion model Jenny McLean. Clapton purportedly told Boyd, “Can’t you see I’m in love with this girl? Just leave.”
Despite this, Clapton and Boyd married in 1979, remaining together for nearly a decade. In 1985, Clapton disclosed to Boyd that he was having an affair with Lori Del Santo, and later that Del Santo was pregnant. Pattie, then 41, had struggled to conceive for years. Conor, Clapton’s son with Del Santo, was born in August. Tragically, Conor died at age four in 1991 after falling from his mother’s New York apartment. Media reports at the time incorrectly identified Conor as Clapton’s only child.
In reality, Clapton had a daughter, Ruth, born in 1985 to Yvonne Kelly following a relationship in 1984. Ruth and her mother were later seen at Clapton’s concerts and with him at restaurants. In 2013, Ruth had a son, Clapton’s first grandchild, named Eric. Eventually, Clapton and Pattie Boyd divorced.
Later Life and Legacy
Clapton informed Pattie of their separation on her 43rd birthday by discarding her belongings from a window. He then experienced a period marked by intermittent musical success and unsuccessful relationships with figures like Naomi Campbell, Sharon Stone, and Sheryl Crow. Clapton humorously acknowledged his “weakness” for “beautiful girls.”
His complex relationships may stem from his unconventional upbringing, believing his grandmother was his mother and his mother his sister. Currently, Clapton is married to Melia McEnery and has three daughters. Like many rock musicians of his generation, he has seemingly found stability with a younger American partner.
Despite a turbulent personal life and navigating the challenging music industry, Eric Clapton has become a revered figure. His enduring musical relevance is evident in his recent album. Attendees at his UK concerts will witness a true master at work.
Clapton’s career longevity has surpassed his early expectations. As he approaches his 80th birthday, it is also fitting to remember those whose lives were intertwined with his, some marked by considerable hardship.