When you hear virtually any guitarist in rock over the past 40 years or so, you have heard a particular tone. It is big, it is round, it is somewhat distorted and it sings. For all intents and purposes, Eric Clapton invented this sound when playing with The Yardbirds (listen to "I Ain't Got You). Chuck Berry hinted at it with the opening bars and solo in "Maybelline," Clapton made it part of the vocabulary. He also brought together stylistic elements from guitarists most white fans had never heard of in the mid 60s. I'm talking about the Kings (BB, Albert and Freddy), Otis Rush, Hubert Sumlin, to name but a few. You may not like some of the directions his music has taken. I, for instance, can't listen to "Lay Down Sally" or "Wonderful Tonight" without cringing. But you have to give the guy credit for trying lots of different avenues of expression. Want a crash course in blues rock guitar? Listen to "Crossroads" from Cream's "Wheels of Fire" album. Nuf sed.

old school blues rock--a true survivor

You don't hear too much about Clapton anymore. However, That doesn't mean his music isn't good any longer. This guy is also one of the best to ever pick up a six string.

Just the greatest guitarist

Runs the scale from good to great.  A real Master of the strings.

I don't think anyone can argue that he is one of the greatest of all time. Everyone who plays looks at him as the master.

"Eric Clapton can't play the guitar" - Ritchie Blackmore

How wrong he was...

Still God!

he may be considered as one of the best guitarists of all time but he really gets on my nerves sometimes,although he is good so...

Rips others off?  Are we reaching with this statement? In fact...how many have borrowed from the pages of Eric Clapton?  Along with Jimi...simply one of the best.  Go to You Tube and watch Tales of Brave Ulysses ...this is where the whole Metal thing starts.

I love his soothing music and he plays the guitar in a heaven like manner.

very good blues guitarist

Clapton will ALWAYS be THE legend on guitar

Before he even knew what he was doing, he was one of the fastest guitarists ever. His love of the blues has always touched my heart. His work with John Mayall and the Yardbirds inspired me. I'm not one to idolize any man, but this would be close.

He's quite an accomplished technician, but the vocals on his 'tribute' to Robert Johnson reveal him to be the Pat Boone of the blues.  

http://tinyurl.com/58kvuw

  One of the greatest guitarist of all time hands down. And know for you moronic EVH fans that call him a non talented hack that just put him down to boost your precious Eddy up. Maybe you should listen more closley to him cause he is a crap load better then that sh*thead Eddy in fact their no even close in top 100. And for you that call him a hack that copys everyone else well who the frig has'nt copyed from another artist. If you can find one artist that has'nt copied someones style or song ill give you a freakin medal.  

A great technician who could put it all together and make blues a viable artform today.

way over rated. but he sold a ton of records

Clapton is God. Nuff said.

I can understand why many say he is overated and not worthy of being up there with the elite due to the fact that he remade alot of songs (which i think he did better), copied other licks (which guitarist hasnt taken from those before them?), but the fact remains that he has had one of the most distinguished careers of any performer who has ever strapped on a guitar. I think the best way to rate a guitarist is to see what his peers and fellow players alike have said about them, and 9 times out of 10 you'll find the greats saying eric is, has and always will be up there with the best of the best. Although i prefer the music of SRV, i had the privelage of watching Eric perform last year with Derek Trucks and Doyle Bramhall ll, and he was great but what impressed me most was how he gave the young guys an equal amount of time to show what they had, so while he was giving the fans what they wanted, he was also showing the future players as well, and that's a sign of humility and class. Clapton is God? hell no - but he is pretty damn good...

Another one who needs no introduction

another good songwriter and performer

great guitarist, not much to say

Love, love, love Clapton. Can listen all day, every day, never gets old

youngman with granpa's guitar

Amazing guitarist

cocaine

he great

lately just boring...

His guitar work rates a 5.0 and someone who can produce two completely dissimilar classics (Layla and Badge) rates a 5.0

41/2 stars. His lyrics makes him 5. I think 70' rock, great never the less, but '70s!

he pretty cool

Slow Hand is third in my book

Do I have to say anything really

Rips others off, overrated, not a nice person, has made racist remarks in the past

For my money, Claptons still the best!

I don't understand how people ar saying he isn't one of the greates guitarists? technical ability aint everything. He had the chopsand played some amazing guitar in the 60s with cream. The only reason I can't give him a five is because his songwriting always lacked a little for me, other than the great Derek and The Dominos albums.. Layla and other Assorted Love songs

OK

ok guy, but not my style at all

35 yr-old guy... figures. Sour grapes.

He's ok, if you like non-talented hacks that should be playing at your local coffee house. Just another way over-rated 60's guitar player that shouldn't be in the top 50!

  I dont understand how anyone can say he sucks or has no feeling, it just makes no fucking sence, he is one of the greatest guitarist out there.

Great guitarist technically, but lacking in soul. Songs not too interesting either.

Fair. Electric work with Cream superb, but latter work , especially acoustic, very ordinary.

Not the best guitar player of all time.

cream was the ultimate guitar band of the 60's,his solo stuff is so/so.fave:crossroads

Clapton, simply put, is incomparable. In a class by himself........anyone who's seen EC in concert over the last 40 years KNOWS why the moniker "Clapton Is God" was so prevalent in the 60's and 70's.

clapton man i'll admit that some of page's and van halens solo's may be harder to play the feeling in clapton's playing is unrivaled and he does quite a fair bit of talent

You only have to read a few of these reviews to realize that Albert Einstein was DEFINITELY half right when he said that two things were infinite - the universe and stupidity.

Here's a guy who's been around since the early / mid sixties making incredible music with John Mayall's Blues Breakers, Cream and as a solo artist.

Along with the late, great Billy Preston, he's one of only two men to play with the Beatles (guess who's playing guitar on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps").

He's played with Hendrix, Page, Beck and has been acknowledged as one of the blues greats by Buddy Guy, BB King and a host of other great blues artists.

An icon like Dylan has admired this guy for years

In a business where artists are chewed up and spit out in weeks and months, this guys is in his 5th decade - that's 50 years people.

Let me enlighten you pin heads who have given this icon a rating of 3 or less - you don't last 40+ years in the music business unless you're doing something VERY right..!!
And some people here say he's over rated and a mediocre player.

Albert, you were absolutely half right..!

Let me first say that I play guitar approximately 3-4 hours everyday and I am 22 years old and I am college educated. There are 2 versions of Eric Clapton. First version being the album recording Eric Clapton and second being the live Eric Clapton. What you hear on his records is not what he plays live. I have thousands of bootlegs spanning the last 40 years of Clapton and they are all fantastic. Any time period, drunk or sober, young or old, he is the best. I have seen him live myself, and everything was beyond words. Songs I didn't normally like were even great. I can't say much for his records except for the Bluesbreakers, Cream, and Dominos stuff. I have them all, but I don't really listen to the ones after those. But when he plays live, his true ability shines. He has played with accomplished jazz musicians, classical, Eastern, reggae, and r&b. He can play accoustic or electric. What other genres could Jimi play? How does Jeff Beck sound on accousic? I also read a post about Clapton being a racist. Ask B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, Babyface, Mary J. Blige, Naomi Campbell, Nathan East, and Billy Preston (if you know who any of these people are, that is) if Eric Clapton is a racist. You might even be black, but Clapton probably has more black friends than you do. Even today, he is highly admired in the black community for his music and even his style of clothes. Please, do your homework before you right a review of Clapton. You make yourself look ignorant, naive, childish, and just plain simple minded when you spout off about something you know nothing about.