Ten Interesting Facts

-It was difficult for a 16 year old to raise a newborn child in the 40's. Eric's grandmother raised both his mom and him, so he grew up thinking his mom was his sister.
-At 16, Eric began studying at the Kingston College of Art, on one-year probation. He was expelled for lack of progress.
-At 17, Eric joined his first band, The Roosters.
-Before turning to music for full time, he supported himself as a laborer at building sites, working for his grandfather.
-He earned the nickname "Slowhand" because his forceful string bending resulted in broken guitar strings, He would replace them on stage while the crowd engaged in a slow-hand clapping.
-"Layla" was inspired by a difficult love triangle between Clapton, his close friend George Harrison, and Harrison’s wife, Patti.
-His son Connor fell forty-nine stories from Manhattan high-rise apartment to his death; leading him to write, "Tears in Heaven".
-He was cured of his heroin problem through electro-acupuncture.
-In August, 1998 issue of the British rock magazine, "Q", Clapton ranks number 10 on the list of the 100 richest rock stars with a fortune of almost 75 million dollars.
-He's the only artist to be inducted in the Rock Hall of Fame 3 times; as a member of The Yard Birds, Cream, and as a solo performer.