Eric Clapton, the world’s most influential guitarist, has turned 75 today! He was born on March 30, 1945, in Ripley, Surrey, England, to Edward Walter Fryer and Patricia Molly Clapton. Eric Clapton was influenced by the blues from an early age. This English rock and blues guitarist, on his 13th birthday, received an acoustic Hoyer guitar. The instrument, made in Germany, was difficult to play and hence the young lad back then had lost interest. But two years later, Clapton picked it up again and started playing consistently. He practiced really hard to learn the chords of blues. He invested long hours by playing along to the records. 5 Best Tunes of The Legendary Singer-Composer, Elton John!

Eric Clapton who studied at the Kingston College of Art, was dismissed from the public research university as his focus was in music and not in art. During his teenage itself, his guitar playing skills came into notice. He was just 16 when he started to perform in some of the popular locations in London. In 1962, Clapton teamed up with fellow blues enthusiast David Brock and started performing as a duo in some of the pubs around Surrey. It was at the age of 17 when he joined his first band, which was an R&B group, the Roosters, with whom he stayed for a year long. Eric Clapton has been winning hearts since his teenage. On 75th birthday, let’s take a look at his five hit songs. The Scientist, Paradise – 5 Songs of Coldplay’s Frontman, Chris Martin!

I Shot the Sheriff

The single, "I Shot the Sheriff", was by Bob Marley and the Wailers that was released in 1973. A cover version of this song was recorded by Eric Clapton, which was included in his album 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974). Clapton’s version of the song had a soft rock and reggae sound. In 2003, it was also was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Layla

Eric Clapton, who was also a singer and a songwriter, had penned down another hit record, "Layla". He had recorded it with Derek and the Dominos, which released in 1971. In 1992, Clapton recorded a live acoustic album. He played live in front of an audience for the MTV Unplugged series, and it was out there he recorded an acoustic version of "Layla".

Tears in Heaven

The song "Tears in Heaven" was about the death of Eric Clapton’s son Conor, who passed away in 1991. Clapton expressed his grief through "Tears in Heaven", which appeared on his Unplugged album. "Tears in Heaven" won three Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

Change the World

Eric Clapton’s song "Change the World" was from the album Phenomenon. In 1997, it had won eight awards, including three Grammy Awards at the 39th annual ceremony. This song is best known by Clapton’s unplugged acoustic version.

Wonderful Tonight

"Wonderful Tonight" was included on Eric Clapton’s 1977 album Slowhand. It’s a ballad written by Clapton for Pattie Boyd, who was one of the popular and most sought after international models during the 1960s. This song is also mentioned in Boyd’s autobiographical book, Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me.

Eric Clapton, who has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, has been the recipient of 18 Grammy Awards. In 2004, this popular guitarist and vocalist, was awarded a CBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) at the Buckingham Palace for his contributions in the world of music. Eric Clapton is known as one of the best-selling musicians of all time. Here’s wishing Eric Clapton a very happy birthday, and a great musical year ahead!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 30, 2020 09:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).