Born on this day in 1945, Eric Patrick Clapton, the English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame turns 79. Clapton was inducted once as a solo artist and separately as a member of the Yardbirds and of Cream. He's been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time. Clapton has been the recipient of 18 Grammy Awards, and the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. In 2004 he was awarded a CBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music. He has received four Ivor Novello Awards from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. In his solo career, Clapton has sold more than 130 million records worldwide.
In his honor, check out the documentary Eric Clapton - Standing At The Crossroads - above