British guitarist, singer, and composer Eric Clapton, was born Eric Patrick Clapp on March 30, 1945, is one of rock music's most accomplished guitarists. Basing his style in the folk-blues tradition of Muddy Waters, Clapton achieved cult status-- "Clapton Is God" was common graffiti--with several popular and influential bands: the Yardbirds (1963-1965), John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1965-1966), Cream (1966-1968), Blind Faith (1969), and Derek and the Dominos (1970-1971). Since 1974 he has performed solo. The songs "Sunshine of Your Love" (1967), "After Midnight" (1970), "Layla" (1970), and 1977's "Lay Down Sally," "Cocaine," and "Wonderful Tonight" are among his most famous. Clapton remained active in the 1980s but had his biggest success with the acoustic Unplugged (1992); the songs "Tears in Heaven," inspired by the 1991 death of his son, and "Layla" won Grammy Awards.