| The History of Eric Clapton | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | March 1972 | |||
| Recorded | September 1964 – September 1970 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 77:27 | |||
| Label | Polydor (UK) Atco (US) | |||
| Producer | various | |||
| Eric Clapton chronology | ||||
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The History of Eric Clapton is a compilation double LP, released in 1972 by Polydor Records in the United Kingdom, and Atco Records in the United States. It features Eric Clapton performing in various bands between 1964 and 1970, including The Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominos.
The compilation is notable for helping Clapton's career when he was battling heroin addiction and making the song "Layla" famous. It is also notable for being perhaps the first compilation in rock music to collect music of a single rock musician that spans time, bands, music styles and record labels.[1]
The album cover picture was taken at George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh while Clapton was playing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" on a Gibson Byrdland hollow-body guitar.