Grammy Special: Eric Clapton

Fresh Air | By Terry Gross

Published February 3, 2006 at 12:26 PM EST

Eric Clapton and Cream played a reunion concert in New York in October of 2005.

The groundbreaking rock band Cream will receive a 2006 Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award next week. Eric Clapton was the group's guitarist. His friends call him "Slowhand"; his fans call him "God." Whatever name he goes by, Eric Clapton is at or near the top of any list of the greatest guitar players in rock history.

Clapton started out playing blues with the Yardbirds ("For Your Love") in the early 1960s, then played with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers before forming Cream, one of the '60s most influential bands. This interview originally aired on Dec. 7, 1989.

Terry Gross

Combine an intelligent interviewer with a roster of guests that, according to the Chicago Tribune, would be prized by any talk-show host, and you're bound to get an interesting conversation. Fresh Air interviews, though, are in a category by themselves, distinguished by the unique approach of host and executive producer Terry Gross. "A remarkable blend of empathy and warmth, genuine curiosity and sharp intelligence," says the San Francisco Chronicle.

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