The greatest guitarist in Eric Clapton’s opinion

For many rock lovers, rightly or wrongly, Eric Clapton he is one of the most important musicians of the genre. However, like any musician, the English guitarist would not be what he is if it were not for those who preceded him, in particular Chuck Berry. Often referred to as ‘The King of Rock and Roll’, Berry contributed fundamentally to the development of rock and roll and rhythm and blues.

In the documentary ‘Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock’n’Roll, Eric Clapton declared all his love for the American musician passed away in 2017 at the age of 90. “If you want to play Rock and Roll or any up-tempo song and you want to play around with the guitar, you’re going to end up sounding like Chuck Berry. Because there really isn’t much other choice. There aren’t many other ways to play Rock and Roll other than the way Chuck plays it.”

Furthermore, Clapton explained how influential Berry really was. “There’s a whole mix of things I listen to, Latin and country, jazz, it all makes for a beautiful hybrid. I heard stories that he was very bitter and thought people had cheated him, and to think that, you have to be aware of how far your influence has spread.”

However for
Eric Clapton
being the best guitarist in rock and roll doesn’t mean you’re the best guitarist ever. The oldest, according to Clapton, is the now 82-year-old
Albert Lee
of whom he said: “He is the greatest guitarist in the world. The ultimate virtuoso. His skill is extraordinary, his ear is extraordinary and he is gifted on virtually every level.”