He, very well, may be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V2yTD1FV4Y

That's why I don't read rolling stone magazine!

Eric's cool, but hardly a god!

Now, Tiger Woods is more likely to be a God among men!

I heard he's a groove killer.

In all seriousness though, in the realm of Rock, that label belongs to Jeff Beck.

But don't take my word for it, go to BestBuy and spend $14.00 for his new DVD. There's even the added bonus of Crapton at the end.

I hope that speeling error was unintentional.

That's the Japanese spelling (and mine too) :)

The story is that it was Clapton that was spreading that rumor. Did anyone watch that PBS special they were running with him and Steve Winwood? I thought he sucked. Their cover of Voodoo child was awful. Dragged on forever repeating the hook phrase. Little Wing not much better. No fire, little soul.

Do they still scream out "Rayra" in Japan?

OK,,,So, he ain't the World's Best Geeetar Player. But how many other "Living" Guitarists have had the kind of success he has had, as a Player/Singer/Son Writer. Jimmy Page? Page didn't sing. Jeff Beck? Not a Singer. Paul McCartney? OK, maybe. But he plays Bass. Sting? Bass too.

Anybody else? BB King? Could BB sellout the Toyota Center?

So, based on the total package, what other guitarist/singer/song writer, can sellout the big rooms, like Clapton?

OK,,,maybe Clapton doesn't sell them out, but it ain't a cheap ticket/

By todays standards Clapton is a average to good blues rock player. His voice is now his best asset. What does audience size have to do with quality of the music?

"So, based on the total package, what other guitarist/singer/song writer, can sellout the big rooms, like Clapton?"

George Benson

Robin:

I agree. I am a big fan of Benson too.

Commercial Success, has nothing to do with the quality of music, or the performer. However, that seems to be how it is measured.

If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no ear to hear it, does it make a sound?

Less
"If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no ear to hear it, does it make a sound?"

That's a play on definition. If you define a sound as - 'that which has to be heard' - then the tree makes no sound if there's no ear to hear it.

However I think we all know from a physics point of view that trees do make sounds when they fall, regardless of whether there's anyone there to hear it.

Robin:

Correct. It was an analogy. Maybe a poor one, but my point is,,,If you make good music, and nobody is there to listen to it, why do it, except for your own self gratification?

And for all of you who will rush to defend the cause of good music for the sake of it, Don't bitch when somebody wants you to play for free.

No doubt many would call Springteen 'God'.
I mean you get the whole package - Singing plus guitar & lots of sales. Though not many scales.

Having just seen him on the 10 minutes worth of Glastonbury pop festival on TV that I could bare to watch, I realise he reminds me of a drunk staggering down the street singing (or should I say groaning) & playing the guitar about as well LOL

Are the majority of the public retards ?
No offense to retards.

My compliments to his marketing machine. Just shows what you can do with big money behind you.

don't forget Jandek

Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

And so the corollary;

And but a few who, lifted by legend's hand

Sit on the great throne of kings

Whether fortune or fate

No human hand holds the key to that nobel gate

The "public" I suppose to be the ones who read those tabloid rags at the checkout stand. That listen to the canned music on commercial radio, that are swayed by rumor and legend beyond any senses of their own,only what they are told is "greatness".

Clapton was one of the innovators when he was with Yardbirds, Mayall, and cream. Only a hand full of Guitar players on this level at that time because the level had just been created by people like him and Hendrix. But now he's just a good pop artist.

Who's the real great one ? CHUCK BERRY!
Song writer, Performer, Guitar player, Singer, Innovator. Always true to his roots.

Well I would say Jose Feliciano,(even when being a blind), could sing very good on two lenguages and in a show where I did share the stage, in 1983/84,at the Houston Coliseum for a, 5 de Mayo Festival,(playing the last song), the drummer started a grooving Rock beat and somebody brought and electric guitar to him, and...it is historic what he did with that electric guitar,(the whole Coliseum was on fire). And again I was there. Gerry Zaragemca

George Benson personally reminded me back in febuary, that the only person that's still doing records, thats been doing them longer than he, is paul McCartney.

George is the closest to a living guitar God as anyone I can think of. He's been recording since 1951, and won has won over 5 grammys in his career including 1 in 2008 for best POP instrumentalist!

Brennen

I enjoy talking with you the subject brother Brennen because you are also a guitarist,but if we put the musicians mentioned above in a stage, as soon as Jose Feliciano starts bouncing back and forward and playing at 120 miles/hour, his Flamenco/Brazilian/Afrocuban appraoch of playing the guitar and singing his Afrocuban/Salsa style...that's it...I mean that's it brothers. Gerry Zaragemca

Only person doing records longer than GB is Macca??????

Not sure what he means, but his first records are from 1954 on RCA's X label when he was 11ish (if there are earlier recordings, I haven't seen them documented -- though I just saw GB and he does have a tape of him singing at the age of 8 ... but that was not a record, it's just a tape of him singing back then).

Dave Brubeck was making records before 1950. Hank Jones was recording before Benson and Roy Haynes.

If he's talking a pop career ... as in leading dates as a singer, then Macca's been recording since 1962. Brian Wilson since 1961. Benson since '64 w/ Jack McDuff (but he didn't lead those dates). I'm sure there are a couple others out there who have been recording longer as well.

I love GB, but it sounds like a little bit of hot air.

Anyway, Macca wasn't recording in '54.

BTW: Clapton is God was scrawled somewhere in England as graffiti. That's how it took off. Don't think RS actually made that pronouncement, though I could be wrong.

Im not sure what George meant, other than what he said, in that he was first recorded in 1951. I also stated that, "out of people STILL recording albums to date- 2009.

George has been recording records for 58 years and is still recording albums now.

When was the last brubeck album recorded?

and zaragenca, George made jose more money on affirmation, than hose ever made on it himself!

B

While Benson may claim to have been recorded in 1951 -- and he may have -- I have not seen any reference to Benson albums/singles being sold in 1951 or Benson working as a sideman back them (he was 8 years old, so come on, I think he is embellishing). George had a one shot with RCA in '54 and that's pretty much it until the '60s.

I dispute George's 1951 date. If you can find some documentation, other than George's word, of a GB recording made for general sale to the public in 1951 (not a home demo) than I'll retract. But, near as I can tell, GB made a recording in 1954 and then wasn't heard from on record again until the '60s.

IMHO: George is S T R E T C H I N G things here.

As for Brubeck, the last album he released of new material was in 2007. Coincidently, the last album of new material by GB was released in 2006 (with Al Jarreau in tow). Can't count live in montreux from '07 as that was really recorded in '86.

So, Brubeck's recording career started earlier and he's recorded new material more recently.

Sorry George.

Also, Hank Jones and Roy Haynes, whom I both cited, are still recording.

George will be releasing 2 more albums in the next year in a half. I heard 4 tracks off the one to release this year in his car, and he'll also be releasing a tribute to Nat cole next year.

Any way you look at it, George has more grammys than brubeck, hank jones, and roy hanes, so,

Not sorry George!

I still say Tiger woods has to be the closest thing to a God among men here. As far as guitar, George will do for me!

B