Editing Eric Clapton (section)

===Son's death, "Tears in Heaven"===
{{Main article|Tears in Heaven}}
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| quote = I remember putting the phone down and calmly walking from my hotel [in N.Y.C.] to that place as if nothing happened. And I walked past the street and, this is a terrible thing of shame for me, which I’ll never, ever perhaps recover from and seeing that, seeing a crowd of people and a paramedic van and knowing that he was there [trying to be resuscitated] and walking by, I’ll punish myself forever about why didn’t I run? Why didn’t I go to see him? … the truth is I couldn’t. I was so frightened.
| source = Eric Clapton, as quoted by Emma Kershaw of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' (3 February 2025)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://people.com/all-about-eric-clapton-kids-8387107 |title=Eric Clapton's 5 Children: All About His 4 Daughters and Late Son |work=People |last=Kershaw |first=Emma |date=3 February 2025 |access-date=21 March 2025}}</ref>
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The 1990s brought a series of 32 concerts to the Royal Albert Hall, such as the [[24 Nights]] series of concerts that took place around January through February 1990, and February to March 1991. On {{nowrap|30 June}} 1990, Dire Straits, Clapton and Elton John made a guest appearance in the [[Nordoff-Robbins]] charity show held at [[Concerts at Knebworth House|Knebworth]] in England.<ref>Tobler, John: ''Who's who in rock & roll'' p.1988. Crescent Books, 1991</ref> On {{nowrap|27 August}} 1990, fellow blues guitarist [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]], who was touring with Clapton, and three members of their road crew were [[Death of Stevie Ray Vaughan|killed in a helicopter crash]] between concerts. Then, on {{nowrap|20 March}} 1991, Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor, died after falling from the 53rd-floor window of his mother's friend's New York City apartment at 117 East 57th Street. Clapton was staying at a nearby hotel at the time of his son's death, and was preparing to pick him up for lunch and a visit to the [[Central Park Zoo]]. He was informed of the incident through a hysterical phone call by [[Lory Del Santo]], Conor's mother. Once comprehending what was happening, he described feeling like he "went off the edge of the world," and promptly arrived at the scene, feeling "like [he] had walked into someone else’s life."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-06 |title=Eric Clapton: The Unthinkable Tragedy That Inspired "Tears in Heaven" |url=https://www.biography.com/musicians/eric-clapton-tears-in-heaven-son |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Biography |language=en-US}}</ref> The first person to offer condolences towards Clapton was friend and fellow guitarist [[Keith Richards]], who himself had lost his young son [[Tara Richards|Tara]] in 1976.<ref name=RS2>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/eric-clapton-the-rolling-stone-interview-2-100276/2/ |title=Eric Clapton: The Rolling Stone Interview. Part 2 |date=October 17, 1991 |access-date=2024-07-13 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |last=Henke |first=James |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527235713/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/eric-clapton-the-rolling-stone-interview-2-100276/2/ |archive-date=May 27, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> Conor's funeral took place on 28 March at St Mary Magdalene's Church in Clapton's home village in [[Ripley, Surrey]], with Conor buried in the church graveyard.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114903,00.html|title=In An English Country Churchyard, Eric Clapton and Friends Mourn the Death of His Son, Conor, 4|magazine=People|access-date=22 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020170345/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114903,00.html|archive-date=20 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> After his son's death Clapton began attending [[AA meeting]]s.<ref name=RS2/> In 1991, Clapton appeared on [[Richie Sambora]]'s album, ''[[Stranger in This Town]]'', in a song dedicated to him, called "Mr. Bluesman". He contributed guitar and vocals to "Runaway Train", a duet with Elton John on the latter's ''[[The One (Elton John album)|The One]]'' album the following year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-07-12-ca-4218-story.html |last=Boehm |first=Mike |work=Los Angeles Times |title=ELTON JOHN "The One" MCA |date=12 July 1992 |access-date=18 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427143652/http://articles.latimes.com/1992-07-12/entertainment/ca-4218_1_elton-john |archive-date=27 April 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Clapton's grief was expressed in the song "[[Tears in Heaven]]", which was co-written by [[Will Jennings]].<ref>{{cite magazine|date=7 December 2000|title=Eric Clapton: 'Tears In Heaven'|magazine=Rolling Stone|issue=88}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Leerhsen|first=Charles|date=22 March 1992|title=His Saddest Song|magazine=Newsweek|volume=119|issue=12|page=52}}</ref> At the [[35th Annual Grammy Awards]], Clapton received six [[Grammys]] for the single "Tears in Heaven" and his ''[[Unplugged (Eric Clapton album)|Unplugged]]'' album,<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|first=Craig|last=Rosen|title=Clapton Grabs Key Grammys; 'Beauty' is Belle Of The Ball|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rw8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1|date=6 March 1993|page=1|access-date=12 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627200627/http://books.google.com/books?id=rw8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1|archive-date=27 June 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> for which Clapton performed live in front of a small audience on 16 January 1992 at [[Bray Film Studios]] in [[Windsor, Berkshire]], England. The album reached number one on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], and is certified [[Diamond album|Diamond]] by the [[RIAA]] for selling over 10 million copies in the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=ERIC+CLAPTON&ti=UNPLUGGED|title=Eric Clapton – Unplugged (Certifications)|website=RIAA|language=en-US|access-date=10 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624004647/http://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=ERIC+CLAPTON&ti=UNPLUGGED|archive-date=24 June 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> It reached number two in the [[UK Albums Chart]] and is certified four times platinum in the UK.<ref>[https://www.bpi.co.uk/bpi-awards/ "British album certifications – Eric Clapton – Unplugged"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909233259/https://www.bpi.co.uk/bpi-awards/ |date=9 September 2017 }}. [[British Phonographic Industry]]. Retrieved 12 February 2016. Enter Unplugged in the search field and then press Enter</ref> On 9 September 1992, Clapton performed "Tears in Heaven" at the [[1992 MTV Video Music Awards]], and won the award for Best Male Video.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/1992/|title=1992 MTV Video Music Awards|publisher=MTV|access-date=22 September 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630111824/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/1992/|archive-date=30 June 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1992/mtvvmas.htm|title=1992 MTV VMAS|publisher=Rockonthenet.com|access-date=22 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141932/http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1992/mtvvmas.htm|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Quote box
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| quote = I almost subconsciously used music for myself as a healing agent, and lo and behold, it worked&nbsp;... I have got a great deal of happiness and a great deal of healing from music.
| source = —Clapton on the healing process in writing "Tears in Heaven".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/2020/Entertainment/story?id=2404474&page=1- |title=Exclusive: Mother of 'Tears in Heaven' Inspiration Shares Story – ABC News |work=ABC News |date=7 September 2006 |access-date=12 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224003656/http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Entertainment/story?id=2404474&page=1- |archive-date=24 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>
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In 1992, Clapton received the [[Ivor Novello Award]] for Lifetime Achievement from the [[British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors]].<ref name="Ivors Lifetime">[http://theivors.com/archive/1990-1999/the-ivors-1992/ "1992 Ivor Novello Awards"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180104013937/http://theivors.com/archive/1990-1999/the-ivors-1992/ |date=4 January 2018 }}. The Ivors. Retrieved 3 January 2018</ref> In October 1992 Clapton was among the dozens of artists performing at [[Bob Dylan]]'s [[30th Anniversary Concert Celebration]]. Recorded at [[Madison Square Garden]] in New York City, the live two-disk CD/DVD captured a show full of celebrities performing classic Dylan songs, with Clapton playing the lead on a nearly 7-minute version of Dylan's "[[Knockin' on Heaven's Door]]" as part of the finale.<ref>SPIN magaone. Nov 1993. p. 32</ref> While Clapton played [[Steel-string guitar|acoustic guitar]] on ''Unplugged'', his 1994 album ''[[From the Cradle]]'' contained new versions of old [[blues standards]], highlighted by his electric guitar playing.<ref>D. Dicaire, ''More blues singers: biographies of 50 artists from the later 20th century'' (McFarland, 2001), p. 203.</ref> In 1995, Clapton for the first and only time appeared on a UK No. 1 single, collaborating with [[Cher]], [[Chrissie Hynde]], and [[Neneh Cherry]] on a solo to a cover of "[[Love Can Build a Bridge]]" released in aid of the British charity telethon [[Comic Relief]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kutner|first1=Jon|title=1000 UK Number One Hits|date=2010|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=9780857123602}}</ref>[[File:Photograph of Tracy Chapman and Eric Clapton Performing at a White House Special Olympics Dinner - NARA - 6037507.jpg|thumb|left|Clapton and [[Tracy Chapman]] on stage at a White House Special Olympics dinner, December 1998]]
On 12 September 1996 Clapton played a party for [[Armani]] at New York City's Lexington Armory with [[Greg Phillinganes]], [[Nathan East]] and [[Steve Gadd]]. [[Sheryl Crow]] appeared on one number, performing "[[Tearing Us Apart]]", a track from ''August'', which was first performed by [[Tina Turner]] during the Prince's Trust All-Star Rock show in 1986. It was Clapton's sole US appearance that year, following the [[Live in Hyde Park (Eric Clapton album)|open-air concert]] held at Hyde Park.<ref name="Hyde Park">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-hyde-park-videodvd-r420505|title=Live in Hyde Park (Video/DVD)|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=22 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108101233/http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-hyde-park-videodvd-r420505|archive-date=8 January 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The concert was taped and the footage was released both on VHS video cassette and later, on DVD.<ref name="Hyde Park" /> 
Clapton's 1996 recording of the [[Wayne Kirkpatrick]]/[[Gordon Kennedy (musician)|Gordon Kennedy]]/[[Tommy Sims]] tune "Change the World" (on the soundtrack of the film ''[[Phenomenon (film)|Phenomenon]]'') won the [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year]] in 1997, the same year he recorded ''Retail Therapy'' (an album of [[electronic music]] with [[Simon Climie]] under the pseudonym [[X-sample|TDF]]). On 15 September 1997, Clapton appeared at the ''[[Music for Montserrat]]'' concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London, performing "Layla" and "Same Old Blues" before finishing with "Hey Jude" alongside fellow English artists [[Paul McCartney]], [[Elton John]], Phil Collins, [[Mark Knopfler]] and [[Sting (musician)|Sting]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BwoEAAAAMBAJ&q=Music+for+Montserrat+-+concert&pg=PA59 "Billboard 6 September 1997"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810044555/https://books.google.com/books?id=BwoEAAAAMBAJ&q=Music+for+Montserrat+-+concert&pg=PA59 |date=10 August 2023 }}. p.59. ''Billboard''. Retrieved 12 December 2014</ref> That autumn, Clapton released the album ''[[Pilgrim (Eric Clapton album)|Pilgrim]]'', the first record containing new material for almost a decade.<ref name="amg" />

In 1996, Clapton had a relationship with singer-songwriter [[Sheryl Crow]]. They remain friends, and Clapton appeared as a guest on Crow's Central Park Concert. The duo performed a Cream hit single, "[[White Room]]". Later, Clapton and Crow performed an alternate version of "Tulsa Time" with other guitar legends at the [[Crossroads Guitar Festival]] in June 2007 as well as [[Robert Johnson]]'s blues classic "[[Cross Road Blues|Crossroads]]" at London's [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]] in August 2008 with [[John Mayer]] and [[Robert Randolph and the Family Band|Robert Randolph]].

At the [[41st Annual Grammy Awards]] on 24 February 1999, Clapton received his third [[Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance]], for his song "[[My Father's Eyes (song)|My Father's Eyes]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=eric+clapton|title=Past Winners Search: Eric Clapton|work=The GRAMMYs|access-date=22 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726101050/http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=eric+clapton|archive-date=26 July 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> In October 1999, the compilation album, ''[[Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton]]'', was released, which contained a new song, "[[Blue Eyes Blue]]", that also appears in soundtrack for the film, ''[[Runaway Bride (film)|Runaway Bride]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/clapton-chronicles-the-best-of-eric-clapton-r431814/review|title=Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=22 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424043639/http://allmusic.com/album/clapton-chronicles-the-best-of-eric-clapton-r431814/review|archive-date=24 April 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-runaway-bride-r423753/review|title=The Runaway Bride (Original Soundtrack)|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=22 September 2014|archive-date=10 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810044558/https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-runaway-bride-mw0000243006|url-status=live}}</ref> Clapton finished the twentieth century with collaborations with [[Carlos Santana]] and [[B.B. King]]. Clapton looked up to King and had always wanted to make an album with him, while King said of Clapton, "I admire the man. I think he's No. 1 in rock 'n' roll as a guitarist and No. 1 as a great person."<ref name="SarasotaHerald">{{cite web | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r28fAAAAIBAJ&pg=6362,12083 | title = Clapton recruits B.B. King for a vintage blues session | work = [[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]] | date = 1 June 2000 | access-date = 22 May 2020 | archive-date = 21 July 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220721133957/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r28fAAAAIBAJ&pg=6362,12083 | url-status = live }}</ref>