Eric Clapton: Living the blues

Having recently viewed Eric Clapton's dvd, Tribute to Robert Johnson. I was amazed when I read this article, recently published in the O.C. Reg., how modest and critical E.C. is of himself. This is just a segment of the story.

In his 40-year-plus career, Eric Clapton has rolled up plenty of honors: He's had numerous hits, 18 Grammys and is the first musician inducted three times into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He still sells out arenas across the globe as fans make the pilgrimage to hear one of the greats in action.

Yet when asked to give an assessment of his own play, Clapton offers a blunt review that might seem unkind coming from someone else's mouth.

"I think I'm definitely on the decline," the 61-year-old said a few hours before kicking off the North American leg of his world tour in St. Paul, Minn. He recently watched video of his 1997 blues tour and says he was "shocked by how much more proficient I was then than I am now."

"It was a good thing, in a way, because I get the reality of what my life is like," Clapton said. "I can't do what I used to be able to do, with my hands or my voice or anything."

Still, the guitarist dubbed "Slowhand" isn't conceding much to age.

One of Eric Clapton's long time friends, J.J. Cale recently collaborated with Eric for the joint album " The Road to Escondido," due out Nov. 7th.

Clapton is currently touring with guitar extraordinaire, Doyle Bramhall II and Derek Trucks.