What a gift for Christmas that EC gave us on BBC Radio 2's Johnnie Walker show, last week-end.

This is official, Cream will be reformed for 4 concerts at the Royal Albert Hall (London) on May 2005.

After the leaving of EC from the group in 1966, there was only one reunion in 1993 for their induction at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Eric Clapton guested on the Jools Holland Hootenany television show, which was recorded at the BBC studios on 16th December and will be broadcast on New Year's Eve.

Eric recorded "Stop Breakin’ Down Blues" and a smashing version of "Little Queen Of Spades" from his recent Robert Johnson album.

EC was nominated for the 47th Annual Grammy Awards (Sunday 13 February at the Staples Center in Los Angeles) on 7 December for :

• "Me and Mr. Johnson" as Best Traditional Blues Album,
• For his appearance on "Concert for George" as Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.

Where's Eric had the great privilege to get an interview of our favorite guitar heroe favori about his CD/DVD "Sessions for Robert J.".

Article can be consulted there.

Eric Clapton has donated a pair of autographed jeans to the National Hemophilia Foundation's Celebrity Blue Jeans For Genes Auction. The mission of the National Hemophilia Foundation is education, research and advocacy on behalf of people with bleeding disorders. The foundation is based in New York City..

Eric Clapton's jeans and those of the other celebrities are going to be available for bidding on eBay from 29 November until 9 December at www.ebay.com/bluejeansforgenes.

For waiting the release of his latest album, you can listen to 4 titles on his official sitewww.eric-clapton.com, or watch the video of "Sweet Home Chicago" :

http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/ericclapton_sweethomechicago-video_56-v.asx
http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/ericclapton_sweethomechicago-video_100-v.asx
http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/ericclapton_sweethomechicago-video_300-v.asx
http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/ericclapton_sweethomechicago-video_450-v.asx
http://www.warnerreprise.com/qt-ref/ericclapton_sweethomechicago-video_ref.mov

Here are the details about second-of-the-year EC's album. This album will combine audio and video (CD&DVD) and will be complementary to his previous album "Me & Mr. Johnson". The release is scheduled for 7 December.

This album was recorded during last tour reheasrsals in London, Dallas and Los Angeles, for instance in the studio in Dallas where Robert Johnson made some final cuts.

Details of the CD :

1. Sweet Home Chicago
2. Milkcow’s Calf Blues
3. Terraplane Blues
4. If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day
5. Stop Breakin’ Down Blues
6. Little Queen Of Spades
7. Traveling Riverside Blues
8. Me And The Devil Blues
9. From Four Until Late
10. Kindhearted Woman Blues
11. Ramblin’ On My Mind

Details of the DVD :

• Kindhearted Woman Blues
• They’re Red Hot
• Hellhound On My Trail
• Sweet Home Chicago
• When You Got A Good Friend
• Milkcow’s Calf Blues
• If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day
• Stop Breakin’ Down Blues
• Terraplane Blues
• Me And The Devil Blues
• From Four Until Late
• Love In Vain
• Ramblin’ On My Mind
• Stones In My Passway

A first single is about to to released on 30 November : "Sweet Home Chicago".

EC, 59, will enjoy to be for the 5^th time father, thanks to his wife. Melia McEneery, 28, is 7-month pregnant.

The couple had already two children : Julie Rose, 3, and Ella Mae, 18-monthes.

Source : http://www.express.co.uk/story.html?story=8&r=109951027245790057

On 9 November in the United States and 22 November in the UK, three back catalogue gems will be released as Hybrid / Super Audio CDs (SACD). The titles receiving SACD treatment are Derek & The Dominos "Layla" and Clapton's solo efforts "461 Ocean Boulevard" and "Slowhand".

For Wyclef Jean :

• Title : "All Star Jam At Carnegie Hall"
• Release : 7 December
• Editor : Eagle Rock Entertainment
• Time : 140'
• Recorded : 19 January 2001 in NYC.

For Zucchero :

• Title : "Zu & Co - Live at the Royal Albert Hall"
• Release : 25 October
• Editor : ?
• Time : ?
• Recorded : 6 May 2004 in London.

The release of this DVD has been delayed until mid-December in Europe. You can wait by seeing some extracts there.

Note that the setlist has been modified for US release :

Then a broadcast is scheduled on Wednesday, 1 December at 9PM (ET) on Thirteen / WNET New York's Great Performances on PBS.

Next hubert Sumlin's "About them shoes", which will be released on 25 January 2005 by Tone-Cool/artemis Records, will have some incredible guests : Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, David Johansen and Levon Helm.

EC will join the artist on Willie Dixon's "I'm Ready" and Muddy Waters' "Long Distance Call."

C.F. Martin & Company will release on the market a limited edition of their guitar on January 2005 : the 000-ECHF. This guitar has been co-desinged by Eric Clapton and Hiroshi Fujiwara.

More informations here.

For its 30^th anniversary of its release "461 Ocean Boulevard" will have its Deluxe Edition on Octobre 26, 2004. Just remember that this album was for EC its first solo gold album, first solo gold single, first solo #1 album and first solo #1 single.

This new edition will have 2 CDs. the first will be a remastered version of the original album, whereas the second will a unreleased live performance of EC at the Hammersmith Odeon.

There was a mistake on the source website, so EC is not on this record. Sorry for having reproduced this error here.

A new Joe Cocker cd "Heart and Soul" will be released in Europe (EMI) September 27, 2004 and the U.S. (Universal) January 29, 2005. Produced by CJ Vanston with guest solo's from Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Steve Lukathur and Jeff Baxter.

Album details there.

ABKCO Records is preparing the Rolling Stones' film "Rock and Roll Circus" for DVD release.

To be continued...

Bill Wyman's new album "Just For A Thrill" sees a train of stars participating to it :Mark Knopfler (guitar), Georgie Fame (keyboards & vocals), Albert Lee (guitar - who played with Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Emmylou Harris), Beverley Skeete (vocals - who has recorded with Van Morrisson, Elton John, Paul Young, Tina Turner, Sting) Frank Mead and Nick Payn (saxs­ who played with B.B. King, Mick Jagger, George Harrison, Paul McCartney), Mike Sanchez an incredible piano player.

Release : 2004

Roll ’em Pete This ain’t United Nations Disappearing nightly Memphis woman Down home girl Town living Cry baby Just for a thrill Taxman Booty ooty Mississippi flyer You don’t know That’s how heartaches are made Cadillac woman

The Crickets—J.I. Allison (drums), Joe B. Mauldin (bass) and Sonny Curtis (guitar)— helped define the sound of modern music and sold millions of records with hits like “That’ll Be the Day,” “Oh Boy” and “Peggy Sue.”.

Today, in 2004, the Crickets, joined by a number of their buddies including Eric Clapton, Rodney Crowell, Waylon Jennings, Graham Nash, John Prine, Albert Lee, and Nanci Griffith are releasing a new album entitled “The Crickets and Their Buddies” which is now available in 5.1 surround sound DVD-A and stereo CD mixes from Sovereign Artists..

That'll Be The Day - (Rodney Crowell) Rave On - (Phil Everly) Not Fade Away - (Tonio K. & Peter Case) Someone, Someone - (Eric Clapton) The Real Buddy Holly Story - (The Crickets) Every Day - (J.D. Souther) Love You More Than I Can Say - (The Crickets) Heartbeat - (Nanci Griffith) Blue Days, Black Nights - (Bobby Vee) Learning The Game - (Albert Lee) Well...All Right - (Waylon Jennings) Think It Over - (Graham Nash) Oh Boy! - (John Prine) I Fought The Law - (Vince Neil) Love's Made A Fool Of You - (Johnny Rivers)

Halcyon Days, next Bruce Hornsby's CD, which will be released on August, 17, had seen some nice people participating on it.

For instance, EC has played on 3 tracks, and has vocally contributed on "Candy Moutain Run". Furthermore Sting sings on "Gonna Be Some Changes Made" and Elton John on "Dreamland".

Gonna Be Some Changes Made Candy Mountain Run Dreamland Circus On The Moon Halcyon Days What The Hell Happened Hooray For Tom Heir Gordon Mirror On The Wall Song F Lost In The Snow

The wonderful album of Cream, Disraeli Gears originally released in 1967, will receive the Deluxe Edition treatment on September 13th, adding a variety of bonus and live tracks.

The new expanded edition will not only feature the original 11-songs, which included "Sunshine Of Your Love," "Tales Of Brave Ulysses" and "SWLABR", but will also feature five demos, an unreleased alternate version of "Blue Condition," and the outtake "Lawdy Mama." A second disc features the album in a mono mix and incorporates a selection of tracks from last year's BBC Sessions release.

The five demos -- "We're Going Wrong," "Hey Now Princess," "SWLABR," "Weird Of Hermiston," and "The Clearout" -- were all released on the 1997 Cream box set Those Were The Days.

That was a while that majors haven't released a Best Of about Eric Clapton's work. This is done with "The Best of Eric Clapton - 20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection".

I Shot The Sheriff After Midnight Knockin' On Heaven's Door Wonderful Tonight Layla Cocaine Lay Down Sally Bell Bottom Blues Promises Let It Rain Let It Grow .

Craziness seems to be the correct word for this sale. Blackie has become the most expensieve guitar of the world, rising the amount of $959500. The total of sales is $7438624.

Details of the auction here.

Source : http://www.christies.com

EC should appear as guest star on the new Joe Cocker album "Heroes and Friends" which will be released on . Sir Paul McCartney, Jeff Beck, Jeff Baxter and Steve Vaiare to be of the party too.

Source : http://www.cjvanston.com

Two live songs are available on iTunes. A video and a mp3 to buy if your are on the american continent.

On May 6, 2004, Zuccheo gave with some friends a charity concert for the release of his new album. Beneficits of this concert named "Zucchero & COmpany" were for United Nations UNHCR Fund.

Among the special guests we could notce Luciano Pavarotti, Solomon Burke, Ronan Keating, Cheb Mami, Mousse T, Dolores O'Riordan from the Cranberries, Paul Young and Eric Clapton.

Introduced as "the artist he loves most in the world" by Zucchero, EC participated with his crash guitar (only) on "Hey Man" and "Wonderful World".

Proud of its success last mnoth (900 visitors and 200000 hits) this site will have a new look. Maybe the last days you have noticed some changes : a new menu,pages with best look. But it is only the beggining of a new area for it.

Sorry for the bugs you could find, and in this case, please send us a mail describing it to : postmaster@clapton-online.com.

• More to the blues - 06/02/2004
• London Sunday Times - 14/03/2004
• Le Monde - 07/04/2004
• De Gazet van Antwerpen - 10/04/2004
• Uncut - 05/2004
• Guitar Player - 05/2004
• Guitarist Mag - 05/2004
• Vintage Guitar Magazine - 06/2004

No news about he CD+DVD pack, but the new album of EC "Me & Mr. Johnson" is now available.

All the details in the discographie, of EC's new album : "Me & Mr. Johnson".

Then you will find a video interview of EC about this album ( Window Media Player only) :

• Dial Up 56k
• High speed / Broadband 100k
• High speed / Broadband 300k
• High speed / Broadband 500k

Due to the release of his new album , EC gave some interviews :

• on the site boulevard.ARD.de, this interview is the digital version of the magazine one (in german),
• and on Chicago Sun-Times (in english)

On 21 March, EC will open this festival.

Source : http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200403170813.html

Since, the concert was cancelled. The agent of EC has declared that EC had never given his accord for this concert due to his world tour.

For those who can download from iTunes the new album, here are available 4 audio extracts to listen in audio stream :

Song	Quicktime All Speed	Windows-Media Low Speed	Windows-Media Hight Speed
When You Got A Good Friend
Come On In My Kitchen
Milkcow Calf Blues
If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day

After the listening, it will be hard to wait the release.

Eric has announced a three-day Crossroads Guitar Festival to take place Friday, June 4 through Sunday, June 6 at Fair Park in Dallas. This one-time event, created for music enthusiasts around the globe, will raise money for Crossroads Centre Antigua, the treatment and education center founded in 1997 by Eric Clapton and now an independently run entity.

The Crossroads Guitar Festival culminates on Sunday, June 6 with an All-Star special benefit concert at the Cotton Bowl Stadium. The concert, which will begin at 1:00 p.m. and continue through Sunday evening will include performances by Eric Clapton and Doyle Bramhall II, J.J. Cale, Larry Carlton, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, David Hidalgo, Eric Johnson, B.B. King, Sonny Landreth, Brian May, Pat Metheny, Robert Randolph, Otis Rush, Carlos Santana, Hubert Sumlin, Dan Tyminski, Steve Vai, Jimmie Vaughan, Joe Walsh and ZZ Top. The extraordinary "house bands" will be none other than Booker T & The MG's, Jimmie Vaughan's band and Eric Clapton's band. Other artists will be announced as details are confirmed.

Tickets to each day of the Crossroads Guitar Festival will be sold separately and will be available starting March 13 through www.ticketmaster.com. Price $15 on 4, $30 on 5 et $60 on 6.

During his 2-hour-long interview with Paul Jones on JazzFM, EC gave the composition of his band for the 2004 tour :

• Eric Clapton : Guitar and Vocals
• Billy Preston : Hammond Organ
• Chris Stainton : Keyboards
• Doyle Bramhall II : Guitar
• Nathan East : Bass
• Steve Gadd : Drums
• Michelle John : Singer
• Sharon White : Singer

The new album from Toots And The Maytals, "True Love", which will be released on April 6l, Eric appears. Here is the tracklist of the album :

1. Still Is Still Moving to Me (Willie Nelson)
2. True Love Is Hard to Find (Bonnie Raitt)
3. Pressure Drop (Eric Clapton)
4. Time Tough (Ryan Adams)
5. Bam Bam (Shaggy and Rahzel)
6. 54-46 Was My Number (Jeff Beck)
7. Monkey Man (No Doubt)
8. Sweet and Dandy (Trey Anastasio)
9. Funky Kingston (Bootsy Collins and the Roots)
10. Reggae Got Soul (Ken Boothe and Marcia Griffiths)
11. Never Grow Old (Terry Hall and the Skatalites)
12. Take a Trip (Bunny Wailer and Eric Clapton)
13. Love Gonna Walk Out on Me (Ben Harper)
14. Careless Ethiopians (Keith Richards)
15. Blame on Me (Rachel Yamagate)

The least we can say is that this year 2004 begins very well. Two albums of EC are announced to be released till the end of the year.

The first will be a tribute to the bluesman Robert Johnson. "Me & Mr; Johnson" would be released on :

• March 23, 2004 digitally,
• March 24, 2004 outside of the USA,
• March 30, 2004 inside the USA.

The second would be an original composition. But the title and the release date are still unknown.

Simon Climie has particpated to the realisation of both albums.

Sources :
http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2004/20040112_ericclapton.html
http://www.digidesign.com/news/details.cfm?story_id=561

On allmusic.com the release of a new album of EC is announced : "Sessions for Robert J.". To be continued.

On Octobre 12, EC has been arrested by policemen on french highways at Beaune.

Driving its Porsche 911 turbo at 216 km/h (nearly 160mph), the star has certainly forgotten that the maximal speed was 130 km/h (nearly 90mph).

He received a 750€ speed fine.

The Mark Moorman’s 90' documentary "Tom Dowd And The Language Of Music" was released on DVD on August 24.

Tom Dowd had procdued and engineered a lot of recordings for Cream, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Dizzy Gillespie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tito Puente, Jr., The Allman Brothers Band and Dusty Springfield.

Rhino records will relase on Octobre 26 a benefit CD for imprisoned Burmese peace activist Aung San Suu Kyi "For The Lady".

For this cause, EC has donated "Wonderful Tonight".

Other artists have done so : U2, Paul McCartney, Sting, Coldplay, Avril Lavigne, Ani DiFranco, Bright Eyes, Peter Gabriel, Travis, Guster and Matchbox Twenty.

Let us note that Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest by the Burmese government for 14 years. She won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

On the second DVD, the bonus one, feature 4 live clips from the historic 1991 tour of Japan by Harrison and Clapton. The songs with both artists are "Taxman," "Cloud 9," "Devil's Radio" and "Cheer Down".

This double DVD from Capitol is yet available in France and will be released on November 2 elsewhere.

"Rod Stewart: Stardust...The Great American Songbook: Volume III" which will be released on October 19 Octobre will see Eric as guest on one track : "Blue Moon".

As for the two previous volumes, it is a CD of standards.

For this volume, Rod Steward has seen as guests Dolly Parton, Bette Midler and Stevie Wonder.

C.F. Martin & Company will release on the market a limited edition of their guitar on January 2005 : the 000-ECHF. This guitar has been co-desinged by Eric Clapton and Hiroshi Fujiwara.

More informations here.

For its 30^th anniversary of its release "461 Ocean Boulevard" will have its Deluxe Edition on Octobre 26, 2004. Just remember that this album was for EC its first solo gold album, first solo gold single, first solo #1 album and first solo #1 single.

This new edition will have 2 CDs. the first will be a remastered version of the original album, whereas the second will a unreleased live performance of EC at the Hammersmith Odeon.

There was a mistake on the source website, so EC is not on this record. Sorry for having reproduced this error here.

A new Joe Cocker cd "Heart and Soul" will be released in Europe (EMI) September 27, 2004 and the U.S. (Universal) January 29, 2005. Produced by CJ Vanston with guest solo's from Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Steve Lukathur and Jeff Baxter.

Album details there.

ABKCO Records is preparing the Rolling Stones' film "Rock and Roll Circus" for DVD release.

To be continued...

Bill Wyman's new album "Just For A Thrill" sees a train of stars participating to it :Mark Knopfler (guitar), Georgie Fame (keyboards & vocals), Albert Lee (guitar - who played with Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Emmylou Harris), Beverley Skeete (vocals - who has recorded with Van Morrisson, Elton John, Paul Young, Tina Turner, Sting) Frank Mead and Nick Payn (saxs­ who played with B.B. King, Mick Jagger, George Harrison, Paul McCartney), Mike Sanchez an incredible piano player.

Release : 2004

Roll ’em Pete This ain’t United Nations Disappearing nightly Memphis woman Down home girl Town living Cry baby Just for a thrill Taxman Booty ooty Mississippi flyer You don’t know That’s how heartaches are made Cadillac woman

The Crickets—J.I. Allison (drums), Joe B. Mauldin (bass) and Sonny Curtis (guitar)— helped define the sound of modern music and sold millions of records with hits like “That’ll Be the Day,” “Oh Boy” and “Peggy Sue.”.

Today, in 2004, the Crickets, joined by a number of their buddies including Eric Clapton, Rodney Crowell, Waylon Jennings, Graham Nash, John Prine, Albert Lee, and Nanci Griffith are releasing a new album entitled “The Crickets and Their Buddies” which is now available in 5.1 surround sound DVD-A and stereo CD mixes from Sovereign Artists..

That'll Be The Day - (Rodney Crowell) Rave On - (Phil Everly) Not Fade Away - (Tonio K. & Peter Case) Someone, Someone - (Eric Clapton) The Real Buddy Holly Story - (The Crickets) Every Day - (J.D. Souther) Love You More Than I Can Say - (The Crickets) Heartbeat - (Nanci Griffith) Blue Days, Black Nights - (Bobby Vee) Learning The Game - (Albert Lee) Well...All Right - (Waylon Jennings) Think It Over - (Graham Nash) Oh Boy! - (John Prine) I Fought The Law - (Vince Neil) Love's Made A Fool Of You - (Johnny Rivers)

Halcyon Days, next Bruce Hornsby's CD, which will be released on August, 17, had seen some nice people participating on it.

For instance, EC has played on 3 tracks, and has vocally contributed on "Candy Moutain Run". Furthermore Sting sings on "Gonna Be Some Changes Made" and Elton John on "Dreamland".

Gonna Be Some Changes Made Candy Mountain Run Dreamland Circus On The Moon Halcyon Days What The Hell Happened Hooray For Tom Heir Gordon Mirror On The Wall Song F Lost In The Snow

The wonderful album of Cream, Disraeli Gears originally released in 1967, will receive the Deluxe Edition treatment on September 13th, adding a variety of bonus and live tracks.

The new expanded edition will not only feature the original 11-songs, which included "Sunshine Of Your Love," "Tales Of Brave Ulysses" and "SWLABR", but will also feature five demos, an unreleased alternate version of "Blue Condition," and the outtake "Lawdy Mama." A second disc features the album in a mono mix and incorporates a selection of tracks from last year's BBC Sessions release.

The five demos -- "We're Going Wrong," "Hey Now Princess," "SWLABR," "Weird Of Hermiston," and "The Clearout" -- were all released on the 1997 Cream box set Those Were The Days.

That was a while that majors haven't released a Best Of about Eric Clapton's work. This is done with "The Best of Eric Clapton - 20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection".

I Shot The Sheriff After Midnight Knockin' On Heaven's Door Wonderful Tonight Layla Cocaine Lay Down Sally Bell Bottom Blues Promises Let It Rain Let It Grow .

Craziness seems to be the correct word for this sale. Blackie has become the most expensieve guitar of the world, rising the amount of $959500. The total of sales is $7438624.

Details of the auction here.

Source : http://www.christies.com

EC should appear as guest star on the new Joe Cocker album "Heroes and Friends" which will be released on . Sir Paul McCartney, Jeff Beck, Jeff Baxter and Steve Vaiare to be of the party too.

Source : http://www.cjvanston.com

Two live songs are available on iTunes. A video and a mp3 to buy if your are on the american continent.

On May 6, 2004, Zuccheo gave with some friends a charity concert for the release of his new album. Beneficits of this concert named "Zucchero & COmpany" were for United Nations UNHCR Fund.

Among the special guests we could notce Luciano Pavarotti, Solomon Burke, Ronan Keating, Cheb Mami, Mousse T, Dolores O'Riordan from the Cranberries, Paul Young and Eric Clapton.

Introduced as "the artist he loves most in the world" by Zucchero, EC participated with his crash guitar (only) on "Hey Man" and "Wonderful World".

Proud of its success last mnoth (900 visitors and 200000 hits) this site will have a new look. Maybe the last days you have noticed some changes : a new menu,pages with best look. But it is only the beggining of a new area for it.

Sorry for the bugs you could find, and in this case, please send us a mail describing it to : postmaster@clapton-online.com.

• More to the blues - 06/02/2004
• London Sunday Times - 14/03/2004
• Le Monde - 07/04/2004
• De Gazet van Antwerpen - 10/04/2004
• Uncut - 05/2004
• Guitar Player - 05/2004
• Guitarist Mag - 05/2004
• Vintage Guitar Magazine - 06/2004

No news about he CD+DVD pack, but the new album of EC "Me & Mr. Johnson" is now available.

All the details in the discographie, of EC's new album : "Me & Mr. Johnson".

Then you will find a video interview of EC about this album ( Window Media Player only) :

• Dial Up 56k
• High speed / Broadband 100k
• High speed / Broadband 300k
• High speed / Broadband 500k

Due to the release of his new album , EC gave some interviews :

• on the site boulevard.ARD.de, this interview is the digital version of the magazine one (in german),
• and on Chicago Sun-Times (in english)

On 21 March, EC will open this festival.

Source : http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200403170813.html

Since, the concert was cancelled. The agent of EC has declared that EC had never given his accord for this concert due to his world tour.

For those who can download from iTunes the new album, here are available 4 audio extracts to listen in audio stream :

Song	Quicktime All Speed	Windows-Media Low Speed	Windows-Media Hight Speed
When You Got A Good Friend
Come On In My Kitchen
Milkcow Calf Blues
If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day

After the listening, it will be hard to wait the release.

Eric has announced a three-day Crossroads Guitar Festival to take place Friday, June 4 through Sunday, June 6 at Fair Park in Dallas. This one-time event, created for music enthusiasts around the globe, will raise money for Crossroads Centre Antigua, the treatment and education center founded in 1997 by Eric Clapton and now an independently run entity.

The Crossroads Guitar Festival culminates on Sunday, June 6 with an All-Star special benefit concert at the Cotton Bowl Stadium. The concert, which will begin at 1:00 p.m. and continue through Sunday evening will include performances by Eric Clapton and Doyle Bramhall II, J.J. Cale, Larry Carlton, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, David Hidalgo, Eric Johnson, B.B. King, Sonny Landreth, Brian May, Pat Metheny, Robert Randolph, Otis Rush, Carlos Santana, Hubert Sumlin, Dan Tyminski, Steve Vai, Jimmie Vaughan, Joe Walsh and ZZ Top. The extraordinary "house bands" will be none other than Booker T & The MG's, Jimmie Vaughan's band and Eric Clapton's band. Other artists will be announced as details are confirmed.

Tickets to each day of the Crossroads Guitar Festival will be sold separately and will be available starting March 13 through www.ticketmaster.com. Price $15 on 4, $30 on 5 et $60 on 6.

During his 2-hour-long interview with Paul Jones on JazzFM, EC gave the composition of his band for the 2004 tour :

• Eric Clapton : Guitar and Vocals
• Billy Preston : Hammond Organ
• Chris Stainton : Keyboards
• Doyle Bramhall II : Guitar
• Nathan East : Bass
• Steve Gadd : Drums
• Michelle John : Singer
• Sharon White : Singer

The new album from Toots And The Maytals, "True Love", which will be released on April 6l, Eric appears. Here is the tracklist of the album :

1. Still Is Still Moving to Me (Willie Nelson)
2. True Love Is Hard to Find (Bonnie Raitt)
3. Pressure Drop (Eric Clapton)
4. Time Tough (Ryan Adams)
5. Bam Bam (Shaggy and Rahzel)
6. 54-46 Was My Number (Jeff Beck)
7. Monkey Man (No Doubt)
8. Sweet and Dandy (Trey Anastasio)
9. Funky Kingston (Bootsy Collins and the Roots)
10. Reggae Got Soul (Ken Boothe and Marcia Griffiths)
11. Never Grow Old (Terry Hall and the Skatalites)
12. Take a Trip (Bunny Wailer and Eric Clapton)
13. Love Gonna Walk Out on Me (Ben Harper)
14. Careless Ethiopians (Keith Richards)
15. Blame on Me (Rachel Yamagate)

The least we can say is that this year 2004 begins very well. Two albums of EC are announced to be released till the end of the year.

The first will be a tribute to the bluesman Robert Johnson. "Me & Mr; Johnson" would be released on :

• March 23, 2004 digitally,
• March 24, 2004 outside of the USA,
• March 30, 2004 inside the USA.

The second would be an original composition. But the title and the release date are still unknown.

Simon Climie has particpated to the realisation of both albums.

Sources :
http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2004/20040112_ericclapton.html
http://www.digidesign.com/news/details.cfm?story_id=561