In addition to recording sessions for a new solo album at Surrey Sound Studios, Eric played on guest sessions for Ronnie Lane, Gary Brooker and Stephen Bishop

Eric's  double live album, Just One Night was released. It was recorded at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan in December 1979

2 May

Eric kicked off his tour for the year with a concert at New Theatre in Oxford. Eric had 14 UK dates and a short Scandinavian Tour in September

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July - August

Eric recorded his next album, Another Ticket, at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas.  Eric also played on tracks for Gary Brooker, who is part of his band

Eric's  five-date Ireland / UK Tour to promote Another Ticket opened at R.D.S. Simmonscourt in Dublin. Following a one-night only concert at London’s Rainbow Theatre in February, the tour moved on to the US at the beginning of March for a four-month run. The remaining 49 concerts were canceled on 14 March due to Eric's  hospitalization for a perforated ulcer

Eric's  7th solo studio album, Another Ticket was                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         released and became a Top 3 album in the US

9 September

Eric made an appearance at the Secret Policeman's Other Ball at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, London. He performed with Jeff Beck and Sting which raised funds for Amnesty International

...

7 October

Eric returned to the road with an 8-date Scandinavian Tour that started at the Messuhalli in Helsinki, Finland

Eric started an 8-date tour of Japan with a concert at the Niigata Kenmin Hall in Niigata

5 June

Eric started a 17-date US Tour at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

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30 June

Eric ended his short US Tour with a concert at the Sportatorium in Miami, Florida. Muddy Waters, one of his musical idols, joined him on stage for “Blow Wind Blow,” which was Water’s final public appearance

Eric recorded his next studio album, Money & Cigarettes at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas

1 February

Eric started his North American Tour at the Paramount Theater in Seattle, Washington promoting his new album, Money & Cigarettes. The tour headed to Europe and the UK before returning to the US in the summer

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5 June

EC, backed by Chas & Dave was a special guest for the Save The Children Benefit Concert at the New Victoria Theatre in London

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24 June

Eric was awarded the Nordoff Robbins Silver Clef Award for outstanding contribution to UK music

Eric played on sessions for Roger Waters’ upcoming album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, which was released the following spring

20 September

Eric celebrated his 20th Anniversary as a musician with two benefit concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Night one was in aid of The Ronnie Lane Appeal for A.R.M.S and night 2 was in aid of the Prince’s Trust.  Eric's all-star band featured Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Steve Winwood, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, Andy Fairweather Low and more

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November - December

Eric was part of an all-star band assembled to raise funds for Ronnie Lane’s multiple sclerosis charity, ARMS. The ARMS Tour played 9 dates in Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. The band included Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Joe Cocker, Jan Hammer, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Kenney Jones, Andy Fairweather Low and more

Eric started a European Tour at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland. The tour included concerts in Milan, Belgrade, Athens and Jerusalem, where it ended on 6 February

Eric recorded tracks for his new album, Behind The Sun, at AIR Studios in Montserrat, West Indies. The tracks were produced by Phil Collins

Roger Waters’ Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking Tour started in Stockholm, Sweden. Eric was in the band and played on all the dates in Europe, the UK, US and Canada through 31 July

Eric guested with Bob Dylan at Wembley Stadium in London for 7 songs during Dylan’s stadium tour

Eric played on “Freedom” for the soundtrack of Water at George Harrison’s Friar Park Studios. Eric, along with George Harrison, Ray Cooper, Jon Lord, Mike Moran, Chris Stainton and Ringo Starr also appeared in the film as the Singing Rebel's Band

September

Eric recorded final tracks for his next album, Behind The Sun, at Lion Share Studios and Amigo Studios in Los Angeles

...

13 November

Eric started an Australian tour at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney. It wrapped on the 28th with a concert at the Entertainment Centre in Perth

Australia-only single, “You Don't Know Like I Know / Knock On Wood” was released. The A-side was a duet with Phil Collins recorded during Eric's  spring recording sessions at AIR Studios in Montserrat

Eric played a one-off concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum on the way home from his Australian Tour

Eric filmed the music video for “Forever Man” off his album, Behind The Sun

Eric's  Behind The Sun 1985 Tour opened at the Edinburgh Playhouse in Scotland. The tour visited the UK, Europe, US, and Japan before ending on 6 November at the Palasport in Padua, Ita

Eric's  Behind The Sun Tour stopped at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut. The concert was filmed for home video release

Eric's  9th solo studio album, Behind The Sun, was released

Eric and Michael Kamen recorded the soundtrack for the BBC television series, Edge of Darkness

Eric was one of dozens of artists taking part in the worldwide benefit concert, Live Aid. He performed 3 songs and joined in the All-Star Finale at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lionel Richie joined Eric for the encore at Seattle Center Coliseum. Afterwards, Eric went to Bear Creek Recording Studios in Woodinville, Washington to add guitar overdubs to “Tonight Will Be Alright” for Richie’s forthcoming album, Dancing On The Ceiling

Eric filmed Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session for Carl Perkins at Limehouse Television Studios in London. Other featured guests were George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Dave Edmunds, Roseanne Cash and others

Eric recorded his 10th studio album, August, at Sunset Sound Recording Studios in Los Angeles

Eric was one of the artists that took part in the Prince's Trust 10th Birthday Party Concert at Wembley Arena in London

Eric's six date Clapton Collins Phillinganes East tour opened at the Kalvoyafestivalen on Kalvoya Island, Sandvika, Norway

Eric played with Otis Rush at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The concert was filmed and released in 2008 on CD and DVD as Otis Rush And Friends: Live at Montreux 1986

Clapton Collins Phillinganes East tour stopped at Le Casino in Montreux Switzerland and was broadcast on radio. Also filmed, it was released on DVD in 2006 as Eric Clapton: Live at Montreux 1986

August - September

Eric was a guest on recording sessions for Bob Geldof, the Bee Gees, Bob Dylan, and Tina Turner. He also recorded tracks for The Color Of Money soundtrack which featured the song “It’s In The Way Use It.” He also jammed with the Prince in London and played a charity concert with Stan Webb’s Chicken Shack

...

16 August

Eric filmed the video for “Tearing Us Apart,” his duet with Tina Turner, at Ronnie Scott’s in London

Eric took part in the filming of Chuck Berry’s 60th Birthday Concert at the Fox Theater in St. Louis, Missouri. It was released on CD, home video and later DVD as Hail Hail Rock ‘N’ Roll

Eric played the first of four US club dates with the Clapton Collins Phillinganes East lineup. The first two shows took place at the Metro in Boston, followed by two nights at the Ritz in New York City on 23 and 24 November

Eric's 10th solo studio album, August was released

Eric, along with David Sanborn and Michael Kamen recorded the soundtrack for the first Lethal Weapon film over a 9 day period at the Town House Studios in London. They composed the soundtracks for all of the films in the blockbuster series

3 January

Eric started his 1987 tour in support of his 10th studio album, August at the Apollo Theatre in Manchester. The tour took up much of the year with dates across the UK, Europe, US, Australia and Japan

...

6 January

The first solo Eric concert took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The 6-show run started an annual tradition which continued until 1996

Eric received The Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, a lifetime achievement award, given by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI)2

In Montserrat, Eric played a guest session for Sting at AIR Studios. Along with Elton John, Ringo Starr and Jeff Lynne, he played guest sessions for George Harrison’s new album, Cloud Nine at Friar Park Studios in Henley on Thames

Eric, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Phil Collins, Paul Butterfield, Dr. John, Etta James and more were BB King’s musical guests for the filming of the television special, A Blues Session: BB King and Friends. It was later released on home video

Eric took part in two nights of benefit concerts for the Prince’s Trust at Wembley Arena in London. They were filmed and later released as The Prince’s Trust Concert 1987

BBC Radio One began the broadcast of the six-part series, Behind The Mask - The Story of Eric Clapton

Eric, Mark Knopfler and Buddy Guy filmed a set before a live audience at Ronnie Scott’s in London for ITV's upcoming episode on the South Bank Show

22 January

Eric opened the UK leg of his 25th Anniversary Tour at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. The tour visited the US, Canada and Japan before it ended on 5 November in Osaka, Japan

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25 January

First night of Eric's 2nd annual residency took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London with concerts through the 4th of February. The 9 show run was part of his 25th Anniversary Tour

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18 April

Eric's award-winning Crossroads box set was released. It featured his work with the Yardbirds, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, Derek and the Dominos, and his solo career. It received a gold record in the US on the 22nd of June

...

23 April 

Eric began recording the Homeboy soundtrack. The sessions took place at both the Town House Studios and Olympic Studios in London

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May

Eric played on sessions recording a variety of instrumentals for the Peace In Our Time soundtrack at Olympic Studios in London

Eric took part in two nights of benefit concerts for the Prince’s Trust at Wembley Arena in London

Eric made a guest appearance with Dire Straits during the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium in London

11 October

Eric made a surprise guest appearance with his former Cream bandmate, Jack Bruce, at The Bottom Line in New York

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31 October

Eric's 25th Anniversary Tour opened in Nagoya, Japan at Rainbow Hall. Elton John and Mark Knopfler were in his band for the final weeks of the tour

16 January

The opening night of Eric's UK Tour took place at City Hall in Sheffield, South Yorkshire

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20 January 

Opening night of Eric's 3rd annual residency took place at the Royal Albert Hall. There were 12 performances with 2 different band lineups through 3 February

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22 February

Eric's box set Crossroads won Grammy Awards for Best Historical Album and Best Album Notes

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March – April

Eric recorded his new album, Journeyman, and the soundtrack for Lethal Weapon 2 at Power Station Studios in New York.  He did guest sessions for Zucchero Fornaciari, Cyndi Lauper, and “Border Song” for an Elton John / Bernie Taupin tribute album

...

31 May

Eric attended the first International Rock Awards at the Lexington Armory in New York City and took home the award for "Best Guitarist"