Although he sang some Cream songs, it took him a while before he embraced lead vocals, easing into a solo career after a stint with Delaney & Bonnie in 19. Clapton was venerated for his fast-fingered solos (the "Slowhand" nickname was in jest) and that's what people came to see. To be sure, there were flashy players in blues and rock prior to Clapton, but nothing along the lines of Clapton, whose fame quickly eclipsed Mayall's in the Bluesbreakers and whose playing became the centerpiece of Cream, the psychedelic power trio he co-led with bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker between 19. Clapton never was comfortable with the nickname - he embraced "Slowhand," titling his 1977 album after it - but "Clapton Is God" is a pivotal part of his story and an instrumental moment in the rise of the guitar hero, a rock & roll cliché that didn't exist prior to EC. This phrase, immortalized in graffiti that spread across London in 1967, originated a few years earlier when Clapton was playing with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers just after leaving the Yardbirds in 1965. At his peak, Eric Clapton was nicknamed "God" by his fans, an indication of how highly regarded the guitarist was during his glory days.
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