(Credits: Far Out / Associated Press)
Sun 14 December 2025 17:00, UK
Rock and roll was built upon great guitarists, whether it was the pioneering blues of Robert Johnson or the lightning-fast riffs of Chuck Berry, so it is no surprise that ‘who is the greatest guitarist of all time?’ is a debate which has been waging on for decades. Although everybody tends to have their own answer, the topic seems to be one of the few things that The Beatles could always agree upon.
The Beatles were raised in an age of great guitarists, with Chuck Berry providing an unavoidable aspect of their early inspiration, and even appearing in their discography in the form of a cover version of ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ on With The Beatles. As they progressed into the latter part of the 1960s, though, the Fab Four also found themselves rubbing shoulders with the likes of Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, and, of course, Jimi Hendrix.
To their credit, too, the ‘Mop Tops’ made their own stunning contributions to the realm of rock and roll guitar over the course of their discography, even if George Harrison often goes underappreciated for his efforts within the band. Aside from his own contributions, though, Harrison also provided the band with perhaps their greatest six-stringed moment by introducing Eric Clapton to the recording sessions of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps‘.
In the end, the former Cream guitarist’s contributions to that particular track made it one of The Beatles’ most memorable and beloved efforts, but his invitation to the studio was already something of a rarity. The Beatles were, more often than not, a closed camp, and you can count on one hand the number of session musicians or hired helpers they allowed into the studio over the years. So, their immediate acceptance of Clapton showed, if nothing else, that his incredible guitar skills were appreciated by all.
Each member of the group has spoken repeatedly and extensively about their appreciation for Clapton’s guitar playing, which opened up entirely new worlds of rock and roll expression back in the 1960s. So much so that Harrison had no qualms about having his guitar work essentially replaced on ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’, once telling Guitar Player, “My ego would rather have Eric play on it.”
Meanwhile, John Lennon adored Clapton’s playing so much that he even toyed with the idea of having him replace Harrison, after he temporarily quit the band during the Get Back sessions in 1969. “I think if George doesn’t come back by Monday or Tuesday, we ask Eric Clapton to play,” he told director Michael Lindsay-Hogg at the time. “We should just go on as if nothing’s happened.”
Eventually, of course, Harrison came back, and The Beatles split up for good shortly thereafter, but their dissolution did nothing to stop each member from remaining avid appreciators of Clapton. Paul McCartney, for instance, stated in a 1990 edition of Guitar Player, “I think Clapton is real good, particularly these days,” although he did note that Jimi Hendrix is still his ultimate guitar hero.
Ringo Starr is no different, either, having performed on a number of occasions alongside Clapton, perhaps most notably on 2003’s Ringo Rama, reaffirming the close connection between the guitarist and each of the former Beatles.
Given the fact that Clapton entered into the world of The Beatles when it was at its most tumultuous and cut-throat, with ever-rising tensions and studio fatigue setting in, the fact that each member of the band agreed on the fact that Clapton is up there when it comes to rock’s greatest guitarists is about as ringing an endorsement as it is possible to give.
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