(Credits: Far Out / Israel Palacio / Alexandr Sadkov)
Records and accolades come and go in the entertainment industry as quickly as the passing tides. Landmarks are achieved and then beaten once more with every guitar strum. However, one man possesses one accolade that, as of yet, nobody can compete with. Eric Clapton is the first and, so far, the only person to have ever been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times.
Considering the wealth of talent the 20th century provided rock and roll, and the amount of different bands and acts that talent helped to form and solidify, it is some feat that he has been involved in three of its most inspiring acts. Clapton’s position as a polarising social figure may be the foreword in common parlance, but his musicianship is difficult to argue with.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum that it supports are some of the few places where rock and roll is given a singular spotlight to celebrate its brightest stars. While the definition of the genre has grown a little looser over the years, it still boasts some of music’s most impressive names, with everybody from The Beatles to newest inductee Mary J Blige welcoming their place in the annals of music history.
Since the event’s inception in 1995, the multimedia event has seen its fair share of memorable moments. Whether this is supergroups jamming, unscheduled reunions from some of the biggest bands of all time, or huge artists picking up the mic for one more go on the merry-go-round, the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame has seen it all. However, the event’s corporate nature has seen some names say reject one of the most celebrated accolades an artist could ever receive.
Artists only become eligible for induction 25 years after releasing their debut record. To be inducted, an artist must be nominated by a committee that selects several candidates, the highest being 16 for the 2020 class. Ballots are sent to more than 1,000 “rock experts”, though nobody is quite sure who it is, who evaluate the candidates and vote on who should be inducted. The performers that receive the highest number of votes are placed. A simple premise that has seen a group of people be rightly celebrated for their achievement in the field of music.
However, Rock Hall, as it is more informally known, does have one loophole. One’s induction isn’t based purely on their name, but on the act they were with. It means The Beatles were inducted as a group and as individual members. Similarly, Stevie Nicks was the only female double rock and roll hall of fame for her solo career and her time leading Fleetwood Mac until Carole King and Tina Turner were rightly inducted on her own merit in 2021. Dave Grohl is another addition to the double Hall of Fame book, with Nirvana already placed in their hallowed spot in 2014 and Foo Fighters taking their spot as soon as they were eligible for induction in 2021.
In fact, there are more than a handful of double Hall of Famers, with names such as Jeff Beck, David Crosby, Curtis Mayfield, Neil Young, Jimmy Page, Lou Reed and many more. However, there is only one man with three entries, and that man is ‘Slowhand’ Eric Clapton.
In 1992, Clapton was given his first taste of the highlight, and his work in The Yardbirds was recognised as one of the seminal moments in pop music history. He was inducted alongside his bandmates Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, despite rarely sharing their time in the band together. A year later, Clapton received another letter in the post, this time requesting his presence to induct his old band Cream into the Rock Hall.
Cream were, quite possibly, the greatest supergroup of all time, managing to lock in the wild talent of drummer Ginger Baker and bassist and songwriter Jack Bruce to work with Clapton to create some of the 1960s most fearsome sounds. It’s quite a testament to Clapton that a case could be made for two of his other projects Blind Faith and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers to be included in the Hall of Fame. However, the third spot was given to Clapton for his solo efforts in 2000.
Inducting Clapton into the museum for the third time was The Band’s creator, Robbie Robertson, who had some choice words: “I first crossed paths with Eric in 1968 when we were very young, and I was immediately struck by how gracious he was.” The guitarist continued, “I want to send respect out to the only person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times. An English kid playing the blues,” later decrying the guitarist, “tasteful, fluid, soulful”.
While most accolades are quickly passed in the world of rock and roll, there is a suspicion that this one will be difficult to surmount. Outside of Dave Grohl’s Them Crooked Vultures releasing a new landmark album or his work with Queens of the Stone Age being recognised, there aren’t many prospects for a triple Hall of Famer on the horizon. So, for now, Clapton can rest easy.
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