Have you seen Eric Clapton at his best?

Tswhitsel:
It's true that Eric may not be as versatile as, say, Chet Atkins (by choice is my guess).
However, Eric Clapton is a master of his instrument and does things that completely boggle my amateur player's mind (example: Try to learn to solo in Cream's "Badge" and get back to me).
What makes Eric's music special is his Artistry and the true love he finds in playing.
BTW, Mr. Clapton's hallmark is "the technical mastery of his instrument".
Ask anyone who plays the guitar (and isn't green with envy).

Saw Cream at Fillmore West in 1968,also, and yes, as I recall there was SOME ATMOSPHERE.!!!

I think I lost some hearing at that concert.

Saw Clapton on his 25th Anniversary tour ( in the late 80's). Mark Knopfler was his back up guitarist.Played all his old stuff, although the encore was Dire Straits, Money for Nothing ... strange choice in my opinion. It was the best concert I've ever seen.

All great insights! I have the Cream reunion DVD and Eric played as good as I've ever seen him. I pray that this recent tour produces a DVD also. I personally cannot rank guitatists. They all bring their own unique gifts. I wish I had seen Duanne and Eric together, but Derek does a more than credible job filling Duane's shoes either with Eric on this tour or playing with the Allman Brothers. I personally enjoy seeing Jeff Beck or Eddie Van Halen in concert because they haven't mellowed with age at all. They are both guitar gunslingers and are very exciting to watch play, but neither produces that sweet "woman tone" (Eric's own description) that Clapton makes. Again, if you have the chance to see Eric and Derek together - do it. Eric doing "Layla" songs is as good as it gets!

Dweller:

I grew up with Eric Clapton's music beginning with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1966 and saw Cream live during their first US tour. I am not being critical of ECs obvious talent as a blues/rock guitarist, only the silly notion that he is "the greatest guitar player on earth." Clearly his level of skill is beyond the level of amateurs such as yourself, but that does not necessarily make him a "master of his instrument." You say that he may not be as versatile as Chet Atkins, but versatility is a hallmark of mastery. In the 1980's I saw a live performance of the Dixie Dregs during which Steve Morse did I solo I doubt anyone there that night has forgotten. In the course of his solo he played portions of several popular rock guitarist's solos (people like Jimmy Page, Hendrix, etc.) that sounded like the originals. When I think of great guitarists I think of people like Morse, but there are many others I could mention. Eric Clapton, Al DiMeola, and Bireli Lagrene all play guitar, but to suggest that Clapton has even approached the level of mastery of the later two is ludicrous. I still enjoy much of Clapton's playing, but fail to see the need to make him into something he is not.