NAME: Eric Patrick Clapton

AGE: 58

NATIONALITY: British

CLAIM TO FAME: The latest rocker to be honoured by the Queen

THE spectacled, blues-rooted guitarist, Eric Clapton, has become the latest rocker to be honoured with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by the Queen, for his services to music. The CBE trophy is one rung below the knighthood honour but still a prestigious title in any case. The Queen probably felt that there were too many knighted rockers around for the time being — Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney and Elton John have also earned the distinction of a “Sir” before their names — so she may have refrained from honouring Clapton with a knighthood.

This year’s honours have been a subject of much controversy, its publication on New Year’s Eve came amid the debate over the way that the honours — a relic of Britain’s imperial heyday — are doled out on the advice of the office of Prime Minister Tony Blair. In response to the criticism that the selection process was too secretive and tainted by politics and public relations, the British government has announced that it would review the system to make it more open and independent. Though the Queen bestows the honours, she chooses only a few. Most recipients are selected by committees of civil servants from nominations made by the government and the public.

Adding more fuel to the fire has been the Sunday Times’ publication of a list of 300 people who had turned down knighthood and other honours over the years. Among the celebrities who said “No” to knighthood are rock star David Bowie, artist David Hockney and writer Graham Greene.

However, no one can dispute Clapton’s claim to such an honour, as he is one of the world’s premier rock guitarist and blues artiste. Clapton, who started his musical career in the sixties, is the only triple inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — as a member of both The Yardbirds and Cream and as a solo artist. He has won 16 Grammys and gained enormous acclaim for hits such as Layla, Cocaine, After Midnight and Tears in Heaven.

Clapton began his career as part of the 1960s R&B band, The Yardbirds and went on to form the rock trio Cream, one of the most influential rock bands of all times.

Through the emotional truth of his music, he has sought refuge and release from the suffering of drug and alcohol addiction, personal relationships gone awry, and the deaths of several loved ones. His songs have always reflected the emotions he has been experiencing over the years. A difficult love triangle between Clapton, his close friend George Harrison, and Harrison’s wife inspired Layla an anguished lament of unrequited love. When his son Conor died, Clapton channelled his shattering grief into writing the heart-wrenching 1992 Grammy-winning tribute to his son, Tears in Heaven. Clapton received a total of six Grammys that year for the single and for the album Unplugged. Clapton has also made his presence felt in the realm of film soundtracks, with contributions to such movies as Back to the Future and The Colour of Money.