Posted on 11/13/2021 11:18:13 AM PST by rktman
Blues guitarist Robert Cray has dropped out of Eric Clapton’s U.S. tour citing the British guitar legend’s anti-lockdown stance as well as his public opposition to coronavirus vaccine mandates.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Cray said he backed out from a tour with Clapton after the latter released a song last year comparing lockdowns to slavery.
The song in question is “Stand And Deliver,” a joint release with fellow sceptic Van Morrison that saw Clapton sing: “Do you wanna be a free man / Or do you wanna be a slave? / Do you wanna wear these chains / Until you’re lying in the grave?”
As he explained to the Post, Cray – a black man born into a segregated community in 1953 Georgia – rejected such a comparison.
Cray revealed he sent Clapton an email after he heard the track last December, saying “his reaction back to me was that he was referring to slaves from, you know, England from way back.”
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Undoubtedly....but that was Cray’s NORMAL SET at the time. 50 mins. That’s it. It was the worst cost per minute per value show I ever experienced. I mean...it was good playing, but dude, break a sweat for the coin I’m paying.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j_KWFApICjU
Another drama queen. Clapton will go down as one of the 5 greatest guitarists and Mr ‘hey there I’m black!” can go home and not tour with him. Big deal. I know a lot of musicians here in L.A who will happily jump unto the chance.
The worst I ever saw was Sly & the Family Stone. They came out obviously stoned, played 2-3 songs, decided they didn’t like their sound and walked off stage.
The knucklehead audience commenced to clap and shout for their return. That went on for about 20 minutes before the house told everyone that the show was over and get the hell out.
Leaves a lasting impression...
Playing the “Bigger Victim” card.
Robert Cray had a following in the late-80s I think.
I’d happily go see Robert Cray play anytime. Maybe he’ll book some small venues so I can get up close.
He has worked with and played with Clapton for many decades. They put out at least one album together, and played on each others albums here and there. They have toured together many times. I guess in these times, politics trumps everything else but that’s no way to live.
Eric Clapton Ping!
Robert Cray is a good guitar player, but don’t ask me what songs he plays...they just aren’t that memorable.
Clapton, on the other hand as a catalogue covering 60 years, Movie Scoring credits, has played with George Harrison, Tom Petty, The Yardbirds, Derek and the Dominoes (Duane Allman), Jeff Lynn (ELO), Blind Faith (Stevie Winwood) Cream, (Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce), B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Van Morrison, and many more.
He has also overcome heroin addiction, alcoholism, the traumatic death of a child, and has been the voice of guitar since the mid-sixties.
One of the most popular girl’s names for babies in the last 50 years or so is “Layla”, and you can bet people aren’t deriving it from the Ancient Persion Love Story.
Cray is not worthy to wipe the sweat off Eric’s Strings.
And I LOVE “Stand and Deliver”! If people had any backbone at all, it would be the new anthem of freedom.
One of my friends said he went to a Donna Summer concert at Ravinia outside Chicago in the 90s. She performed for about 45 minutes and then left. He was furious.
And then there’s Morrissey from The Smiths, more famous for his cancellations than his concerts....
second class blues...
Piss on Cray and woke ass. Hasn’t been relevent in 30 years. His loss to play with a legend. Clapton won’t have any issues finding a replacement.
Clapton performed for 35 minutes at the Capital Center after the release of 461 Ocean Boulevard. Reason for the early exit... Eric felt ill.
“Cray – a black man born into a segregated community in 1953 Georgia – rejected such a comparison.”
Wow — you would think anyone so sensitive about literal slavery would understand that crushing people’s freedom is a bad thing in any context. Guess applying the concept t anything else dilutes his own victimhood.
Blacks weren’t the only slaves, talk to the slavics.
Cray is OK but I consider him a mediocre blues player that doesn’t really stand out. The blues style itself is pretty well boxed in and much of it all sounds the same. As a result it’s important for a guitarist in that genre to stand out with their own style that demands attention. Cray is forgettable IMO.
No loss. EC can get just another cookie-cutter blues player that follows the set formula.
Yep Robert, blacks have the sole ownership of slavery throughout history.
Couple of capable artists,
Interesting, that’s all they are. Capable. When I read this headline I thought it was funny, one of those eat their own things.
But that’s the most of what I got from it- they eat their own.
Hear, hear.
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