I like Clapton but as a kid I was disappointed when I found out the tastiest licks on Layla were really Duanne Allman. But is there any better guitar work than Clapton's on "Crossroads" from his Cream days?
I also like the guitar work (Jeff "Skunk" Baxter?) on Steely Dan's "Bhodisattva," but that's another thing.
And Hendrix was a breakthrough type genius, but I find most of his music hard to listen too, except for "Hey Joe" and "All Along the Watchtower."
I will of course give "God" a nod but I was more touched by him as a parent myself when he lost his little boy in that horrific fall....I always think about that when I think about Clapton and how difficult that song must have been. I hope G-d took that child into his arms promptly in that fall. So tragic.
Skunk is tight and of course a real genius in other matters too as we all know here and I would guess fairly conservo.
Hendrix is in his own league and he died young which keeps it going in a macabre way. Castles Made of Sand is one of my favorites.