Eric Clapton has recently announced the return of the Crossroads Guitar Festival this fall. In addition, he shared a video on YouTube, where he talked about the festival and revealed what his legacy was when asked whether it was the Crossroads project.
The guitarist explained:
“Indirectly, yes. I mean, because it is composed of two elements that make up my life, apart from my family life, which is so precious to me. I have my career in music and my discovery and research and love of music and the Crossroads Treatment Center, small though it is.”
Then, he mentioned how the Treatment Center in Antigua functioned and affected his life:
“It’s still run on old-school methods. It’s not a spa. It’s not a health club. It’s a 12-step program treatment center. Old school and there are very few of them left, and that’s the system that’s kept me sober for 35 years. When I became a member of that community and realized it, that was my responsibility, chief responsibility. Everything else seemed to click into place, and my life became more manageable, you know.”
Emphasizing his point about his legacy, the musician wrapped up:
“So, those three things. Yeah, my family and the Treatment Center and music [are my legacy]. Yeah, they all come together because my wife’s become very involved in a turn-up for recovery, which is a kind of amalgamation. Oh, yes, yes! That’s my legacy.”
Clapton started the Crossroads Guitar Festival in 1999 as a fundraising event for the Treatment Center. Since then, the festival has been held five times in various locations across the United States, featuring a range of performers each time. However, among these past events, one stood out for the guitarist.
In the recent interview, he said:
“I think the first Dallas one was probably the most remarkable because it was so beset by – You know, we had electrical thunderstorms going through, and they stopped for the weekend, and then, they started again just as ZZ Top went on for the final set. We had to strip it all down while the winds – before the winds tore the stage to pieces.”
The upcoming festival is slated to be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on September 23-24. There will be 41 performers taking the stage for two nights, including Sheryl Crow, Robbie Robertson, and ZZ Top.