Eric Clapton embraced his love of reggae 45 years ago this Saturday, May 11th, 1974, when he recorded Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" at Criteria Studios in Miami.
Eric Clapton says a bandmate turned him on to the music of Bob Marley:
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In his autobiography, Eric wrote, "I tried to ask [Marley] what the song was all about, but couldn't understand much of his reply. I was just relieved that he liked what we had done."
The song was on his 1974 album 461 Ocean Boulevard, which went to number-one in September 1974. The single version was nearly a minute shorter than the album cut.
Clapton's version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003.
Clapton will be back on stage Monday with the first of three shows next week at London's Royal Albert Hall.