Eric Clapton

Would the Black Eyed Peas persuade you to shop at Target or Eric Clapton lure you to switch to T-Mobile? Marketers seem to think so with, celebrity endorsements soaring 150 percent in television adverts screened during the 2010 Grammy Awards and reversing a move away from celebrity collaborations last year, figures showed on Monday.

Reuters - Would the Black Eyed Peas persuade you to shop at Target or Eric Clapton lure you to switch to T-Mobile?

Last October, we would've never guessed that T-Mobile would bother to circle back with HTC on the myTouch 3G to craft a slightly modified version that fixes everyone's single biggest complaint -- the lack of an integrated 3.5mm headphone jack -- but here we are now in January with that very product resting in our hands. Even crazier, though, is that the only version of the modified phone (or, at least, the only version announced so far) is a limited edition tie-up with Fender and pitchman Eric Clapton. Strange bedfellows, indeed -- maybe just strange enough to work. Seriously, who doesn't want a phone endorsed by one of the hippest, most storied brands of the 20th century? Gallery: T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition impressions Gallery: T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition UI walkthrough Continue reading T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition impressions T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition impressions originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | | Email this | Comments

On this day in 1918, Elmore Brooks was born in Richland, Mississippi, and would later have his last name changed to "James" after his stepfather. He began playing guitar at the age of twelve and would become, in time, the most important slide guitarist to break out of the blues. Elmore James' distorted, ramshackle, highly-amped sound would not only make believers out of contemporaries like Hound Dog Taylor, Homesick James, and J.B. Hutto, but it would also influence a generation of blues-rock guitarists like Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Join us today in celebrating the life and career of the one-and-only Elmore James! Related Content: Elmore James Profile Photo courtesy Price Grabber Happy Birthday Elmore James! originally appeared on About.com Blues on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 at 06:33:32. Permalink | Comment | Email this

Big news for doubleTwist, the iTunes alternative that allows you to manage media for hundreds of devices, including Android phones, the Palm Pre, and BlackBerry. Tomorrow, the company will announce that it has forged a partnership with T-Mobile, which is now promoting it as the supported way to sync media to its line of Android phones. As part of the deal, T-Mobile will begin displaying doubleTwist banners in their retail stores and on T-Mobile.com. And perhaps most important, doubleTwist will come pre-installed on some Android devices, including the new Fender/Eric Clapton myTouch 3G handset. For those that haven't used it before, doubleTwist is a media management program that's both visually and functionally similar to iTunes in many respects, but with one big difference: it will work with nearly any device (iTunes only plays nice with iPods and iPhones). You can drag and drop songs to playlists, sync music, photos, and video to your devices, and share your media with friends using integrated Facebook and Flickr support. In effect, doubleTwist can serve as an "iTunes for Android". The software is impressive in its own right, but the company has also gotten quite a bit of attention because it was co-founded by DVD Jon, who serves as CTO.

As promised, T-Mobile on Wednesday began carrying the myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition both online and at its stores. The variant on the regular myTouch is the first with a 3.5mm headphone jack and comes with a 16GB microSDHC card that includes a handful of music from well-known artists that include Eric Clapton and Wyclef Jean. Cosmetically, it brings a Fender-like wood effect finish to the normally plain design....

We'd already heard that T-Mobile's new Fender edition myTouch 3G would be rolling out on January 20th, but we hadn't had much indication about what sort of premium (if any) it would demand over the standard myTouch. Well, as you can see above, you will have to pay an extra $30 on top of the $150 the regular myTouch 3G currently demands (on-contract, naturally), but that will get you a bundled 16GB memory card, not to mention a genuine 3.5mm headphone jack, a few pre-loaded songs from Eric Clapton and others and, of course, that classy woodgrain finish. Not too shabby for an extra thirty bucks, if you ask us. T-Mobile's Fender edition myTouch 3G now available for $180 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink MobileTechReview | T-Mobile | Email this | Comments

PC World - T-Mobile announced Thursday a new Limited Edition myTouch 3G: Fender/Eric Clapton Edition android-based phone aimed at hardcore fans of the rock legend. The guitar-inspired phone complements the myTouch's advertising campaign, which is focused around musicians and other entertainers. A few nifty features, including preloaded songs and apps, ensure that this new Limited Edition myTouch will make for a great mobile music experience.

We knew the when and the what, but now we know the whom: Eric Clapton will be touting the new Fender Limited Edition of T-Mobile's myTouch 3G on national TV, and a few of his hits will be pre-loaded onto the phone. The faux-wood handset goes on sale January 20th, and packs a 16GB microSD card for cramming in some of Clapton's lesser-known jams from your own catalog, along with a long-awaited 3.5mm headphone jack so you can actually get some enjoyment out of them. There are also a few guitar-related apps preloaded, a new doubleTwist partnership for music syncing, and Fender will be selling a few accessories of its own to really kit the thing out. At launch the $180 phone will be running Android 1.6, but it's supposed to get a 2.1 update this spring. Hit up the source link for the ad, featuring a very weathered Eric Clapton tolerating his new handset. myTouch 3G Fender Edition subs for G1 on 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

JEFF BECK insists he and tourmate ERIC CLAPTON won't be hanging out after shows - because they have an awkward relationship.The two guitar greats have signed up for six...

Yoko Ono has recruited Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Sonic Youth?s Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon, Bette Midler and more artists for the first Plastic Ono Band show in 40 years: a special concert on February 16th at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York. The ?new? Plastic Ono Band will be comprised of Ono?s [...]

By the time Eric Clapton launched his solo career with the release of his self-titled debut album in mid-1970, he was long established as one of the world's major rock stars due to his group affiliations -- the Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, and Blind Faith -- which had demonstrated his claim to being the best rock guitarist of his ...

Jackie Stewart's son, Paul, wrote a commemorative song for his birthday. It's well worth listening too, and perhaps buying on iTunes. And check out this little teaser of the Jackie Stewart song, since the lead guitar playing on the song is played by Eric Clapton, it's also worth looking at for that alone.... The Jackie Stewart Song originally appeared on About.com Formula 1 on Saturday, December 19th, 2009 at 18:37:05. Permalink | Comment | Email this

Rock legend ERIC CLAPTON is planning a 2010 tour with THE WHO star ROGER DALTREY.Last week (02Dec09) Clapton announced he was reuniting with fellow guitar great Jeff Beck...

Photo: Flanigan/FilmMagic Next year is shaping up to be a busy one for three-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Eric Clapton: In addition to a trio of concerts with fellow Yardbird Jeff Beck, Clapton has also announced plans to embark on his own trek starting in February 2010. Following the jaunt across the [...]

Guitar greats ERIC CLAPTON and JEFF BECK are coming to North America and London after performing together in Japan earlier this year (09).The duo has announced February...

For more: Check out Tulsa World music reporter Jennifer Chancellor's Barrelhouse Beat Blog for music news, videos and more.

Reuters - Having reprised their live collaboration in Tokyo earlier this year, guitar legends Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck have added three North American concert dates to their plans for February.

After rocking Japan and making plans to share the stage in London, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarists and former Yardbirds Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton plot out their first three North American concert dates together. Plus, Norah Jones waits until the spring to hit the road in support of The Fall and Willie [...]

Blues musician Joe Bonamassa started playing with BB King when he was 12 years old. He's performed on stage with Eric Clapton and averages about 200 shows per year. His new DVD is called Joe Bonamassa, Live From the Royal Albert Hall. Host Scott Simon speaks with Bonamassa about living with the blues and how he got his nickname, "Smokin' Joe."

Agents of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service dropped by the Gibson Guitar manufacturing plant in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 as part of an ongoing investigation into the illegal sale and use of exotic imported woods. The feds served a search warrant on the factory, which produces Gibson-branded electric and acoustic guitars, but nobody is saying anything about what they might have been looking for, or if they removed anything from the premises. At issue is the importing of hardwoods like rosewood and ebony from the rain forests of Madagascar and Brazil. Under the U.S. Lacey Act, the trade in exotic woods is a federal offense, punishable by civil and criminal penalties and/or the seizure of property. Here's where it all gets a bit dicey, however...although Gibson has led the industry in pushing for the use of sustainable wood products in the manufacture of musical instruments, the people on the other side of the supply chain aren't always following the same principles. Guitar manufacturers have not stopped using rosewood, ebony and other woods, but have been sourcing the wood from certified renewable suppliers. By all accounts, Gibson has been extremely aware of environmental concerns in their use of exotic hardwoods. Along with fellow instrument manufacturers like Martin and Taylor, the company is a member of the MusicWood Coalition, formed by Greenpeace to combat the destructive harvest of hardwoods. Until the recent raid, Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz sat on the board of the Rainforest Alliance (he has taken a "leave of absence" in the wake of the investigation). Gibson is a "chain of custody certified buyer," meaning that the wood products they're buying are supposed to be tracked from harvest to arrival in their factory. But unscrupulous suppliers could slip illegally-harvested wood into a shipment, and Gibson would be the one holding the bag and forced to forfeit the wood. Gibson guitars have long been a staple of blues music, and a veritable "who's who" of blues and blues-rock musicians, from B.B. King, Albert King, and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown to Eric Clapton and Duane Allman, have favored the company's instruments for their rich tone and playability. Photo courtesy Gibson Guitar Feds Raid Gibson Guitar! originally appeared on About.com Blues on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 11:14:25. Permalink | Comment | Email this

There are a lot of little mysteries that surround the life of Delta blues legend Robert Johnson. The bluesman's final resting place, for instance, is claimed by three different gravesites with markers. The manner of Johnson's death provides another enigma; the generally-accepted story of his demise has the guitarist poisoned by a jealous girlfriend in 1938. Then there's that whole "meeting with the Devil at the crossroads" mythology that has kept blues music chooglin' along like a freight train since the 1930s. One thing that is certain about Robert Johnson is his birthplace in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Johnson was born in a house built by his stepfather Charles Dodds, a furniture maker that was relatively prosperous for an African-American in the early 1900s. The house had a double-parlor, a long front porch, and a pump that allowed water to flow into the kitchen, a convenience unheard in most Southern homes of the era. Copiah County, Mississippi officials are attempting to raise $250,000 to restore the 1500-square foot house, which had fallen into disrepair before coming into the county's ownership. They would like to create a museum in honor of Johnson as a way to attract tourist dollars to the area. Benefit concerts, including one featuring Grammy Award-winning pianist George Winston, have been scheduled to help raise funds for the restoration. The wisdom of a Robert Johnson museum has to be questioned, however. Few artifacts from the musician's short life are known to exist, and only two photos of the blues legend have been unearthed: the first, known as the "studio portrait," was shot by Hooks Brothers Studios in Memphis, while the second is known as the "photo booth self-portrait," and was taken by Johnson himself. A third photo purporting to be Johnson has yet to be historically verified. Still, Johnson's musical legacy remains one of the most important in the blues. As a singer, songwriter, and guitarist Johnson's music has influenced everybody from Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix to Muddy Waters and Elmore James. Screenwriter Jimmy White, who wrote the Academy Award-winning film Ray, has been shopping a script on Johnson's life, and his songbook continues to remain among the most covered in modern music. Some 71 years after his mysterious death, the legend of Robert Johnson remains alive and well. Related content: Robert Johnson Profile Photo courtesy Legacy Recordings Robert Johnson's Birthplace To Be Restored originally appeared on About.com Blues on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 14:46:11. Permalink | Comment | Email this

He formed the first supergroup with Eric Clapton, and boasts he's the best . But don't ask about Ringo.

Eric Clapton fans rejoice! On December 8, 2009 Universal Music will be reissuing John Mayall's classic British blues-rock album Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton in a deluxe edition, two-disc set. Much like Universal's previous "deluxe edition" archival releases, Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton is filled to the brim with rare and unreleased material. The first disc of this deluxe edition features the original twelve-song mono release of the album from 1966, along with the same songs in a stereo mix which was originally released in 1969. This is the same 24-track version of Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton that was released on a remastered CD on Universal's Decca imprint in 1998. For Clapton fans, the attraction of this umpteenth reissue of Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton will be the second disc, comprised of a mix of rare studio tracks, live radio broadcasts, and club performances that showcase Clapton's raw, but still maturing blues guitar style. Disc two offers 19 songs, including eight from sessions for BBC Radio that were broadcast in late 1965 and early 1966, a handful of singles and studio tracks, and six songs from two Flamingo Club performances in London circa March and April 1966. Some of this stuff has been released before, but much of it has been long out-of-print, and nine tracks on disc two have never been previously released. Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton is the album that established both the guitarist's reputation and the cult of personality that followed him around both the U.K. and the United States well into the 1980s. The album is a classic of British blues-rock, innovative and influential, helping to launch dozens of blues-rock bands on both sides of the ocean. If you haven't heard it, you've missed an essential piece of blues music history. Related Content: Eric Clapton Profile John Mayall Profile Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton CD review Photo courtesy Universal Music John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton originally appeared on About.com Blues on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 12:16:06. Permalink | Comment | Email this

Eric Clapton has pulled out of this week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert in New York after undergoing gallstone surgery.

Eric Clapton is reportedly convalescing after undergoing a gall stone operation.

Eric Clapton has been forced to cancel a show because of gallstones.The legendary singer has pulled out of this week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th...

Eric Clapton has pulled out of this week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert in New York after undergoing gallstone surgery.

Musician Eric Clapton is recuperating after having an operation to remove gallstones, his publicist has said.

AP - Eric Clapton has pulled out of this week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert in New York after undergoing gallstone surgery.

CLEVELAND (AP) ? Eric Clapton has bowed out of this week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th birthday festivities for health reasons.[...] Read more!

Reuters - Eric Clapton has pulled out of this week's Rock and Roll Hall concert extravaganza in New York to have gallstones removed, organizers said on Monday.

Eric Clapton has pulled out of this week's Rock and Roll Hall concert extravaganza in New York to have gallstones removed.

ERIC CLAPTON has been forced to pull out of a star-studded line-up at the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert to undergo a "minor medical procedure"...

From his early days in the Yardbirds and Cream to his current status as guitar icon and bluesman extraordinaire, Eric Clapton has released more than 40 albums over the course of his 40-year career. Here, the legendary rocker pauses to reflect on fishing, his wife and children, and Rupert Murdoch.

From Homes and Property UK: --Singer Eddy Grant has listed Bayleys, his 15-bedroom Barbados plantation house for £19 million (around $35 million). The listing is here. --Guinness heir Henry Channon has listed his nine-bedroom, Thameside home on Cheyne Walk, shown above, for £25 million. The listing is here. From the NY Post: --While in New York City, Jude Law is staying in a downtown penthouse at the Novare building on West Fourth Street. He is renting the three-bedroom 3,500-square-foot unit with 20-foot ceilings and a terrace for an undisclosed price. The apartment is also listed for sale at $7.8 million with Reid Price of Brown Harris Stevens. The listing is here. --Matt Damon has been spotted in and around the Belnord rental building at West 86th Street and Broadway. --A five-story Gramercy Park townhouse is back on the market for $12 million. It was listed at $18.5 million price three years ago. The listing is here. From Shelter Pop: --A look inside Speidi's (Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt) new love nest courtesy of the Real Estalker. --Peer inside the loft of Emily Robison, of the Dixie Chicks. From Cityfile's Buyers and Sellers: --via Curbed, retired tech exec Lawrence Mueller and his wife Mary Kay have dropped the price of their three-bedroom condo at 15 Central Park West. It was listed at $16.5 million and is now at $15.5 million. --via the NY Times, Steve Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs executive, founder of Dune Capital, and son of Bob Mnuchin, is looking to unload his duplex apartment at 740 Park. The five-bedroom spread is being shopped around with a $37.5 million asking price. --via Curbed, the West Village townhouse that was once home to writer/urban activist Jane Jacobs has sold for $3.3 million after four months on the market. --Whoopi Goldberg has gone into contract to sell her two-bedroom New York City loft. Gallery: Whoopi Goldberg In New York City --The triplex penthouse at 895 Park that belonged to the late movie producer and clothing entrepreneur Charles Evans has finally found a buyer. It was purchased for $15 million by Robert Weisz, the CEO of the commercial real estate company the RPW Group, and his wife Cristina. Gallery: 895 Park Avenue --via the NY Observer, Brett Icahn, the son of billionaire Carl Icahn, had paid $2.9 million for a penthouse duplex at the Piano Factory building on West 46th Street. --via the NY Observer, Italian mogul and former Formula One boss Flavio Briatore is renting out his four-bedroom apartment at the Plaza for around $65,000 per month. The apartment was up for sale for $38 million. Gallery: Flavio Briatore in NYC --Amalgamated Bank CEO Derrick Cephas and his wife Donna paid $4.425 million for a five-bedroom apartment at 610 West End Avenue. --Martha Stewart's daughter Alexis Stewart has put her duplex loft at 27 North Moore Street back on the market again. She tried to sell the apartment for $12.4 million in both 2007 and 2008. It is now listed for $12.95 million. --via the NY Observer, actor Daniel Radcliffe has paid $5.65 million for a five-bedroom New York City townhouse. From Berg Properties Big Time Listings: --"Soul Train" creator Don Cornelius has listed a two-bedroom, post-and-beam house in the Beverly Hills, Calif. postal area for $1.95 million. The listing is here. He also paid $1.475 million to purchase a 3,499-square-foot house on a flag-shaped lot in Los Angeles' Beverly Crest area. --Author and comedian Steve Harvey has his 19-room mansion in Plano, Texas on the market for $3.5 million. The listing is here. From Fanhouse: --Cleveland Browns quarterback Brady Quinn has listed his home in Avon Lake, Ohio for $775,000. The listing is here. From Rented Spaces: --Short on rent? Here are the details on throwing a gold party. From the LA Times Hot Properties: --LAPD Chief Bratton and his wife Rikki Klieman have reduced the price of their Los Feliz home to $1.49 million. --Dr. Richard Ellenbogen who has starred on 'Dr. 90210' has listed his Sunset Strip home for $3.495 million. The listing is here. --Rocky Oaks Estate, a 37-acre Malibu estate, has come on the market for $65 million. The listing is here. From SocketSite: --Twitter co-founder Evan Williams has purchased a San Francisco home for $2.4 million. From the Wall Street Journal's Private Properties: --Gisele Bundchen has gone into contract on her penthouse in New York's West Village. The latest listing price of $4.5 million was less than half the original, September 2007 price tag of $10.9 million. She bought the condo in 2002 for nearly $3 million. Her townhouse is still on the market for $13.95 million. --Eric Clapton is renting out his 45-acre Antigua estate for $50,000 a week. From CNBC: --America's most luxurious golf homes. Continue reading Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 10/18/09 Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 10/18/09 originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sonny Landreth performs at Water Street Music Hall Friday. Eric Clapton knows a guitar player when he hears one.

In the current issue of Classic Rock magazine, the British publication pays its respects to the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." Unlike other similar lists of musicians, which are too often subjective at best, the good folks at Classic Rock went one step further and had their list created by a special panel of the 100 greatest living guitarists. No stumblebum staffers, no drug-addled rockcrits, this list represents what the players themselves think of their peers and forebears. As one might guess, blues-rock fretburners like Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, and Jimi Hendrix are included, but it's good to see a number of old-school blues guitarists featured among the "100 greatest." Clutch's Neil Fallon points out Bentonia bluesman Skip James' often overlooked talents, while another country bluesman, Bukka White, was picked for the list by a guitarist named "Rock Freebase" from the band Alabama 3. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top - a man who also knows his way around a fretboard - makes his claim for B.B. King being the best of all time. Gibbons himself was chosen for the list by Buckcherry's Keith Nelson. A number of future legends and late, albeit underrated artists are also featured among the hot 100. Blues-rock fave Joe Bonamassa was chosen by Mountain's Leslie West, who in turn was picked for the list by Jethro Tull's Martin Barre, while Queensryche's Mike Wilton picks the amazing Derek Trucks as his favorite. Of course, it's no surprise that talents like Jeff Healey, Roy Buchanan, Duane Allman, Michael Bloomfield, Rory Gallagher, and Paul Kossoff were all chosen by their peers as among the best guitarists of all time. Look for Classic Rock issue #136 on your local newsstand, or check out the magazine's website for up-to-date content and free daily mp3 downloads. Related Content: Five Essential Blues-Rock Guitarists Photo courtesy Classic Rock magazine

NIGERIA'S situation at 49 is an eminently typical case of singing the blues. B.B. King was a powerful American blues singer and guitarist, among others like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, etc. And the blues was a mournfully tragic toddler of jazz.

He was the man Guitar magazine dubbed "The World's Greatest Unknown Guitarist." Danny Gatton stayed in the musical shadows while building a cult following as a sort of honky-tonk Eric Clapton. Gatton killed himself 15 years ago Sunday.

Tinsley Ellis, the blues guitar ist that Rolling Stone magazine said "achieves pyrotechnics that rival early Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton," will open his new tour today at Capitol Oyster Bar.

Derek & the Dominos was a group formed by guitarist/singer Eric Clapton with other former members of Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, in the spring of 1970.

Photo: Mazur/WireImageThey were the biggest duo to hit Japan since Godzilla and Mothra, and now comes word guitar giants Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck are going to rock together again in 2010. The pair announced today they?ll take the stage at London?s O2 Arena on February 13th, 2010 at a joint concert that promises to [...]

Guitarists Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton announce a joint concert in London next year.

What's a television show without its trademark tunes? Musician Quincy Coleman will reportedly return to lend her voice on the premiere of Brothers & Sisters, yet another thing to look forward to on the series' new season. According to Mi2N, the singer-songwriter will be performing Eric Clapton's "Running on Faith" for the first episode of the fourth season. We'll be able to hear those renowned pipes of her on "The Road Ahead," in which Justin (Dave Annable) finally proposes to Rebecca (Emily VanCamp).

Recession or no, certain truly unique and exclusive handcrafted luxury items remain in very high demand. The Fall issue of WSJ., The Wall Street Journal's glossy magazine, reports that there's currently a five-year waiting list for the custom $175,000 shotguns made by Italian master Tullio Fabbri. Fabbri marries high-tech fabrication - the guns' locking mechanisms are coated in diamond dust to increase durability - with classic Brescian engraving on the metalwork that looks like embroidered lace. He has made guns for celebs like Steven Spielberg, Eric Clapton and King Juan Carlos of Spain, as well as Mexican-born pop singer Thalia, pictured above with her Fabbri 20-gauge. Fabbri's father began the business in 1965 in a small shop in the Valle Trompia, a legendary valley in northern Italy that has been home to gunmakers since the 16th century. Fabbri only makes 30 guns per year, hence the waiting list. Italian artisans spend 400 - 600 hours etching the metalwork on each gun, which can add $50,000 or more to the price. Thalia's husband, music mogul Tommy Mottola, tells the magazine that "Tullio's work is as good as a Picasso." Filed under: Celebrity Shopping, Sports The Custom $175K Shotgun Coveted by Pop Stars & Royalty originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

By the time Eric Clapton launched his solo career with the release of his self-titled debut album in mid-1970, he was long established as one of the world's major rock stars due to his group affiliations -- the Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, and Blind Faith -- which had demonstrated his claim to being the best rock guitarist of his ...

On September 15th, 2009 the good folks at Eagle Rock Entertainment will be releasing Tough, the 57th studio album from British blues legend John Mayall. The eleven-song collection ventures into some daring new lyrical territory for Mayall, exploring such subjects as the struggles of human relationships, the risks and pitfalls of temptation, and the difficulties that we all face just by living in the modern world. Throughout it all, Mayall's lyrical voice promises hope created by the resiliency and "toughness" of human nature. Needless to say, the thoughtful words will be backed by a tough blues-rock soundtrack. Known as the "Godfather of the British Blues," Mayall came to prominence with his early-1960s band the Bluesbreakers, which featured the explosive talents of a young British guitarist named Eric Clapton. Through the years, various Bluesbreakers line-ups have featured talented stringbenders like Peter Green, Walter Trout, and Coco Montoya, among many others. Mayall caused a bit of a stir in late 2008 when he decided to disband the Bluesbreakers and "retire" the historic name. At the age of 76, Mayall still tours frequently, and has assembled a new band featuring guitarist Rocky Athas, bassist Greg Rzab, drummer Jay Davenport, and keyboardist Tom Canning. The blues legend continues to rock the house each night, matching his gruff, unparalleled blues vocals with his skilled guitar, keyboard, and harp playing. Tough continues Mayall's successful relationship with Eagle Rock Entertainment, which has released the artist's last four albums and a live DVD, including 2007's acclaimed In The Palace of the King. Fans of classic British blues-rock owe it to themselves to check out Tough. Related Content: John Mayall Profile Tough Track Listing: 1. Nothing To Do With Love 2. Just What You’re Looking For 3. Playing With A Losing Hand 4. An Eye For An Eye 5. How Far Down 6. Train To My Heart 7. Slow Train To Nowhere 8. Number’s Down 9. That Good Old Rockin’ Blues 10. Tough Times Ahead 11. The Sum Of Something Photo courtesy Eagle Rock Entertainment

NBC says Eric Clapton will perform with Bruce Hornsby and his band on Jay Leno's new prime-time show. Hornsby and the Noisemakers will play "Space is the Place" on "The Jay Leno Show" on Sept. 17. Th...