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For One Night Only

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Paul Gambaccini revisits life-changing concerts turned into legendary live albums.

For One Night Only: Series 7

For One Night Only: Series 7: Episode 1: Clapton Unplugged

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Music: Classic Pop & Rock

Clapton Unplugged

Episode 1

Episode 1: Clapton Unplugged

Series 7

BBC Radio 4 - For One Night Only, Series 7, Clapton Unplugged

Eric Clapton tells Paul Gambaccini about the 1992 recording of his ground-breaking album.

Paul Gambaccini revisits the 1992 recording of Eric Clapton Unplugged with Clapton himself and musicians Andy Fairweather-Low, Steve Ferrone, Chuck Leavell and Nathan East.

Paul Gambaccini is back with the award-winning series to re-visit two occasions on which a classic live album was recorded. He hears from those who were there, on-stage, backstage and in the audience, to re-create the event for all of us who, each time we play the album, think: 'If only I could have been there'.

In the series opener, Paul looks back at the 1992 recording of 'Eric Clapton Unplugged', in the company of Eric Clapton himself and others who were there.

On 16 January 1992, in front of a small audience at Bray Studios near Maidenhead, Berkshire, Eric Clapton and a small group of musicians made history. For the first time in a public performance, the legendary guitarist 'unplugged' his amp and picked up an acoustic guitar to record a selection of old blues favourites and brand new material, including the poignantly personal 'Tears in Heaven', about the tragic los of his son, Conor, the previous year. And then there was the radically surprising take on the classic 'Layla'.

Paul Gambaccini hears the story of the making of this classic album, which went on to sell over 20 million copies worldwide and won 6 Grammies, from Eric Clapton himself. He also hears the memories of members of the band: Andy Fairweather Low, Steve Ferrone, Chuck Leavell and Nathan East; Alex Coletti, who produced the show for MTV; sound recordist Buford Jones, and members of the audience.

Additional material from Paul Gambaccini's extensive interview with Eric Clapton will be streamed online.

Also in this series of For One Night Only: Pete Seeger and others on The Weavers At Carnegie Hall (1955) 

Producer: Marya Burgess.

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Paul Gambaccini looks back at the recordings of three classic live albums

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Episode 1: Clapton Unplugged

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