Following the May 2021 cancelation of his shows at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Eric Clapton regrouped with his band in the English countryside to record and film a concert. This collection of songs is an acoustic rendition of his standards, covers, and newer material for The Lady In The Balcony: Lockdown Sessions (Mercury Studios), out November 12.
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Playing with longtime bandmates bassist Nathan East, keyboardist Chris Stainton, and drummer Steve Gadd, The Lady In The Balcony revisits Clapton’s “After Midnight,” “Layla,” “Bell Bottom Blues,” “Tears in Heaven,” “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out,” and “Key to the Highway,” in addition to the band’s take on Carlos Santana’s “Black Magic Woman” and Fleetwood Mac track “Man of the World.”
Working with longtime producer Russ Titelman (James Taylor, George Harrison, Brian Wilson), the album was recorded live at Cowdray House in West Sussex, England, during the summer of 2021 following the cancelation of his tour dates.
Available in all formats including DVD, Blu-ray, and as a CD and 2LP versions, including a Deluxe edition, The Lady In The Balcony was inspired by his 1992 album Unplugged as an Unplugged II.
Prior to The Lady In The Balcony: Lockdown Sessions, Clapton released a second song, “This Has Gotta Stop,” in reference to the pandemic, a follow up to his 2020 anti-lockdown collaboration with Van Morrison “Stand and Deliver.”
The 76-year-old guitarist previously said that he suffered a severe reaction to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Since then, Clapton has been responding to the state of the world in song and canceled his European dates while also refusing to play at any venues requiring the audience to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination.
