When Gary Clark Jr. crossed paths with Eric Clapton backstage at a show, the blues-rock guitarist walked away questioning whether he had just received a backhanded compliment. The moment, though brief, stuck with Clark — particularly the words Clapton left him with: “Man, you’re like the king of reverb!” For Clark, the statement didn’t sit entirely well. In an Instagram post featuring a video of himself playing Storyville’s “Good Day for the Blues,” Clark recounted the incident, suggesting the remark may have been more of a subtle critique than praise.
Reflecting on the encounter, Clark wrote, “A man approached me while I was getting settled to play a show. He had a big smile on his face while he said to me ‘Man, you’re like the king of reverb!’ In hindsight, I’m pretty sure that statement was not meant to be a compliment but was meant to be more of a subtle suggestion. That man was Eric Clapton.” The caption accompanied a clip of Clark noodling on what appears to be his Cobraburst Gibson ES-355 fitted with a Bigsby, showing off the lush, echo-laden sound that has become a signature of his tone.
While Clark interpreted the comment as possibly dismissive, fellow guitar legend Joe Satriani offered a more generous read. “What E.C. meant,” Satriani responded in the comments, “was, ‘You’re amazing. You lift people up, make them think, make them smile, so, don’t ever stop being yourself.’ I’m pretty sure that’s what he meant.”
The timing of the meeting with Clapton remains uncertain, though it may have occurred during one of several occasions when their paths crossed on stage. Clark first performed alongside Clapton at the 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival, and they would go on to share stages again at Madison Square Garden in 2017 and more recently at the 2023 edition of Crossroads.
Since bursting onto the national scene in 2012 with Blak and Blu, Gary Clark Jr. has earned recognition as one of the finest electric blues guitarists of his generation. He brought new energy to the genre with his raw tone, expressive playing, and choice of gear — most notably his Epiphone Casino. His ascent was marked by praise from fans and fellow musicians alike, though moments like his encounter with Clapton have given him pause about how his sound is perceived among guitar greats.
Clark’s evolution as an artist has seen him push far beyond traditional blues. His latest album, JPEG Raw (2024), blends psychedelia, funk, classical elements, and layered production. Speaking to Guitar Player magazine earlier this year, Clark expressed his desire to resist narrow genre labels. “I was presented as a blues guitarist. But I never said that,” he emphasized, signaling his intent to forge a broader musical identity.
Despite often being compared to Jimi Hendrix — a parallel drawn both from his race and his fiery playing style — Clark has consistently sought to distance himself from those expectations. Recalling his first tour of Australia, he said, “It was cool but also devastating, because it was like ‘Gary Clark Jr. — the new Hendrix.’ I was like, ‘Fuck, man. You’re not even giving me a chance to be anything but a blues guy or a rock-star guitar player.’”
From the start, Clark made unconventional gear choices that set him apart. He recalls being mocked in Austin blues circles for showing up with an Ibanez Blazer and a solid-state Crate amp, gear that defied the purist standards of the local scene. “There was this one club that was very strict about what they would allow. I got made fun of because I walked in proud,” he remembered. Yet those early risks helped him cultivate a sound and identity that would later earn him widespread acclaim.
Today, Gary Clark Jr. not only garners respect across the industry but also boasts his own signature model — the Epiphone Blak and Blu Casino. His eclectic style and refusal to be boxed in have enabled him to transcend genre while still honoring his blues roots.
Just last month, Clark paid tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan by performing a set of the Texas legend’s classics with fellow blues guitarist Eve Monsees at the Austin City Limits 50th Anniversary television special. Playing a Stratocaster for the occasion, the significance was not lost on him. As a kid, Clark had watched Vaughan perform on that very show — a formative memory that helped spark his own dream of stardom.
Whatever Eric Clapton may have meant by his comment, it’s clear that Gary Clark Jr. has carved out his own lane, staying true to his vision and sound. Whether reverb-soaked or stripped back, his music continues to evolve, speak boldly, and resonate deeply.
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