The Gift Eric Clapton Never Got To Give Jimi Hendrix

Contrary to the fake rivalry media outlets have tried to perpetuate between Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, the two had a solid friendship. They were so close, in fact, that Clapton tried to give Hendrix a gift that he picked up especially for him. Unfortunately, Hendrix died before Clapton ever got the chance to give it to him. And the story is a little heartbreaking.

Clapton met Hendrix a week after he arrived in London. The American guitarist joined Clapton onstage during a Cream gig at London Polytechnic in 1966. Hendrix knew some of the musicians involved with the London rock scene and got permission to share the stage with Cream for a few songs. This was the first time Hendrix absolutely blew Clapton's mind.

The mutual respect was immediate. The friendship blossomed shortly after, and the two rock guitar gods would occasionally play gigs together and build a relationship off the stage. Clapton thought Hendrix was one of the best musicians out there, and he was devastated when Hendrix died. Even years later, Clapton said in an interview: "I knew him and I played with him and I loved his music. But I don't ever wanna hear anything said about him again."

The pain was made deeper, at least in part, because Clapton tried to give Hendrix his gift just two nights before Hendrix died on September 18, 1970. Clapton was so close to putting it in his friend's hands — literally within line of sight — but the night didn't pan out the way he'd hoped.

There are two things you need to know about Jimi Hendrix before you can understand Eric Clapton's gift to him: Hendrix was left-handed, and while he would occasionally play other guitars, he had a thing for Fender Stratocasters.

You may have noticed that Hendrix played a right-handed guitar that he strung upside down to accommodate left-handed playing, but he only did so because true left-handed guitars were extremely hard to come by in the '60s. They're still nowhere near as accessible as right-handed guitars today. Knowing how Hendrix played, Clapton couldn't pass up buying a left-handed Stratocaster for him the first time he happened upon one.

Hendrix and Clapton were supposed to meet at a Sly and The Family Stone concert at the Lyceum on September 16, 1970 — though Clapton seems to incorrectly recall this as the 17th in an interview — which presented a perfect opportunity to give Hendrix his gift. Unfortunately, they were seated in different parts of the venue. Clapton could physically see his friend, but he wasn't able to make contact, so they never met up then or at any other time going forward.

"He was in a box over there and I was in a box over here and I could see him but I couldn't — we never got together. The next day, whack! He was gone, and I was left with that left-handed Stratocaster."

We can't even describe the guitar in question because no pictures of it have ever been released, and nobody seems to know what happened to it. All we know is that it was last in Clapton's possession, serving as a bittersweet memory of a friend who was gone too soon.