Renowned session guitarist George Terry, who has worked with iconic acts such as ABBA, Bee Gees, and Diana Ross, recently shared a memorable story from his career. In the 1970s, Terry was Eric Clapton’s guitarist, contributing to albums like No Reason to Cry (1976) and Backless (1978) and touring extensively with Clapton.
It was through his work with Clapton that Terry had the rare opportunity to meet a Beatle, an encounter that occurred after a particularly indulgent night of drinking. Terry reminisced about the experience while staying at Clapton’s house.
“We had been practicing slow blues jams for over a week, which became quite monotonous,” Terry recalled. “One night, after having a bit too much Jack Daniels, I went to sleep in the upstairs bedroom.”
“The next morning, I awoke to find Eric and George Harrison playing ukuleles at the foot of my bed. At first, I thought I was dreaming, but my hangover confirmed it was all too real.”
Terry’s tenure with Clapton was eventful, marked by various memorable incidents, including one where he had to cover for Clapton after the guitarist was unknowingly dosed with LSD before a performance.
Their professional relationship began unexpectedly when Terry, a seasoned session player at the time, offered Clapton a ride to Criteria Studios. During the drive, Terry mentioned his involvement with an in-house band that played for fun between sessions and extended an invitation to Clapton.
“Eric accepted the invitation, and we ended up jamming together, exploring different musical grooves,” Terry said.
