Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007

Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007

Eric Clapton’s second “Crossroads Guitar Festival” took place at Toyota Park in Chicago, Illinois on 28 July 2007. Funds generated by the event served as an additional endowment to the Crossroads Foundation. The foundation funds Crossroads Centre at Antigua, a treatment and educational facility for chemically dependent persons, founded by Eric Clapton in 1997. A DVD from the event was released on 6 November 2007. Proceeds from its sale will also benefit Crossroads Antigua.

Since its inception in 2004, Eric’s vision for the Crossroads Guitar Festival was to create an event where his friends and contemporaries can have fun and jam together for the benefit of a good cause. The 2007 Festival played out over 11 hours.

Event Host
US Actor / Comedian Bill Murray served as the event’s emcee. He greeted the crowd shortly before noon. For those who had already made their way to their seats or spots on the field at that early hour, they heard EC jam on “Gloria” with Bill (who said it’s the only song he knows how to play on guitar!)

Set 1 : Sonny Landreth (5 songs)
Setlist: Port of Calling / Promised Land / Native Stepson / Uberesso / Hell At Home (with Eric Clapton)

Set 2: John McLaughlin (3 songs)
Setlist: Five Peace Band / Maharina / Senor C.S.

Set 3: Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas (6 songs)
Musicians: Alison Krauss (vocals / fiddle), Barry Bales (bass / vocals), Ron Block (banjo / guitar / vocals), Jerry Douglas (dobro), Dan Tyminski (guitar / mandolin)
Setlist: Every Time You Say Goodbye / This Sad Song / Far Side Bank Of The Jordan (?) / Simple Love / Away Down The River / Oh Atlanta

Set 4: Doyle Bramhall II (4 songs)
Setlist: Rosie / Oh Death / Early In The Morning / Outside Woman Blues

Set 5: The Derek Trucks Band with Johnny Winter (5 songs)
Musicians: Derek Trucks (guitar), Todd Smallie (bass / vocals), Yonrico Scott (drums / percussion / vocals), Kofi Burbridge (keyboards / flute / vocals), Mike Mattison (vocals), Count M’butu (congas / percussion), Susan Tedeschi (guest vocals / guitar) with special guest, Johnny Winter (guitar)
Setlist: Sahib Teri Bandi – Maki Madni – Sahib Teri Bandi / I Wish I Knew / Little by LIttle (with Susan Tedeschi) / Anyday (with Susan Tedeschi) / Highway 61 (with Johnny Winter)

Set 6: Robert Randolph & The Family Band (3 songs)
Musicians: Robert Randolph (vocals / steel guitar), Marcus Randolph (drums), Danyel Morgan (bass / vocals), Jason Crosby (hammond organ / piano)
Setlist: The March / Nobody / Soul Refreshing

Set 7: Robert Cray Band with Jimmie Vaughan, Hubert Sumlin and B.B. King (14 songs)
Musicians: Robert Cray (vocals / guitar), Kevin Hayes (drums), Jim Pugh (keyboards), Karl Sevareid (bass) with special guests Jimmie Vaughan (vocals / guitar), Hubert Sumlin (vocals / guitar), B.B. King (vocals, guitar)
Setlist: Poor Johnny / Twenty / I’m Walking / Roll Roll Roll (with Jimmie Vaughan) / Crossroads (with Jimmie Vaughan) / Six Strings Down (with Jimmie Vaughan) / Killing Floor (with Hubert Sumlin) / Sitting On Top Of The World (with Hubert Sumlin) / Paying The Cost To Be The Boss (with B.B. King) / Rock Me Baby (with B.B. King) / The Thrill Is Gone (with B.B. King)
B.B.’s words between songs about Eric were particularly moving. B.B. said, “I’ll probably embarrass him, but I just need to do it. Eric,” King said, lifting his red plastic cup of water. “I’ve been around the world, I’ve met kings and queens. But I’ve never met a better man, a more gracious man – my friend Eric Clapton. May I live forever, but may you live forever and a day. Because I don’t want to be here if you’re not around.”

Set 8: Guitar Center’s King of the Blues Contest Winner Aaron Loesch

Set 9: John Mayer (5 songs)
Setlist: Waiting On The World To Change / Belief / Vulture / I Don’t Need No Doctor / Gravity

Set 10: Vince Gill with Albert Lee, Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson (12 songs)
Setlist: Liza Jane / Cowboy Up / Rhythm of the Pouring Rain / Sweet Thing / Tear It Up (with Albert Lee) / Country Boy (with Albert Lee) / If It Makes You Happy (with Sheryl Crow) / Strong Enough (with Sheryl Crow and Allison Krauss) / Tulsa Time (with EC, Sheryl Crow) / Funny How Time Slips Away – Crazy – Nightlife Medley (with Willie Nelson) / Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (with Willie Nelson) / On The Road Again (with Willie Nelson)

Set 11: Los Lobos (5 songs)
Musicians: David Hidalgo, Louie Perez, Conrad Lozano, Cesar Rojas, Steve Berlin
Setlist: Don’t Worry Baby / Chuco’s Cumbia / Georgia Stop / Chains of Love / Mas y Mas

Set 12: Jeff Beck (11 songs)
Musicians: Jeff Beck (guitar), Tal Wilkenfeld (bass), Jason Rebello (keyboards), Vinnie Colaiuta (drums)
Setlist: Resolution / Eternity’s Breath / You Never Know / ‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers / Stratus / Behind The Veil / Nadia / Led Boots / Angel (Footsteps) / Big Block / Good Bye Pork Pie Hat – Brush With The Blues / A Day In The Life

Set 13: Eric Clapton with Robbie Robertson and Steve Winwood (15 songs)
Musicians: Eric Clapton (guitar / vocals), Doyle Bramhall II (guitar / backing vocals), Derek Trucks (guitar), Chris Stainton (keyboards), Tim Carmon (keyboards), Willie Weeks (bass), Ian Thomas (drums), Steve Jordan (drums), Sharon White (backing vocals), Michelle John (backing vocals) and special guests Robbie Robertson (guitar / vocals) and Steve Winwood (hammond organ / guitar / vocals)
Setlist: Tell The Truth / Key To The Highway / Got To Get Better In A Little While / Isn’t It A Pity / Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad / Little Queen Of Spades / Who Do You Love (with Robbie Robertson) / Further On Up The Road (with Robbie Robertson) / Pearly Queen (with Steve Winwood) / Presence Of The Lord (with Steve Winwood) / Can’t Find My Way Home (with Steve Winwood) / Had To Cry Today (with Steve Winwood) / Dear Mr. Fantasy (Steve Winwood solo, Eric left the stage for this song) / Cocaine / Crossroads

Set 14: Buddy Guy with EC and Special Guests (6 songs)
Setlist: Mary Had A Little Lamb / Damn Right I’ve Got The Blues / Hoochie Coochie Man (with EC) / Sweet Home Chicago (with EC, Johnny Winter, John Mayer, Huber Sumlin, more) / Stone Crazy (with EC, Johnny Winter, John Mayer, Huber Sumlin, more) / She’s 19 Years Old (with EC, Johnny Winter, John Mayer, Huber Sumlin, more)