Crossroads Guitar Festival

The Crossroads Guitar Festival is an irregularly held music event in the United States, founded by Eric Clapton. Proceeds from the festival support the Crossroads Centre, a drug treatment facility in Antigua, and each edition features renowned guitarists selected by Clapton himself.

• Founded by Eric Clapton to support addiction recovery
• Features top guitarists handpicked by Clapton
• Held in major US cities like New York, Dallas, and Austin
• Includes both legendary and up-and-coming performers
• Proceeds benefit the Crossroads Centre in Antigua

What it is

The Crossroads Guitar Festival brings together some of the world's most respected guitar players for a series of concerts in major US cities. Founded by Eric Clapton, the event is both a celebration of guitar music—spanning blues, rock, country, and bluegrass—and a fundraiser for the Crossroads Centre, a rehabilitation facility in Antigua. Clapton personally curates the lineup, inviting musicians he holds in high regard. Fans gather not just for virtuosic performances, but also to witness unique collaborations and once-in-a-lifetime musical moments.

Where it comes from

Eric Clapton established the festival to raise funds for the Crossroads Centre, a drug rehabilitation clinic he founded in Antigua. The earliest benefit concert took place in 1999 at Madison Square Garden under a different name, with a lineup featuring Clapton and prominent artists. The first event officially called the Crossroads Guitar Festival was held in Dallas in 2004, and since then, the festival has appeared in cities such as Bridgeview (Illinois), New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Austin. Each edition is spaced several years apart, making every occurrence a special event for music lovers.

How it is celebrated

During the festival, audiences experience live sets from a diverse lineup of guitarists, including legends and rising stars across blues, rock, country, and bluegrass. The event often features both solo performances and collaborative jams, where artists share the stage for spontaneous and memorable renditions. Notable musicians such as Jeff Beck, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, and Mary J. Blige have appeared in past lineups. Festival-goers can also enjoy performances at secondary stages, where emerging talents and surprise guests play. The concerts are sometimes recorded and released on DVD, capturing the festival’s unique energy and musical highlights.

Joining in

For visitors, the main celebrations take place in major US cities, with recent venues including Madison Square Garden in New York, the Cotton Bowl and American Airlines Center in Dallas, Toyota Park near Chicago, the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and the Moody Center in Austin. Tickets often sell quickly due to high demand and star-studded lineups. Attendees should expect large crowds, an electric atmosphere, and the chance to see rare musical collaborations. Since the event is not annual, checking the official website for the latest announcements and ticket information is recommended.

Sources and attribution

This page is Mela's own summary, written in new words. Its facts are drawn from the Wikipedia article Crossroads Guitar Festival, whose text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Each photo is credited to its author beside it. For the full account, read the originals below.

Read more

• Crossroads Guitar Festival on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Official websiteOfficial site
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data

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