This is Pattie Boyd, circa maybe mid ’60s. 

A fashion model and actress, and later a photographer and author, Boyd met George Harrison on the set of A Hard Day’s Night in 1964 and they married in 1966. (with Paul McCartney as Best Man)  The song “Something,” by Harrison was about Pattie Boyd.

Eric Clapton and George Harrison were good friends, writing and recording music together, with Clapton contributing uncredited guitar on, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and Harrison co-wrote and played on Clapton’s, “Badge.”  However,  following his tenure in Cream and Blind Faith, Clapton fell in love with Boyd, and the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs was written to proclaim his love for her.  Particularly the hit “Layla.”

“Layla” was recorded by Clapton’s group at the time, Derek and the Dominos and released in 1970.  (“Bell Bottom Blues” was another song on the album overtly about Boyd)  

Originally written as a ballad, “Layla” became a “rocker” according to Clapton when Duane Allman, who had joined the recording sessions as a guest, wrote the song’s signature, iconic riff.  During recording, there were 16 guitar tracks.  A combination of tracks of rhythm, harmonies, power and slide guitar cords, left and right channel solo’s, a track of solo’s by Allman and a track of Clapton and Allman playing dual solos of the 7 note signature riff.

The second movement piano coda was contributed by Derek and the Domino’s drummer Jim Gordon.  Clapton heard him playing it in the studio one day, loved it and convinced him to let him use it in the song.  Gordon was given a songwriting credit, but by all accounts, the piece was actually written by Gordon’s ex-girlfriend Rita Coolidge and Gordon just used it, essentially stealing it.  The second movement was recorded about a week after the first with Gordon playing piano, and additional guitar tracks by Clapton playing acoustic and slide and Allman playing electric and bottle slide, and ending with Allman’s signature slide guitar “bird call.”    The two movements were blended in studio by producer Tom Dowd and “Layla” was complete.

Listening to a quality recording of “Layla” with good headphones is a revelation.  Extraordinary depth and layering of masterful guitar work by two of the best ever.  Initially not well received, (too long for the radio play of the time, and poor marketing) the critical and audience reception of “Layla” has grown dramatically over time.  Guitar Magazine has it at #12 on it’s list of 100 Greatest Guitar Solo Songs of All Time, (I think it should be at #9, just after “Crazytrain,” and before,”Crossroads,” “Voodoo Chile,” “Johnny B Good” and “Texas Flood.”) the Southern California rock radio giant KLOS has “Layla” at #9 on it’s list of 200 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time, (compiled by listener request input) and on Rolling Stone‘s list of 500 Greatest Songs of all Time, it’s listed at #27.  That’s #27 of the greatest songs of all time.

Pattie Boyd would divorce Harrison in 1977, driven nearly to suicide by his infidelities and drug use.  The final straw according to Boyd was Harrison’s affair with the wife of Ringo Star.  In 1979 she married Eric Clapton, with a very not bitter George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney (Paul does all the things) in attendance.  Clapton wrote “Wonderful Tonight” while waiting for her to come downstairs dressed to go out one night.

It’s late in the evening; she’s wondering what clothes to wear
She puts on her make-up and brushes her long blonde hair
And then she asks me, Do I look all right?
And I say, “Yes, you look wonderful tonight.”

Of course, the lives of rock stars and their wives being what they are, the marriage of Boyd and Clapton ended in 1988, damaged by alcoholism, affairs, drug use and addiction.  Clapton had numerous dalliances, most notably Italian model Lory Del Santo, and Boyd with Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones.

Inspiration and muse for at least four songs by George Harrison, six by Eric Clapton and two by Ron Wood, three of the top rock guitarists and songwriters of all time.  One song is arguable in the top 10 greatest guitar/rock songs of all time, and another in the top 200 greatest rock songs of all time, and that Frank Sinatra described as the greatest love song of the past 50 years.

Boyd relates a story in her autobiography about Clapton showing up drunk at Harrison’s home and engaged the Beatles’ guitarist in a rock duel. “George handed him a guitar and an amp — as an 18th-century gentleman might have handed his rival a sword — and for two hours, without a word, they dueled,” Boyd recalled. “At the end, nothing was said but the general feeling was that Eric had won. He hadn’t allowed himself to get riled or go in for instrumental gymnastics as George had. Even when he was drunk, his guitar-playing was unbeatable.” 

And possibly, his muse was incomparable.

(Sources for this entry include Boyd’s autobiography, Wonderful Tonight, Clapton’s autobiography, Clapton: The Autobiography, Wikipedia, numerous and varied interviews given over the years, a 20/20 story on ABC available for online viewing, and inspired by a love of great rock and guitar music and the players and artists who create it, and an abiding appreciation for the song “Layla.” and it’s backstory.)