Hello Elvis fans.
Can someone clear up a debate me and my mate were having. He claims that Eric Clapton played guitar on 'Always on my mind'. You can definitely hear a Clapton 'sound' on the guitar parts - especially, I'd argue, the string bends on the small solos. However there's no evidence I can find that it ever happened.
It's intriguing though, especially as Clapton did meet Elvis in the early 70s and obviously AOMM was recorded in a similar period in history (72?) and I can't find any precise details of the session musicians for that song (presumably it was James Burton if it wasn't Clapton?)
Anyway, just thought it was interesting and thought that someone in here might know definitively one way or t'other 
OK, as I thought, it's utter claptrap.
Clapton played no dates in 1972 due to heroin addiction. Always On My Mind was recorded on March 29, 1972 at RCA Studios, Hollywood, California. Doubt he was doing too many random sessions with people he'd never met.
Also there is this:
http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/clapton-week-1221.aspxDescribing 'the time Eric met Elvis' - in 1974. So if they recorded Always On My Mind together, how did they not meet before 1974?
I am aware that guitars could have been recorded without Elvis being present - it is possible - but it being Eric Clapton, is, in my mind, impossible.
I would think you are correct it was James Burton - it sounds a LOT more like him than Clapton.
"Elvis recruited him as lead guitarist for his new band in 1969, a position he would keep until Elvis' death in 1977."
If you had James Burton, no way you'd be calling a heroin addicted Eric Clapton to replace him for a random session on a song with huge hit potential, just no way. Burton is a far superior guitarist anyway (and fit for Elvis' music)
