Three More Years to See Eric Clapton Live, Says He’ll Stop Touring at 70

Eric Clapton has had it with life on the road.

The legendary guitarist says he’ll quit touring when he turns 70, which gives fans just three years to catch the 67-year-old before he packs it in. Fortunately there will be plenty of chances to do that, as Clapton will hit the road next month to support his upcoming album, Old Sock.

Additionally, he doesn’t plan to stop playing altogether or doing one-off shows, he’s just sick of the touring life.

“The bit onstage, that’s easy. If I could do that around my neighborhood, that would be great,” Clapton told Rolling Stone. “You have guys in Texas that play their circuit, and it keeps them alive. But for me, the struggle is the travel. And the only way you can beat that is by throwing so much money at it that you make a loss. So the idea is I’m taking a leaf out of JJ [Cale]’s book: When I’m 70, I’ll stop. I won’t stop playing or doing one-offs, but I’ll stop touring, I think.”

Apparently it’s the airports that bother him the most.

“And security,” Clapton continues. “I never get it right. I forget to take off my belt, or I have change in my pocket. Next thing I know, ‘Can you come over here please?’ I just don’t want to do that anymore.”

But Clapton will be on tour starting with a March 14 show at the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, and he will stay on the road in North America until his Crossroads Guitar Festival, which will be held at Madison Square Gardens on April 12-13. He also plans to play Houston, Dallas, Nashville, New Orleans, and Atlanta on the tour.

The Crossroads festival will feature a slew of guitar heroes including B.B. King, Jimmie Vaughan, Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley and Buddy Guy, among many others.