Can anyone validate this?

[ZosoRush]

"Eric Clapton did not play the very famous first riff on the song "Layla". That was Duane Allman. Clapton comes in later."

is this true?

[Swain]

Yeah, that's how I've always heard it. I think he even used a Slide to do it.

[toocommercial]

The first pull-off riff is overdubbed in a higher octave. So if the intro is all Allman, he must have done the high octave overdub himself. That riff sounds so Clapton it's hard to believe it's not him. Sounds like Strat/Champ tone to me, although I've been fooled before.

[kimock]

EC played the low power chord bit, the high part was 2nd guitar, if you can call it that.:omg

So yeah, true. The high bit is Duane.

[Chris Scott]

EC played the low power chord bit, the high part was 2nd guitar, if you can call it that.:omg

So yeah, true. The high bit is Duane.

This is what I've been thinking since I first heard it...

[Alister]

Tom Dowd would know, RIP.
Whomever has the master tape could check. If you've ever seen "The Language of Music," there's a scene in there where Tom is revisiting the song and playing with the faders.

[WheelchairBandit]

According to Clapton, pretty much everything on that song was done in unison or harmony with Duane. They put down a ton of guitar tracks on that tune.

Brian.