Eric Clapton plans Dallas guitar festival

DALLAS, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Guitar legend Eric Clapton has organized a three-day guitar festival in Dallas the weekend of June 4 to benefit the substance abuse center he founded.

The Crossroads Guitar Festival will be a first-time gathering of a host of Clapton's musician friends and guitar enthusiasts for workshops and concerts at Fair Park in Dallas.

The event will culminate June 6 with a benefit concert, starring a who's who of guitarists at the Cotton Bowl Stadium. Performers will include Clapton and Doyle Bramhall II, J.J. Cale, Larry Carlton, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, David Hidalgo, Eric Johnson, B.B. King, Sonny Landreth, Brian May, Pat Metheny, Robert Randolph, Otis Rush, Carlos Santana, Hubert Sumlin, Dan Tyminski, Steve Vai, Jimmie Vaughan and Joe Walsh.

On June 24, Christie's of New York will host "Crossroads Guitar Auction -- Eric Clapton and Friends for the Crossroads Centre," featuring more than 50 guitars owned by Clapton and other celebrity guitarists.

Proceeds from the festival and the auction will benefit the Crossroads Centre Antigua, the treatment and education center that Clapton began in 1997 on the British West Indies island.