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ERIC CLAPTON has raised a staggering $2.2 million (£1.5 million) for charity by selling off his guitar collection.
The rock legend announced back in December (10) that he would be auctioning off more than 70 of his prized instruments and 55 amplifiers to help fund the rehab centre he set up in the Caribbean.
The 138 lots, which included guitars donated by stars including Jeff Beck, JJ Cale, and Joe Bonamassa, went under the hammer at Bonhams in New York on Wednesday (09Mar11) and raised millions of dollars for The Crossroads Centre in Antigua.
A 1948 Gibson guitar was the priciest item, selling for $83,000 (£55,333).

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Former ALICE IN CHAINS bassist MIKE STARR made a desperate call in a bid to obtain drugs the night before he died of a suspected overdose, according to a U.S. report.
The star, who had been fighting substance abuse problems, was found dead at a house in Salt Lake City, Utah on Tuesday (08Mar11).
The cause of death is not yet known but the rocker’s roommate tells TMZ.com that Starr had been using the heroin substitute methadone on Monday night (07Mar11), and mixing the drug with anti-anxiety medication.
The publication has also obtained a voicemail message which Starr allegedly left on a friend’s cell phone on Monday. In the tape, a man believed to be the musician says he needs "bud" - street slang for cannabis - "real bad".
Police investigating his death insist they have no reason to suspect foul play.

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Bosses at U.S. retail giant Target are "surprised and disappointed" by LADY GAGA’s decision to terminate her business partnership with the brand amid rumoured disagreements over gay rights issues.
The Poker Face superstar negotiated an exclusive deal with the firm on the basis that company executives vowed to support the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community and scrap any alliances with anti-gay politicians.
Bosses at the brand previously came under fire in 2010 for making donations to anti-gay politician Tom Emmer, who ran for Governor of Minnesota.
She told Billboard after striking the deal, "Our relationship is hinged upon their reform in the company to support the gay community and to redeem the mistakes they’ve made supporting those (anti-gay) groups." But the singer has now backtracked and axed her contract with Target, with her representative insisting the end of the partnership was "mutual".
Bosses at the firm have spoken of their shock over Gaga’s move, claiming they have met her demands and put policies in place to ensure the company supports the gay community.
A statement from Target reads, "We were very surprised and disappointed by the statements made by Lady Gaga’s organisation related to her partnership with Target. Target remains committed to the LGBT community as demonstrated by our contributions to various LGBT organisations, our recently established Policy Committee to review our political giving and our respectful, inclusive workplace environment."

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JENNIFER HUDSON shared her delight over her weightloss with fellow diners during a recent restaurant visit by treating them to a rendition of her diet theme tune, NINA SIMONE’s FEELING GOOD.
The Oscar-winning star has shed a huge amount of weight since the birth of her son, David, in 2009, and now sports a sexy U.S. size six figure.
She was snapped up as the spokesperson for international dieting group WeightWatchers, and couldn’t resist singing the company’s campaign song during a visit to New York City’s packed Buddha Bar, much to the amazement of fellow diners.
Hudson, who had been taking part in a radio interview in the venue, grabbed the reporter’s microphone and sang the song while other patrons gave her a standing ovation, according to New York Post gossip column Page Six.
A source tells the publication, "The room didn’t really know what to do. But finally everyone stood up and applauded."

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Comedienne RUBY WAX is offering fans the chance to watch her undergo a Botox session as part of a charity auction.
The funnywoman is among a number of stars who are putting bizarre gifts up for sale on eBay.com in aid of U.K. charity Comic Relief.
Wax’s auction, which had attracted bids up to $150 (£100) by Thursday (10Mar10), will give the winner the chance to attend a clinic and be present while she undergoes the face-freezing injections.
Other stars taking part in the sale include Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant, who is offering his own keyboard, and Hot Fuzz actor Nick Frost, who will give the winning bidder a signed poster and a personal phone call.
In a separate eBay sale, other stars including Nicole Richie, Rosario Dawson, Bret Michaels and Lenny Kravitz are offering to link up with fans on microblogging website Twitter.com in aid of anti-poverty charity CARE USA.
They have agreed to ‘follow’ the highest bidders for a minimum of 90 days, and some will even mention the auction winners in a ‘Tweet’.

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Artist-turned-filmmaker JULIAN SCHNABEL is stepping up his fight to secure a rating change for his controversial new movie MIRAL by taking his case to the Motion Picture Association of America’s appeals board.
The director’s latest offering, which stars Freida Pinto as a conflicted Palestinian girl growing up in Israel, has been granted a restrictive adults-only R rating, which has Schnabel fuming.
This week (beg07Mar11) he spoke out against U.S. censors in an essay for The Huffington Post blog, insisting he was shocked and saddened by the decision.
Schnabel has now confirmed he will challenge the rating by taking his complaint to the Motion Picture Association of America’s appeals board in a bid to secure the film a PG-13 rating, which would allow the movie to be screened in schools.
He tells the New York Post’s gossip column Page Six, "Miral is about a young adult, and we made the film specifically for viewers in that age range. That audience includes the author and screenwriter’s 14-year-old daughter, for whom the story is named. It is cruelly ironic that under the MPAA’s ruling, a 16-year-old now cannot go unaccompanied into a neighbourhood theatre to see the true life story of another 16-year-old, whose non-violent struggle for dignity is a positive example for young people everywhere." The story is based on the life of Schnabel’s Palestinian girlfriend, Rula Jebreal, and adapted from her 2004 novel of the same name.

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Musician-turned-filmmaker ELGIN JAMES has been sentenced to a year behind bars for his part in an extortion attempt.
The director was handed the sentence this week (beg07Mar11) after pleading guilty to a charge of attempted extortion in relation to a musician from Chicago, Illinois who claims he was ordered to pay $5,000 (£3,333) to stop beatings from a street gang with links to James.
More than 60 letters of support for James were sent to a judge in charge of the case, including a note from Hollywood star Robert Redford, who recently showed James’ Little Birds movie at his Sundance Film Festival.
Redford wrote, "I believe that Elgin has the potential to make a difference. He has an important message for people of all ages and the possibility of change (and) the power of nonviolence." The sentence comes just days after James was awarded a major Hollywood contract to write a new movie called Low Riders. He will remain attached to the project while he serves his time in prison, according to Deadline.com.
James said after sentencing, "Today I faced my day of reckoning… I have accepted responsibility for my past, and I am now looking forward to continuing my film career."

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AVRIL LAVIGNE had no problem working with her rocker ex DERYK WHIBLEY on her new album, insisting she still "respects him as an artist", two years after they split.
The Sk8ter Boi hitmaker finalised her divorce from Whibley last year (10), but the former couple reunited in the studio to produce tracks for her latest release, Goodbye Lullyaby.
And Lavigne has nothing but praise for the Sum 41 singer’s talents.
She tells MTV News, "He’s a musician. He does it all, and to have him come on this album and produce and mix, it’s like he’s so talented, I was really happy to have him produce on this record. He did a really amazing job. We’re great friends and I’m grateful for the relationship." Lavigne, who released her last album, Best Damn Thing, in 2007, admits she’s adopted a new outlook on life after spending some time away from the spotlight.
She says, "At this point, because I’ve been doing this for 10 years, I’ve kind of learned… my life lesson has been about not worrying about people and what they think.
"Obviously I care. I want people to like my music and stuff. I’ve had to learn to really focus on myself: who I am, what I want… You don’t want to have distractions, especially when you’re being creative." Lavigne has been dating reality TV star Brody Jenner since ending her marriage to Whibley.

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ISLA FISHER credits her funnyman husband SACHA BARON COHEN with inspiring her successful comedic acting career - because he convinced her to play for laughs.
The Australian actress started her career in soap operas Down Under, before moving to America in a bid to break into the movie industry.
Fisher has since landed parts in films including 2005 hit Wedding Crashers, opposite Vince Vaughn, and Confessions Of A Shopaholic, and the actress puts her success down to the advice of Borat star Cohen, who told her to try out for comedy roles.
She tells Britain’s Elle magazine, "I’ve always been the clown with my friends, but it was Sacha who said, ‘You’re the funniest girl.’ He said not many women are willing to make a fool of themselves, so he pushed me in that direction and then my first audition was Wedding Crashers, and that was it."

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British singer LEONA LEWIS has been named the most influential woman in London.
The Bleeding Love hitmaker topped a poll by the U.K.’s Metro newspaper to find the most inspirational female to live or work in the British capital in the past century.
She polled 70 per cent of the 10,000 votes cast, pushing former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher into second place. Justine Roberts, who founded hit parenting website Mumsnet.com, is third.
And Lewis is delighted with her place in London’s history, telling fans her rise from humble beginnings in the city’s borough of Hackney proves "you can do anything".
In a post on her Twitter.com blog, she writes, "Wow I got named the Most Influential Londoner! Amazing! Thank u everyone that voted… I hope that kids from Hackney & other poorer London boroughs, c (see) this as an inspiration! U can do anything, it doesn’t matter where your (sic) from!" The poll was held to mark International Women’s Day on Tuesday (08Mar11).

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Rap mogul JAY-Z is helping to raise money for a children’s charity by auctioning off a night out with him at an upcoming New York Knicks basketball game.
The package, worth an estimated $20,000 (£13,330), will land the highest bidder and a pal an evening with the Empire State of Mind hitmaker at the Knicks’ home venue, Madison Square Garden.
Fans have until 30 March (11) to place their bids on the CharityBuzz.com sale. All profits will benefit the Big Apple’s Stephen Gaynor School, which aids kids with learning disabilities, according to the New York Daily News.
Ironically, Jay-Z is part-owner of the Knicks’ rival team, the New Jersey Nets.

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Rap mogul SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS was celebrated in New York on Monday (07Mar11) in recognition of his career success and contributions to charity.
The hip-hop star was presented with the ROBIE Achievement in Industry Award at the Jackie Robinson Foundation’s 2011 Awards Gala, which he attended with his mother Janice and his 17-year-old son Justin.
And Combs admits the honour means more to him than the three Grammy Awards he’s received throughout his 20 years in the music and fashion industries.
During his acceptance speech, the rapper said, "I don’t even know where to start. One thing I want to say is this is the best award I’ve ever gotten in my entire life.
"When I was coming up in the game, I wanted to get a Grammy… There’s a lot of things that you want growing up, but this is something I (never) asked for or knew that I would receive, and I feel truly humbled and blessed."

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Rapper JA RULE will surrender to New York authorities on 8 June (11) and begin a two-year prison sentence for illegal weapons possession.
The Always On Time hitmaker, real name Jeffrey Atkins, pleaded guilty to attempted weapons possession in December (10), relating to his 2007 arrest in the Big Apple.
The hip-hop star, who is free on bail, has been busy putting the finishing touches to his new album, Renaissance Project, and filming a reality TV show in preparation for his jail term.
But he will not have the chance to promote his new projects - on Wednesday (09Mar11), a New York judge ordered him to report to prison officers in June (11).

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Filmmaker DAVID LYNCH is relaunching his official website as an online music store to share new songs and sound clips from his movie archive with fans around the world.
The Twin Peaks director previously used DavidLynch.com as a creative outlet to give devotees a glimpse into his surrealist mind, but he struggled to regularly update the site and eventually abandoned it altogether.
He has since turned his attention to a career in music, and released his debut single Good Day Today in November (10).
And Lynch is now set to return to his website, after having it redesigned as "a secret room filled with music".
In an email to the New York Times, he explains, "This thing of the web is so magical - the way it works - we just hit a few buttons and we feel we’re with the world." The revamped DavidLynch.com will be unveiled on Thursday (10Mar11).
Lynch has previously dabbled in music for the soundtracks of his films - he co-wrote and produced songs including Mysteries of Love and Falling and he won a Best Pop Instrumental Grammy in 2008. The movie maverick also owns his own label - David Lynch MC.

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Actress BLAKE LIVELY shunned a string of lucrative fashion deals after shooting to fame on hit TV drama GOSSIP GIRL, because she only ever wanted to represent luxury designer Chanel.
The star has become one to watch on red carpets since landing a role in the teen series in 2007, and her sharp style recently caught the eye of legendary fashion guru Karl Lagerfeld, who signed her as the face of Chanel’s Mademoiselle handbag line earlier this year (11).
Lively admits it is a dream come true to work for Chanel and she still can’t believe her luck - especially after being the guest of honour at two special dinners held by Chanel in New York and Paris, France last week (ends06Mar11).
She tells the New York Times, "I was just having a conversation and I looked down and saw, ‘Chanel: Dinner in Honor of Blake Lively’. It’s crazy.
"I had other opportunities and I would say, ‘Thank you so much, but I am holding out for Chanel’. That’s who I want to be the face of." The Chanel deal isn’t Lively’s only fashion achievement - famed footwear designer Christian Louboutin named a shoe after the star last year (10).

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British actor COLIN FIRTH is set to sink his teeth into a vampire role in his first film since winning an Oscar last month (Feb11).
The star has signed on to play a bloodsucker in the movie Stoker, alongside Nicole Kidman and Alice in Wonderland actress Mia Wasikowska, according to Britain’s The Daily Mail.
The new role is remarkably different from the actor’s most recent performance in The King’s Speech, in which he played stuttering royal King George VI.
Screenwriter Wentworth Miller reveals the title of the movie is a nod to Bram Stoker’s film Dracula.
He says, "It’s got a lot of elements of the Dracula mythology in its story… It’s not a vampire story. It’s not about vampires at least with the teeth and the desire to suck your blood but it is a thriller and it is about an individual who preys on the innocent."

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SERENA WILLIAMS feared the worst when she was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery last week (begs28Feb11), because the tennis superstar was convinced the haematoma was "something else".
The sports star went under the knife at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on 28 February (11) after a haemorrhage caused a pooling of blood in her stomach.
The medical drama occurred a week after she was treated for a blood clot in her lungs, stemming from a foot injury sustained last summer (10).
Williams admits her latest health scare had her wracked with nerves.
Appearing on America’s Today show on Wednesday (09Mar11), she says, "I developed a large haematoma in my stomach, and I was really nervous because I thought it was something else…
"What started out as a golf ball ended up the size of a great (mass) in my stomach, so I had to get a drain and when I got there (to the hospital) they said they couldn’t drain it and had to surgically remove it." And Williams reveals her health troubles are far from over: "I still have several clots in my lung and they’re just there, they have to eventually dissolve, so I’m just taking it one day at a time. My lungs are fairly healthy, and (I’m) just on the road to recovery." The tennis player, 29, has been on hiatus since hurting her foot last year (10). She aims to be back on the court by this summer (11).

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MEL GIBSON has struck a plea deal with Los Angeles prosecutors to keep him out of jail over allegations of domestic assault.
The actor was expected to be hit with misdemeanour domestic violence charges this week (begs07Mar11), relating to accusations filed by his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva following their bitter split last year (10).
The former couple has been locked in a war of words over custody of its baby daughter Lucia, with the Russian singer accusing Gibson of attacking her during a heated argument in January, 2010.
But Gibson has now reached an agreement with prosecutors - he will appear in court on Friday (11Mar11) and plead no contest to the lesser charge of simple battery, instead of corporal injury on a spouse.
According to TMZ.com, the actor will only be required to undergo counselling sessions and will not spend time behind bars.
In a statement, his lawyer Blair Berk says, "Mel’s priority throughout all of this has been that the best interests of his young daughter Lucia and the rest of his children be put first in any decisions made. It is with only that in mind that he asked me to approach the District Attorney with a proposal that would bring all of this to an immediate end." Gibson separated from his wife of 26 years, Robyn, in 2006 and she filed for divorce in 2009. They have seven children together.
The embattled actor travelled to Guatemala on Tuesday (08Mar11) for a charity trip, but is expected to return to California in time for Friday’s (11Mar11) court date.
Meanwhile, in related Gibson legal news, officials are still investigating and extortion case involving Gibson and Grigorieva. The movie star claims his ex attempted to extort money out of him by recording an angry Gibson hurling abuse at her in a 2010 phone call.
The tape was leaked to the media. Grigorieva maintains she did not leak the recording.

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