Winwood and Clapton crossed musical paths in 1969 with the formation of Blind Faith, a group that pioneered the fusion of rock and blues into tremendous studio and stage success. Despite critical and popular acclaim, the band was short-lived with only one album and a brief 1969 tour that debuted July 12 at Madison Square Garden and ended August 24 in Hawaii. Since then, Winwood and Clapton have remained friends but have only performed together a few times over the years for an occasional song at a charity event. The 2008 Madison Square Garden shows were the first full Winwood-Clapton concerts in almost 40 years.