>>>>I'm just saying that not all of his contemporaries were in awe. <<<<

Really?  Hmm, could have fooled me. After Jimi jammed with Cream, Eric said to Chas "You could have told me he was THAT fucking good".  Then we have Pete Townshend following Jim from club to club, completely in awe. Throw in Jeff Beck, John Lennon, Paul McCartney,  the rest of the Who, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd (especially Syd) - who the hell is left of his contemporaries in London? 

Once he hit the states, add Neil Young, Frank Zappa, Stephen Stills, the Grateful Dead, Michael Bloomfield (who actually was blown away by Hendrix BEFORE he was a star), and on and on and on... Clapton may have said that in a moment of envy and frustation, but every interview I've read with Eric when he talks about Jimi, it's about the amazing talent he had.