J. J. Cale

J J Cale passed away.

You may not know the man but you have heard his music on the radio.  One of the most laid back and soft spoken of all musicians,  his music has been covered by many many artists and bands.  Eric Clapton owes him big time for the big hits of After Midnight and Cocaine.  Eric's version of Midnight the uptempo party tune, but the original is laid back goodness.  J J also was one of the first to use a rhythm machine for his songs Call Me The Breeze and Crazy Mama, the latter getting some AM airplay as well.  But perhaps JJ will forever be remembered for Cocaine, whose simple two note riff has made it the second most requested song for bar bands starting out in shady bars next to Free Bird.

The originator of the Tulsa Sound, a laid back combo of rock, blues, country and jazz, John Weldon Cale changed his name to J J to avoid confusion with the Velvet Underground John Cale he recorded for up and coming Shelter label (which somehow his albums got released under MCA then Mercury soon after). Never in a hurry to record new music (he only did five albums in the past twenty) he would later record for Slivertone, Virgin, Sanctuary and Rounder and who do an album with Eric Clapton in 2006 which was well received.  He does appear on one track on Eric's Old Sock album.  Strange to know that in his laid back ways, he ended up having a heart attack and departing from this world at age 74.