Hello and welcome back to Anything Music! For this week’s post, I decided to delve into the story of an artist who flew under the public’s radar, though dropped the jaws of many musicians from his time. The man is JJ Cale, an incredibly talented singer-songwriter whose original style is praised by the likes of Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, John Mayer, and countless others whom Cale touched with his criminally underrated music.
John J. Cale, widely known as JJ Cale
Born on December 5th, 1938 in Oklahoma City, JJ Cale was encapsulated by music from a young age. His earliest influences were the likes of guitar visionary Les Paul, Rock & Roll star-boy Chuck Berry, and country-fingerstyle icon Chet Atkins. It was through attempted imitations of these artists that Cale would develop his unique, laid back “Tulsa Sound” that seamlessly blended rock, blues, folk, and country. Cale sowed the seeds of his future career through performances at local music clubs during the 1950s. After playing alongside the likes of Leon Russel and David Gates, Cale moved out to Los Angeles in the 1960s to further his career. It was in LA that Cale tracked “After Midnight,” his first of several iconic hits that he himself would not popularize. The song would instead gain traction as a cover by a young though established Eric Clapton, whose adaptation peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Charts in 1970. “After Midnight’s” success not only gave Clapton his first solo rock hit, but simultaneously propelled Cale’s career as a devout songwriter.
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Prior to Clapton’s rendition of “After Midnight,” a disillusioned Cale had briefly abandoned the record business and retired to local playing in Tulsa. The influence of Clapton according to Cale, however, “opened up a bunch of doors in Nashville and that’s when Naturally was done.” Naturally, Cale’s 1972 debut album, created shockwaves still felt today by artists reared in latter 2oth century music. The album achieved moderate success with the single “Crazy Mama” that broke the top 25 on the Billboard, though it was through other artists that Cale’s work would spread to millions -a trend that persisted throughout his career. Covers of Cale’s songs “Call Me the Breeze,” “Bringing it Back,” “Crazy Mama” and “Clyde” by established artists such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kansas, The Band, and Waylon Jennings spanned records and radio alike.
This trend of contemporaries adapting and praising Cale’s music helped seat Cale in his unique place in music history, though this fate was not a result of industry ignorance towards Cale. The truth behind his lack of recognition lies in an infamous reputation for declining lucrative opportunities, many of which from industry heads and influential figures that most budding artists could only dream of reaching. Prominent among the notorious refusals was a last minute cancellation of a performance on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. The tale, popularly retold by friend Danny Farrington, tells of Cale’s brief time on the set. Cale and his Oklahoma bandmates were set to perform “Crazy Mama,” though were told by one of Cale’s handle’s while setting up that they did not need to plug in anything because they only lip-sync. Despite pushback from Cale, insisting they would sound just as good as the record, the director insisted that they do not need their equipment, and that lip syncing to the record is how the show goes. Cale, in what was easily a defining moment, took the high road and decided to leave. As Cale and his bandmates were packing up and loading their truck, Dick Clark caught word of what was happening, and frantically intercepted them. Clark leveled with Cale, telling him that his appearance on the show would undoubtedly elevate the song on the charts, though Cale’s mind was not changed one iota. With gear and bandmates in tow, JJ Cale drove off.
A fascinating NYT Op-Doc about JJ Cale featuring Danny Farrington’s recollection of the American Bandstand story.
Cale never took on a life of music in pursuit of superficial trappings such as wealth, prestige, and prominence. He was incredibly determined to remain true to himself, and in turn, to the music he sought to create. One of the few lucrative offers Cale actually accepted was an invitation to play the Carnegie Hall in 1996. Naturally, what excited Cale was not the mere clout that many would undoubtedly long for, but the emotional allure of the lifetime opportunity. Cale was not only excited to be performing in such an esteemed venue with an intimate musical atmosphere, but he was also elated to be playing with his friends once again. This high profile move, however, was still an anomaly in Cale’s persistent shunning of pop-culture fame in the U.S. Nonetheless, this neglect helped spawn a strong fanbase in Europe. Despite only performing twice in the continent over the course of four decades (to the dismay of those who offered countless more gigs), Cale still sold out shows, most notably in London during a three-night show that sold out around 10,000 tickets. It was this trade off of promising, career expanding opportunities for a life of simplicity on his own terms that Cale seemingly made without hesitation. For Cale, the choice was clear – the music is what mattered most.
Cale performing his enduring “Call Me the Breeze” at the Carnegie Hall
Towards the end of his life, Cale remained true to himself and continued to make the music he was meant to make. In 2006, JJ Cale collaborated with the artist whom he had the most profound impact on – Eric Clapton. Cale, who had given hits such as the aforementioned “After Midnight,” as well as the very popular “Cocaine” to Clapton, was finally going to work directly with him on a project. The combined talent produced The Road to Escondido, which quickly attracted critical acclaim. Cale won not only his first Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album, but his first RIAA Certified Gold Award, following sales of over 500,000 units. Not before additional collaborative work on Clapton’s own albums and elsewhere, Cale’s fulfilled life in music would come to a close in July of 2013, leaving behind a fanbase of avid listeners and talented artists alike.
Some of his last – though among his most successful – work
Two years prior to their collaboration, the two performed together at the 2004 Crossroads Guitar Festival
Following his death, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, John Mayer, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Albert Lee and many others came together to create The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale. Named after his single popularized by Lynyrd Skynryd, “Call Me The Breeze,” the album featured renditions of Cale’s music, both released and unreleased material. The incredibly sensitive album was wildly popular at the outset, peaking in the top five in various European countries where loyal fans remained, as well as at number two on the U.S. charts. Amidst emotional tracks, a particularly special moment on the album occurred during the performance of its namesake by Clapton and Albert Lee. Not only did Clapton make “Call Me the Breeze” the lead track, but cleverly chose to use the original count-in recording of Cale from the 70’s as the lead in to Clapton and Lee’s rendition. Given this, it’s no surprise that in a sea of artists moved and inspired by Cale’s work, Clapton stands out. He most notably stated that “making this record was a way for me to say thank you for all the inspiration over the years. I suppose at some point I started to feel mildly outraged that he hadn’t got the recognition that, at least I thought, he should have had.”
With a cover art as moving as the music, The Breeze was a lovely send off.
JJ Cale lived the full life of a true-blue musician. He sacrificed the spotlight he could have easily had in an exchange for the life most long for – one of self-fulfillment and content. Uncomfortable with public acclaim and unconcerned with achieving commercial success, Cale was able to dedicate himself completely to the crafts of songwriting, and thus achieved an iconic status among a wide array of esteemed musicians. He is a strong foundation for the argument that simply because an artist is not at the forefront of tabloids, charts, or media, it does not always mean that they are lesser than their counterparts. In fact, many of those who did reach such stature that were influenced by his work regard Cale as a coveted figure, with Neil Young even comparing him to Jimi Hendrix as among the greatest of all time. At its essence, music is not entirely defined by its placing in a popularity contest. Rather, it is defined by its ability to transcend the record and take you somewhere. JJ Cale had set out to do one thing – just that.
A personal favorite from the commemorative album. Clapton in an interview about the album said that John Mayer “is a master” who Clapton thinks “doesn’t even know how good he is.”