JJ Cale, who wrote Clapton’s ‘After Midnight,’ ‘Cocaine,’ dies

LA JOLLA, CALIF.—Grammy-winning musician J.J. Cale, whose best-known songs “After Midnight” and “Cocaine” became hits for Eric Clapton and “Call Me the Breeze” for Lynyrd Skynyrd, has died. He was 74.

The news was broken on Cale’s Facebook page. His official website has also been updated to say the singer and guitarist died Friday at Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., after a heart attack.

Born in Oklahoma City, Cale migrated to Los Angeles in the 1960s and flourished in the music scene there, developing what became known as the “Tulsa Sound” with fellow Oklahomans pianist Leon Russell and bassist Carl Radle.

Cale was a former member of the Grand Ole Opry touring company and worked with acts such as Delaney & Bonnie before starting a solo career. He cut a wide path through 1970s rock ’n’ roll, influencing some of the most famous musicians at the time with songs that were laid-back and mellow yet imbued with a driving groove.

He was a major influence on both Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits and Clapton but never rose to the level of success of his admirers.

“Basically, I’m just a guitar player that figured out I wasn’t ever gonna be able to buy dinner with my guitar playing,” Cale told an interviewer for his official biography. “So I got into songwriting, which is a little more profitable business.”

His albums were a laid-back blend of country, rock, blues and folk. Okie in 1974 and its follow-up, Troubadour, were considered his peak performances.

Cale was an understated figure whose Twitter account followed nobody and had only 880 followers. His handle was @slowerbaby and his sole post, in 2009, simply said “I make rock n roll records.”

He was a guitar player who avoided flashiness and yet played some outstanding rock solos, especially when duelling with his friend Clapton.

He won a Grammy award in 2008 for The Road to Escondido, which he recorded with Eric Clapton and the late keyboardist Billy Preston and now serves as a good way to remember Cale’s musicianship.

Cale’s website says that no services are planned.

“Donations are not needed,” it says, “but he was a great lover of animals so, if you like, you can remember him with a donation to your favourite local animal shelter.” source: thestar

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