J. J. Cale 1938-2013

Singer-guitarist-songwriter J. J. Cale, whose songs have been covered by a variety of rock and country musicians, passed away yesterday at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California at the age of 74, after suffering a heart attack.  Born John Weldon Cale in Oklahoma City, he would combine rock, country, jazz and blues influences to pioneer a style known as the "Tulsa Sound".  He adopted the knickname "J. J." to avoid confusion with John Cale of the Velvet Underground.

Read more at the Los Angeles Times, CNN, UT San Diego, USA Today, Classic Rock and Where's Eric.

Speaking of Eric, one of Cale's songs famously covered by Eric Clapton is Cocaine.

Clapton covered After Midnight in two different arrangements.  I think the slower second one was used in a beer commercial.  Here's Cale's original version:

For their Second Helping album, Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded Cale's Call Me The Breeze.

To close, this is Crazy Mama, the only J. J. Cale song I remember as an original version: