J.J. Cale Dies of Heart Attack at Age 74

The musician passed away on Friday, July 26 at
Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, California where he
had been rushed.
Grammy Award-
winning
musician J.J.
Cale, known for
being one of the
creators of the
Tulsa Sound,
passed away on
Friday, July 26 at
the age of 74. As
told by his
manager Mike
Kappus, the
legendary
musician died at
the Scripps
Hospital in La Jolla, California where he had
been rushed following a heart attack.
Cale leaves a legacy of songs that became hits
for other renowned artist as Eric Clapton
("After Midnight" and "Cocaine") and Lynyrd
Skynyrd ("Call Me the Breeze"). Other rockers
that have cited him as an influence in their
music and successful careers include Neil
Young , Tom Petty , Johnny Cash , Carlos
Santana , Bryan Perry, Mark Knopfler and The
Allman Brothers Band .
Although his personal popularity never rose to
the level of those artists who admired him,
having "avoided the spotlight at all costs," as
Kappus described him, he will forever be
remembered as the genius that helped shape
the success of others. One of those artists is of
course Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Clapton,
whose remarkable career is marked by Cale's
work, including a Best Contemporary Blues
Album win in the Grammys back in 2006 for
the album " The Road to Escondido ".
Cale, who had said "it doesn't bother me" that
his name may not be as recognizable as his
songs, acknowledged Clapton for making hits
out of them, saying, "I'd probably be selling
shoes today if it wasn't for Eric." Clapton
saluted Cale upon his death, writing on his
Facebook page, "We've lost a great artist and a
great person."