Playing with J. J. Cale - Columbus, OH
_Back around 1993 I had this gig opening for JJ Cale out in Columbus Ohio. In case you may not recognize his name, this was the dude that wrote 'After Midnight' and 'Cocaine' of which Eric Clapton went on to record, thus literally filling JJ Cale's camper with hundred dollar bills in royalties.
JJ still continues to write, record and perform his songs, preferring to travel around the country in a small 2 axle mini-camper because he hates tour buses.
This was how the conversation went backstage after I did my set:
Cale: Nice picking man. Say, how'd you'd like to come out on stage with me and the band and sit in on a number?
Walker: Sure. Which one?
Cale: I don't know yet. But you'll catch on.
At this point the MC is announcing the JJ Cale's band and they proceed to walk out on the stage in front of an auditorium filled with about seven thousand people. Instead of joing his band mates on stage Cale was standing behind the curtain waiting and looking over in my direction.
Cale: Hey Toby, what are you waiting for? Let's go.
Walker: Oh, you want me to come on with you right now?
Cale: Sure, what the hell.
Geez... usually when someone asks you to 'sit in' it's normally for a song or two. He had me play the ENTIRE night with him!!! And I only knew a couple of hsi songs.
'Sitting in with the JJ Cale band for a 'number' actually involved playing the entire evening with his band as a lead guitarist. Mind you I only knew a few of his 'hits.' So imagine my anxiety up there 'winging it' with the rest of his material. During one song I had no idea what the chord progression was. I only knew it was in the key of D minor. So I'm noodling around with this little groove lick when all of a sudden Cale motions for me to take a solo. What else was I going to do? Saying to myself 'What could I lose' I just hammered it in that key as hard and furious as I could. Adding to the confusion, I distinctly remembering losing my place with the beat as well. To my complete surprise the audience started to applaud and even cheer while Cale gave me a approving little wink. To this day I had no idea what the hell I played that night.
JJ still continues to write, record and perform his songs, preferring to travel around the country in a small 2 axle mini-camper because he hates tour buses.
This was how the conversation went backstage after I did my set:
Cale: Nice picking man. Say, how'd you'd like to come out on stage with me and the band and sit in on a number?
Walker: Sure. Which one?
Cale: I don't know yet. But you'll catch on.
At this point the MC is announcing the JJ Cale's band and they proceed to walk out on the stage in front of an auditorium filled with about seven thousand people. Instead of joing his band mates on stage Cale was standing behind the curtain waiting and looking over in my direction.
Cale: Hey Toby, what are you waiting for? Let's go.
Walker: Oh, you want me to come on with you right now?
Cale: Sure, what the hell.
Geez... usually when someone asks you to 'sit in' it's normally for a song or two. He had me play the ENTIRE night with him!!! And I only knew a couple of hsi songs.
'Sitting in with the JJ Cale band for a 'number' actually involved playing the entire evening with his band as a lead guitarist. Mind you I only knew a few of his 'hits.' So imagine my anxiety up there 'winging it' with the rest of his material. During one song I had no idea what the chord progression was. I only knew it was in the key of D minor. So I'm noodling around with this little groove lick when all of a sudden Cale motions for me to take a solo. What else was I going to do? Saying to myself 'What could I lose' I just hammered it in that key as hard and furious as I could. Adding to the confusion, I distinctly remembering losing my place with the beat as well. To my complete surprise the audience started to applaud and even cheer while Cale gave me a approving little wink. To this day I had no idea what the hell I played that night.