J. J. Cale

John Weldon Cale was born December 5, 1938, and spent his career carving out what became the Tulsa sound: a loose, lived-in blend of blues, rockabilly, country, and jazz. His laconic delivery and shuffling boogie rhythm never changed much, and he liked it that way. While he avoided the limelight, his work caught the ear of Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, Waylon Jennings, and especially Eric Clapton, who would later call him one of rock's most important figures. In 2008, the two shared a Grammy for The Road to Escondido. Cale died July 26, 2013, having spent decades proving you don't need to chase f…