The Road to Escondido

Infobox Album |
Name = The Road to Escondido
Type = Album
Artist = J. J. Cale & Eric Clapton


Released = November 7, 2006
Recorded = August 2005
Genre = Rock
Length = 57:05
Label = Reprise
Producer = J.J. Cale, Eric Clapton
Reviews =*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:z2se4j578wav link]
*Music Box Rating|4|5 [http://www.musicbox-online.com/reviews-2006/cale-clapton-roadtoescondido.html link]
*Twisted Ear Rating|2.5|5 [http://www.twistedear.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=403&Itemid=31 link]
* [http://www.honesttune.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/ Honest Tune] [http://www.honesttune.com/content/view/284/27/ link] Extra chronology 2
Artist = Eric Clapton
Type = studio
Last album = "Back Home"
(2005)
This album = "The Road to Escondido"
(2006)
Next album = "Complete Clapton"
(2007)
Chronology = J.J. Cale
Last album = "To Tulsa and Back"
(2004)
This album = "The Road to Escondido"
(2006)
Next album = ""
(2007)

"The Road to Escondido" is an album by J. J. Cale and Eric Clapton. It was released on November 7, 2006. Contained on this album are the final recordings of Billy Preston, to whom the album is dedicated.

In 2004, Eric Clapton held a three day festival in Dallas, Texas. It was called The Crossroads Guitar Festival, and featured J.J. Cale. This gave Clapton the opportunity to ask Cale to produce an album for him. The two started working together and eventually decided to record an album. A number of high profile musicians also agreed to work on the album, including Billy Preston, Pino Palladino, Derek Trucks, Taj Mahal, John Mayer, and Doyle Bramhall II.

Escondido is a city near Cale's hometown of Valley Center, California. Though it is named Escondido, the album title actually references Valley Center.

The album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2008.

Track listing

All songs by J. J. Cale except where noted.

# "Danger" - 5:34
# "Heads in Georgia" - 4:12
# "Missing Person" - 4:26
# "When This War Is Over" - 3:49
# "Sporting Life Blues" (Brownie McGhee) - 3:31
# "Dead End Road" - 3:30
# "It's Easy" - 4:19
# "Hard to Thrill" (Eric Clapton/John Mayer) - 5:11
# "Anyway the Wind Blows" - 3:56
# "Three Little Girls" (Eric Clapton) - 2:44
# "Don't Cry Sister" - 3:10
# "Last Will and Testament" - 3:57
# "Who Am I Telling You" - 4:08
# "Ride the River" - 4:35

Personnel

*J.J. Cale: Guitars, keyboards, vocals.
*Eric Clapton: Guitars, vocals.

*Derek Trucks: Guitar.
*Jim Karstein: Drums, percussion.
*James Cruce: Drums, Percussion.
*Steve Jordan: Drums.
*Abraham Laboriel Jr.: Drums.
*Gary Gilmore: Bass guitar.
*Willie Weeks: Bass guitar.
*Nathan East: Bass guitar.
*Pino Palladino: Bass guitar.
*Billy Preston: Hammond Organ, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer.
*Walt Richmond: Piano.
*Doyle Bramhall II: Guitar.
*John Mayer: Guitar.
*Albert Lee: Guitar.
*Christine Lakeland: Guitar, vocals.
*Simon Climie: Percussion.
*David Teegarden: Percussion.
*Taj Mahal: Harmonica.
*Dennis Caplinger: Fiddle.
*Bruce Fowler: Horns.
*Marty Grebb: Horns.
*Steve Madaio: Horns.
*Jerry Peterson: Horns.

Production

*Eric Clapton: Producer, Concept.
*Simon Climie: Programming, Producer, Digital Editing.
*Alan Douglas: Engineer.
*Bob Ludwig: Mastering.
*Mike Kappus: Management.
*Lee Dickson: Guitar Technician.
*Catherine Roylance: Art Direction.
*Joel Evenden: Digital Editing.
*Nigel Carroll: Personal Assistant.

External links

* [http://www.jjcale.com J.J. Cale official website]
* [http://www.ericclapton.com/ Eric Clapton official website]
* [http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/002511.html Review on "Modern Guitars" Magazine]