Quotes from J. J. Cale

I was a studio engineer out in L.A. for about six or seven years, and I played sideman for different people, and played in bar bands. I was an old man of 32 when I made my first album.

Sometimes I make up songs, and they're just strictly fiction. Other times, I draw on things that have happened in my life or friends, women, all sorts of things.

I'm an electronic manipulator. Most people think J.J. Cale, he's organic. There ain't nothing organic about me.

I'm a recording studio guy, an engineer, a songwriter and a guitar player, in that order.

Makin' records is one art form and playin' live is another. It's like the difference between makin' a movie and doin' theatre.

Oh, I'm not a very good singer, and that's 'cause I was always embarrassed about my singing.

There are entertainers and there are musicians, and I never was an entertainer.

Yeah, Lynyrd Skynyrd, I knew all them guys.

The music is the same if you go all the way back to the first albums I made or the middle or whatever. The thing that's different is the lyrics.