J. J. Cale Quotes

In most of the stuff that I've done over the years as a sideman, I wasn't really a session musician, because to me, a session musician is a guy who makes his living in the studio, and I never really did that.

When I was 15 I became a full-time singer in a band. At 18 I made my first record.

I came to L.A. in 1970, and my desire and my training was to be a studio musician, which I had read about in my senior year in high school.

My earliest professional musical experiences were really as a session player, and every day was an adventure. Three sessions a day, every day, and you never knew who you would be working with until you arrived at the studio.

My first album didn't come out until I was 26.

I never set out to be a rock star, I set out to be a working musician.

I was a hired drummer for 3 Doors; there wasn't an opportunity for me to write.

I have started to record some demos so hopefully in the near future I can play live.

I write songs. Then, I record them. And, later, maybe I perform them on stage. That's what I do. That's my job. Simple.

I knew that going on 'One Tree Hill' was going to be an incredible vehicle for the record. What is amazing about it is that my role on the show is, you know, basically playing a musician, and all the songs she plays are off my record.

I was king of the mountain for a long time, well, I don't want that no more. I like to perform every once in a while for people who want to see me, and cut albums of music that is what I'm really about.

I played drums on Keith Carradine's first record.

I'm still shocked when people say, 'You haven't done a studio record in 20 years.' I try to make excuses for it, but the truth is I just wasn't with it.

It would be a dream come true if I could just go from studio to studio and play solos.

I didn't make a solo album until the year 2000.

I had a long, long time to make 'Rubberband,' and I originally thought that that record would last two years. Once I got over realizing that that's not gonna happen, and sort of got my perspective back, I realized, 'Man I'm really fortunate. I get to write music, make music for a living.'

I want to do musician things and start making this my life. I want to learn - there's so much I have to learn about what it takes to be a recording artist, about what it takes to go on tour. I want to take this time and be a sponge and start meeting people and start - just start.

I've been playing since I was a teenager, and I put out a few albums when I was younger. When 'Crazy Heart' took off, it gave me another reason to get into music in a more serious fashion.

I put out an album once every four or five years and it's kind of like starting over every time.

I always wanted to be a singer first.

As long as I can write songs, make a record and do concerts, I'm really quite happy.

Apart from being a playback singer for films, I'm also an independent musician.

My first album was called 'Badlands,' and it's something that I think I'm most proud of having done in my life.

As a session player for so many years, I have found myself in rooms looking around going, 'Is this for real?'

I never expected to make a lot of money from music.