The Road to Escondido - Drummerszone

The Road to Escondido

album 2006

Surfdog Records

release notes

The Road to Escondido is a collaborative studio album by J. J. Cale and Eric Clapton. It was released on 7 November 2006. Contained on this album are the final recordings of keyboardist Billy Preston. The album is jointly dedicated to Preston and Brian Roylance.

In 2004, Eric Clapton held the Crossroads Guitar Festival, a three-day festival in Dallas, Texas. Among the performers was J. J. Cale, giving 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, Derek Trucks, Taj Mahal, Pino Palladino, John Mayer, Steve Jordan, and Doyle Bramhall II. In a coup, whether intended or not, the entire John Mayer Trio participated on this album in one capacity or another.

Escondido is a city in San Diego County near Cale's home at the time located in the small, unincorporated town of Valley Center, California. Eric Clapton owned a mansion in Escondido in the 1980s and early '90s. The road referenced in the album's title is named Valley Center Road. It runs from Valley Center to Escondido. Cale and Clapton thought it would be a good name for the album because it connected the two locales.

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

J. J. Cale – vocals, keyboards, guitars
Eric Clapton – vocals, guitars
Billy Preston – Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond organ
Walt Richmond – acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer electric piano
Doyle Bramhall II – guitars
Christine Lakeland – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Albert Lee – guitars
John Mayer – guitars
Derek Trucks – guitars
Nathan East – bass
Gary Gilmore – bass
Pino Palladino – bass
Willie Weeks – bass
James Cruce – drums, percussion
Steve Jordan – drums
Jim Karstein – drums, percussion
Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums
Simon Climie – percussion, programming
David Teegarden – percussion
Taj Mahal – harmonica
Dennis Caplinger – fiddle
Marty Grebb – horns
Jerry Peterson – horns
Bruce Fowler – horns
Steve Madaio – horns

In Memory of Billy Preston & Brian Roylance
Manufactured in the E.U.
Issued in a standard jewel case, transparent tray, with a 12-page full colour booklet.
Some copies came with a hype sticker with the text "The new album The Road To Escondido. The first-time collaboration from two guitar greats on one album. Includes Ride The River and Danger. 9362-44418-2".

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