The first posthumous compilation album of new recordings from the late JJ Cale is set to arrive later this year. Titled, Stay Around, the forthcoming album will feature 15 previously-unreleased original songs (and one cover) when it arrives on April 26th via Because Music.
Stay Around will be the first posthumous album release from the Cale estate since the guitarist/singer died at the age of 74 in July 2013. The 15 tracks to be featured on the album were reportedly compiled by Cale’s widow, Christine Lakeland Cale, with assistance from his longtime manager, Mike Kappus. All 15 recordings on the album have never been released, and were written by Cale with the exception of a song called, “My Baby Blues”, which was penned by Lakeland Cale (recorded with JJ) back in 1977, the year they met. According to his widow, “My Baby Blues” should help to bring “everything full-circle.”
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“‘Roll On’, the title track of Cale’s last studio album, was 34 years old,” Kappus mentioned in a statement about his old recordings. “He would burn me CDs of demos, and one time I said, ‘You’ve got two good albums on here.’ Some of the tracks had detailed information, some of them had nothing. Some songs might be a full band of his buddies, others were him playing everything. These were songs he really did intend to do something with because they were carried to his typical level of production for release.”
The forthcoming album’s lead single, “Chasing You”, was released back on January 31st. The road trip-worthy single was written in JJ Cale’s living room with the band set up while rehearsing for his 2009 tour. Fans can listen to the song via its new music video below–which even features Cale himself as viewers are taken on a journey through cities across America while on tour with the famous rock guitarist back when he was still alive.
JJ Cale – Chasing You
[Video: JJ Cale]
Fans can click here for more information on how to purchase Stay Around ahead of its April 26th release.
JJ Cale – Stay Around
[H/T GuitarWorld]