His soft-spoken vocals and smooth, feather-touch solos were an enormous influence on Mark Knopfler, making it impossible to hear J.J. Cale and not be reminded of Dire Straits. Cale’s songs helped launch Eric Clapton’s solo career, as he graciously rode “After Midnight” and “Cocaine” to far greater acclaim than Cale is ever likely to see. Lynyrd Skynyrd also made a hit out of “Call Me the Breeze,” just one of dozens of artists–from Bryan Ferry to Spiritualized to Johnny Cash–who have covered Cale. The royalty checks are probably nice, but it’s a shame more people haven’t picked up on Cale’s supple, low-key, folk-blues style. Tickets are $25 in advance. 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show.
