Eric Clapton And J.J. Cale Team Up On The Road To Escondido

Eric Clapton paid tribute to blues legend Robert Johnson on 2004's Me And Mr. Johnson album, and he'll do something similar with J.J. Cale on his forthcoming Reprise album.

The 14-track The Road To Escondido features 11 songs written by Cale, who previously penned two of Clapton's biggest hits, "After Midnight" and "Cocaine." The two men decided to collaborate on an album for the first time after performing together two years ago at the Crossroads guitar festival in Dallas, Texas.

Clapton and the reclusive Cale jointly produced and recorded the album — which covers the musical spectrum of blues, rock, country and folk — and each of them play guitar and sing throughout it.

Clapton, the only triple inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, had this to say about his collaboration with Cale in his online fan club magazine:

"This was the realization of what may have been my last ambition, to work with the man who's music has inspired me for as long as I can remember, there are not enough words for me to describe what he represents to me, musically and personally, and anyway I wouldn't want to embarrass him by going overboard, for he is a truly humble man.....I think it's enough to say that we had fun, made a great record, and I for one already want to make another."

Clapton wrote "Three Little Girls" for the album, they cover the blues classic "Sporting Life Blues," and John Mayer wrote "Hard To Thrill." Mayer also plays on the record, as do Taj Mahal, Derek Trucks, Albert Lee, Doyle Bramhall III, Steve Jordan and Billy Preston, who donated his keyboard talents to the project before passing away earlier this year.

Clapton has been touring this fall and played Toronto's Air Canada Centre on Sept. 24.

Here are songs to listen to on The Road To Escondido:

"Danger"
"Heads In Georgia"
"Missing Person"
"When This War Is Over"
"Sporting Life Blues"
"Dead End Road"
"It's Easy"
"Hard To Thrill"
"Anyway The Wind Blows"
"Three Little Girls"
"Don't Cry Sister"
"Last Will And Testament"
"Who Am I Telling You"
"Ride The River"