Naturally is the debut album

Album

An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...

 by J. J. Cale. First released in 1972, it includes his song "After Midnight" which was first recorded by Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...

 in 1970.

Cale, who was languishing in obscurity at the time, had no knowledge of Clapton's recording of "After Midnight" until it became a radio hit in 1970. Cale's friend and producer, Audie Ashworth, encouraged Cale to record a full album in order to capitalize on the success of his song. Naturally was recorded independently, "on spec", the musicians being paid demo fees. Some songs, such as "Call Me the Breeze

Call Me the Breeze

"Call Me the Breeze" is a song by J. J. Cale. It first appeared on his 1971 debut album, Naturally, as the opening track. The song consists of a 12-bar blues guitar shuffle over the backing of a primitive drum machine...

", were recorded with primitive drum machine accompaniment and sound almost like demos.

The album showcased Cale's distinctive, understated style, and it successfully established his solo recording career which continues to the present day. The album was originally released on Leon Russell's "Shelter" label, spawning the 1972 hits "Crazy Mama" (Billboard Hot 100 #22- his only Top 40 hit ) and "After Midnight" (#42) as well as turntable hits "Bringing it Back" (recorded by Kansas in their first album), "Call Me the Breeze" (later recorded by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...

) and "Clyde" (later recorded by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, and a 1980 country hit for Waylon Jennings

Waylon Jennings

Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...

).

Track listing

All tracks written by JJ Cale, except where noted

1. "Call Me the Breeze
   Call Me the Breeze
   "Call Me the Breeze" is a song by J. J. Cale. It first appeared on his 1971 debut album, Naturally, as the opening track. The song consists of a 12-bar blues guitar shuffle over the backing of a primitive drum machine...
   
   " – 2:35
2. "Call the Doctor" – 2:26
3. "Don't Go To Strangers" – 2:22
4. "Woman I Love" – 2:36
5. "Magnolia" – 3:23
6. "Clyde
   Clyde (song)
   "Clyde" is a single written by JJ Cale and covered American country music artist Waylon Jennings. Released in April 1980, it was the first single from his album Music Man. The song reached #7 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and #1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.-Chart...
   
   " (C. W. Beavers, J.J. Cale) – 2:29
7. "Crazy Mama" – 2:22
8. "Nowhere to Run" – 2:26
9. "After Midnight" – 2:23
10. "River Runs Deep" – 2:42
11. "Bringing It Back" – 2:44
12. "Crying Eyes" – 3:13

Personnel

• JJ Cale - Guitar, vocals
• Karl Himmel - Drums
• Chuck Browning - Drums
• Tim Drummond
  Tim Drummond
  Tim Drummond is an American bass guitarist who has toured and recorded with many notable artists including Conway Twitty, Bob Dylan, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, Ry Cooder, J. J. Cale, Lonnie Mack, Miles Davis, B.B...
  
   - Drums
• Carl Radle
  Carl Radle
  Carl Dean Radle was a bass guitarist who toured and recorded with many of the most influential recording artists of the late 1960s and 1970s...
  
   - Bass
• Norbert Putnam
  Norbert Putnam
  Norbert Putnam is an American record producer and musician. He grew up near Florence, Alabama and was part of the Muscle Shoals musicians brought to Nashville to play for Elvis Presley in 1965. Putnam worked there as a bassist on recording sessions with Presley, Roy Orbison, Al Hirt, Henry...
  
   - Bass
• Bob Wilson - Piano
• David Briggs
  David Briggs (American musician)
  David Briggs is an American keyboardist, record producer, arranger, composer and studio owner....
  
   - Piano, organ
• Jerry Whitehurst - Piano
• Weldon Myrick - Steel guitar
• Buddy Spicher
  Buddy Spicher
  Buddy Spicher is an American fiddle player.Spicher started in the late 50s as part of the backing band for Audrey Williams, the widow of Hank Williams, later with Hank Snow, the Charles River Valley Boys....
  
   - Fiddle
• Shorty Lavender - Fiddle
• Walter Hayness - Dobro
• Mac Gayden
  Mac Gayden
  McGavock Gayden better known as Mac Gayden born in Nashville, Tennessee is an American rock and country singer, songwriter, musician and producer. He is also president of Wild Child Records formed in 2004....
  
  - Slide guitar
• Ed Colis - Harmonica
• Diane Davidson - Backing vocals
• Cover artwork by Rabon link