Sheryl Crow, Eric Clapton, Vince Gill, and Albert Lee once shared the stage for an unforgettable live performance of “Tulsa Time,” a classic country-rock song originally made famous by Don Williams. This all-star lineup delivered a powerful and fun version of the track during a special event, showcasing each artist’s unique talent. Sheryl Crow added her soulful vocals and rhythm guitar, while Eric Clapton brought his legendary bluesy guitar licks and smooth voice.
Vince Gill impressed the crowd with his rich harmonies and clean, country-style guitar picking, and Albert Lee, known for his lightning-fast fingerpicking, stole the spotlight with his signature Telecaster solo. Their chemistry was electric, blending country, rock, and blues into one energetic jam. The crowd clapped and sang along, especially during the chorus, “I’m living on Tulsa time,” turning the performance into a true celebration of musical friendship and talent.
Sheryl Crow, the nine-time Grammy-winning rock icon behind ’90s anthems like “All I Wanna Do,” Eric Clapton, the blues-rock legend known for “Layla” and 17 Grammys, Vince Gill, the country virtuoso with 22 Grammys and timeless ballads like “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” and Albert Lee, the guitar maestro celebrated for his fiery pickin’ in Emmylou Harris’s band, all share a rhythmic bond through “Tulsa Time.” Originally a 1978 country hit by Don Williams, the song became a live staple for Clapton, who infused it with bluesy grit, often joined by Lee’s lightning-fast licks during concerts.
Crow and Gill, blending rock and country roots, have teamed up with these guitar greats at events like Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, where their collaborative jam sessions on “Tulsa Time” turned the ode to laid-back living into a cross-genre celebration. From Crow’s raspy charm to Gill’s velvet vocals, Clapton’s riffs, and Lee’s fingerstyle fireworks, their renditions highlight how a simple tune can unite legends, bridging rock, blues, and country in one timeless groove.
J.J. Cale, the laid-back Oklahoma-born songwriter and guitar slinger, was the mastermind behind two of Eric Clapton’s most iconic covers—”After Midnight” and “Call Me the Breeze.” Cale’s original 1966 version of “After Midnight” was a smooth, jazzy shuffle, but when Clapton recorded it in 1970 for his debut solo album, he transformed it into a fiery blues-rock anthem, featuring his searing guitar licks and a punchy horn section—it became Clapton’s first major solo hit. Years later, Cale’s influence struck again when Clapton covered “Call Me the Breeze” (from Cale’s 1971 album Naturally) on his 2006 album The Road to Escondido, a full collaboration with Cale himself.
The song—a breezy, fingerpicked groove with Cale’s trademark relaxed vocals—was given new life with Clapton’s polished blues touch, showcasing their mutual admiration. Cale’s understated genius (often called the “father of the Tulsa sound”) shaped Clapton’s career, proving that sometimes the quietest songwriters make the loudest impact. Clapton once said, “J.J. was the best.”—and these timeless tracks prove why.