Personnel: J.J. Cale (vocals, guitar); Mac Gayden, Reggie Young, Paul Davis, Grady Martin, Harold Bradley (guitar); Weldon Myrick (steel guitar); Billy Pruett (saxophone); George Tidwell (trumpet); Dennis Goode (trombone); Red Spivey, Jerry Smith, Pig Robbins (piano); Beegie Cruzer, Jerry Whitehurst (keyboards); Mike Leech, Tommy Cogbill, Tim Drummond, Joel Green (bass); Kenny Malone, Karl Himmel, Terry Perkins (drums); Farrell Morris (percussion).

Engineers include: Joe Mills, Rick Horton, Audie Ashworth.

Recorded in Tennessee in 1973.

Along with J.J. Cale's debut NATURALLY and his sophomore release REALLY, OKIE completely laid the groundwork for everything Cale was to do in the decades following its release. The songs are all sturdily built, lyrically succinct, utilize the barest minimum of chords, and are powered by infectious and slinky laid-back grooves. In lesser hands this approach could be indulgent or boring, but Cale is a master songsmith. The almost offhand ease of his music belies the high level of artistry involved.

The rhythmic foundation, with drummer Karl Himmel and bassist Joel Green, is the heart and center of the whole album, and consequentially there's a wonderfully unified feel here. This is a collection of beautiful minimalism--there's not an extraneous note or beat anywhere. Among the many memorable songs are the debuts of two Cale classics, "Crying," and "I Got the Same Old Blues."