Grammy-Award Winning Musician JJ Cale Dies of a Heart Attack at 74

July 27, 2013— -- JJ Cale, the renowned songwriter behind classic rock hits like Eric Clapton's "After Midnight" and Lynyrd Synyrd's "Call Me the Breeze," has died of a heart attack.

Cale passed away Friday evening at Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., according to his website. He was 74.

The Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter and Oklahoma native made his indelible mark on the 1970s music scene writing with his unique sound. Throughout his career, he continued to write songs for an array of artists such as Santana, The Allman Brothers, Johnny Cash and The Band.

While no funeral plans have been set, a request on his website asked for those who wanted to remember him to make a donation to their local animal shelter.