Neal Casal

Neal Graeme Casal (November 2, 1968 – August 26, 2019) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and photographer.

First rising to prominence as lead guitar with Rickey Medlocke's Blackfoot from 1988 to 1993, he was also known as a member of Ryan Adams' backing band the Cardinals from 2005 until 2009, with whom he recorded three studio albums.

He played in several groups, including the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Hard Working Americans, Beachwood Sparks, The Skiffle Players, GospelbeacH and Circles Around the Sun– and released twelve albums as a solo artist.

Casal began work on early solo demos from 1990 to 1993 at studios in Los Angeles, New York and New Jersey.

During this period he teamed up with his manager Gary Waldman, keyboard player John Ginty and vocalist Angie McKenna.

After signing a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music, he forged a long standing professional relationship with producer/engineer Jim Scott.

In 1994, Casal signed with Zoo Entertainment and recorded his debut album at Palacio del Rio, formerly owned by James Stewart and Dean Martin in Santa Ynez, California, with producer Jim Scott.

The album featured musicians Don Heffington, Bob Glaub, Greg Leisz.

Casal released Fade Away Diamond Time in September 1994 to critical acclaim and supported the album on a US tour with his band.

The following year, Fargo released two compilation albums, Leaving Traces, a selection of Casal’s original songs from 1994–2004, and Return in Kind, a compilation of covers and he began recording his eighth solo album.

Casal parted ways with Zoo Records in 1996 and recorded "Rain, Wind, and Speed" released by Buy or Die Records.

In 1997, Casal signed with the Glitterhouse Records label and went on to release five albums, including Field Recordings and The Sun Rises Here which also features Greg Leisz, drummer

Don Heffington and longtime Bonnie Raitt bassist James "Hutch" Hutchinson on bass and backing vocals.

In 1998, Casal released the self-produced album Basement Dreams, named Americana Album of the Year in Mojo magazine.

During the spring of 1999, Casal teamed up with Six String Drag front man Kenny Roby and toured Europe, later that summer recording the live album Black River Sides.

Casal released his sixth solo album Anytime Tomorrow in 2000, produced by Jim Scott.

Anytime Tomorrow was the last album to be released by Glitterhouse in 2000 and prompted an extensive European tour into early 2001.

In 2002, Casal co-wrote, produced and released the EP Ran On Pure Lightning collaborating with Shannon McNally and other musicians which included Benmont Tench, Greg Leisz, bassist James "Hutch" Hutchinson and Brent Rademaker.

Around this time, Casal also started playing with bassist Jeff Hill and drummer Dan Fadel, forming Hazy Malaze.

Railroad Earth’s 2002 album Bird in a House featured a cover version of Casal’s song “Dandelion Wine”.

Shortly after signing to Paris-based Fargo Records in 2003, Fargo released the compilation album Maybe California resulting in a European tour and Casal's first solo tour of Japan.

Casal joined Ryan Adams and The Cardinals in 2005.

In December of that year he embarked on his third Japanese tour, which featured his first photography exhibition and upon his return released No Wish to Reminisce in early 2006.

The album, produced by Michael Deming (Beachwood Sparks, Lilys), took his music in a different direction from his previous work, with a more layered, psychedelic production.

All Directions, a compilation album of live and unreleased songs, was released in 2007.

In 2009, Casal teamed up with engineer Don Sternecker and recorded and produced Roots and Wings.

The album included musicians Jon Graboff, Greg Leisz, Johnathan Rice, Jeff Hill, Dan Fadel and Andy Goessling.

Casal began recording his tenth solo album in March 2010 with producer Thom Monahan.

While Casal toured Europe, Fargo re-released the albums Basement Dreams and Rain, Wind and Speed.

On March 6 it was announced that Casal had joined the Chris Robinson Brotherhood.

He released his final solo album, Sweeten the Distance, in 2011.

Born in Denville, New Jersey and raised in nearby Rockaway Township, Casal attended Morris Knolls High School.

Casal's tenth studio album, Sweeten the Distance, was released in November 2011.

In 2013, Casal joined Hard Working Americans alongside Todd Snider, Dave Schools, Chad Staehly and Duane Trucks.

The supergroup's debut album Hard Working Americans was recorded at Bob Weir's TRI Studios in 2013 and released on January 21, 2014.

In 2015, Casal along with Adam MacDougall, Dan Horne and Mark Levy recorded five hours of music as Circles Around the Sun that was played as the pre-show and set break music at The Grateful Dead's Fare Thee Well concerts in Santa Clara and Chicago.

These compositions were released later that year as the album Interludes for the Dead.

Circles Around the Sun made its live debut at the 2016 Lockn' Festival at Oak Ridge Farm in Arrington, Virginia.

In 2016, Casal joined three other Beachwood Sparks alums, Farmer Dave Scher, Dan Horne, and Aaron Sperske, and songwriter Cass McCombs to form The Skiffle Players.

In 2018, CATS released their second album Let It Wander.