In March 1975 Eric Clapton booked Shangri-La Studios, owned and run by The Band, to record songs for the follow-up to 'There's One In Every Crowd'. He wanted the sessions to be produced by Tom Dowd, but Atlantic refused to let Dowd work with any RSO act after Robert Stigwood had severed all ties with the label, so Clapton decided to co-produce it himself, with help from engineer Rob Fraboni and Dominos band-mate Carl Radle. During the course of the sessions many of Clapton's friends dropped in to help out, including all of the members of The Band - the first time that they'd got together for over a year - as well as Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Billy Preston, Ron Wood, Georgie Fame, and Jesse Ed Davies. In all, 25 songs were recorded, and the ones chosen for 'No Reason To Cry' were taken away and remixed for eventual release, while the rest were hidden away in the vaults. Admittedly, a lot of them were throw-away jams and drunken sing-alongs from an all-night party for Clapton's birthday, but a few of them are definitely worth hearing, and there are enough of those to piece together a companion album to 'No Reason To Cry', which, as it's mostly blues songs, I've called 'A Reason To Cry'. 
The Band:
Eric Clapton guitar, vocalsCarl Radle bassGeorge Terry guitarJamie Oldaker drumsDick Sims keyboardsYvonne Elliman vocalsMarcy Levy vocalsSergio Pastora percussionBob Dylan vocals, guitarGeorgie Fame organRon Wood guitarVan Morrison vocalsRick Danko bass, vocalsRobbie Robertson guitarJesse Ed Davis guitarBilly Preston vocals, keyboardsGarth Hudson organRichard Manuel vocals, pianoLevon Helm vocals, drumsWah Wah Watson guitar
Track Listing
01 What Would I Do (vocal Richard Manuel)
02 Won't Somebody Tell Me (vocal Eric Clapton)
03 Stormy Monday (vocal Van Morrison)
04 Right Now (vocal Eric Clapton / Billy Preston)
05 It's Eric's Birthday (vocal Billy Preston)
06 Who Do You Love (vocal Van Morrison)
07 Hard Times (vocal Rick Danko)
08 What Would I Do (Reprise) (vocal Richard Manuel)
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