Hit singer-songwriter JJ Cale dead at 74 after heart attack

(Reuters) - Grammy award winning singer and songwriter JJ Cale, one of the most versatile musicians of his era who played everything from rock and roll to blues and jazz, has died after suffering a heart attack, his official website said on Saturday.

Cale, who was 74, won a Grammy award in 2008 for "The Road to Escondido," which he recorded with singer-songwriter Eric Clapton.

Born in Oklahoma City, Cale migrated to Los Angeles in the 1960s and flourished. Rock legend Neil Young once described Cale as the best electric guitar player he had ever seen other than the late Jimmy Hendrix.

Cale's official website said he died on Friday night at Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, California. There were no immediate plans for memorial services, the website said.

(Reporting by Greg McCune; Editing by Vicki Allen)