About Neal

There are some songwriters that just tend to leave a larger imprint on all who know them — artists who cast soft indentations on the soul and leave traces where their work scrawls its signature on the listener.  Those artists, in turn, tend to leave a bigger hole in the heart when they go. Talk a while with those who’ve listened to Neal Casal and they’ll tell you he’s just such an artist. Talk a bit longer with those who knew him, worked with him, and loved him, and they’ll be quick to confirm. Casal was a consummate collaborator, a celebrated roots guitarist who could be found playing alongside Willie Nelson, Shooter Jennings, The Jayhawks, and Phil Lesh. More than a sideman, he was a revered bandmate, and an integral part of The Chris Robinson Brotherhood, GospelbeacH, Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, The Skiffle Players and Circles Around The Sun.

His tragic passing in 2019 left a hole in the hearts of fans and friends alike, leaving many looking for a few more moments from the prolific songwriter. A new collection of early studio recordings entitled No One Above You (The Early Years 1991-1998) helps heal the emotional rift, providing a few last documents of Neal’s perennial prowess. Primarily recorded between 1991 and 1995, in the years before Neal’s now classic debut album, Fade Away Diamond Time, the songs collected here embody Casal’s creative process leading up to that beloved introduction. The songs trace the lines of a love of music that runs deep, furrowed with the songwriter’s mix of humility and hope. Casal archivists and producers Gary Waldman, Jim Scott and Jon Graboff have compiled and remixed the tapes, adding some subtle additions to Neal’s original takes, with performances by John Ginty, Dan Fadel, Angie McKenna, Jeff Hill, Graboff, and more.

No One Above You (The Early Years 1991-1998) includes a bounty of unheard Casal compositions alongside covers of Tom T. Hall, The Incredible String Band, and Floyd “Red Crow” Westerman.  Among the originals, the hallmarks of Casal’s songwriting remain evident, even in these early days. The collection runs through reverent explorations of Americana, streaked with melancholy, heartache, humanity, and humor. Casal’s openness has always been his best asset and every moment on No One Above You makes it clear that it was a quality that marked him from his earliest moments. Not solely an aural reminder of Neal, the set is also prefaced by a personal recollection from Neal’s longtime manager and friend Waldman, recalling the events that lead Casal to pursue a solo career, detailing his evolution from these nascent studio days into a revered songwriter and in-demand guitarist.

Along with the audio archives a companion piece has been created by Neal’s ex-wife Christy Coleman, a book that provides a visual journey through this time period. No One Above You (Christy Coleman + Neal Casal - A Love Story In Photographs) brings together images of the couple’s time together, culling from pictures captured by Coleman, Casal, and a few friends along the way. The book paints their courtship and companionship in the soft light of love. Unvarnished visions of backstage solitude mingle with the revelry of after hours nightlife and the counterbalance of a home away from the eyes of the crowd. A love of nature underscores the book, documenting a glimpse of Americana that’s just as vibrant as the one that rang from Neal’s strings. There’s a palpable intimacy; moments of art’s humble beginnings conjured in portraits ringed in gauzy smoke and afternoon sun.

Somewhere among the polaroids, marquees and pine trees, there’s a truth that’s reflected in Kodachrome clarity; a story of love, loss, healing, and forgiveness. Among these unseen and rare photographs, Christy explores their bond, their break, and the complexities that defined their time together. The book and record are both reminders of not only what the world lost, but what it gained through all the years that Neal touched. As she reveals in the book, news of Neal’s passing reached Coleman in the moments just before she boarded a flight bound for the solitude of Harbour Island, a favorite destination of the late Casal. “We Flew north, right over Ventura where Neal lived and died,” she recalls in her introduction. “I envisioned picking up his soul, as though he were hovering over his home and I could reach down and carry him with me to the ocean, to his favorite spot.” In No One Above You, she and the archivists carry him back to all of us. The book and record act as a fitting elegy for fans, but also a welcome introduction and indoctrination for anyone who needs a reminder that love is real.