It’s an interesting thing when two brothers both make it big in music. It’s even more unusual when the brothers are both albinos. That’s interesting; not really germane to their musical talent, but interesting all the same, as albinism is 1) not common, and 2) does tend to run in families – full disclosure, my father-in-law and his sister are both albino.
But I digress. Last week, we got a look at the vastly talented Edgar Winter, so this week, let’s take a look at Edgar’s brother, Johnny Winter.
Born John Dawson Winter III in February 1944, in Beaumont, Texas, Johnny and Edgar (as we saw last week) were raised in a musical household. Johnny started playing the clarinet while very young, then took up, of all things, the ukulele, then moved on to guitar at age 11; that would be, for the most part, where Johnny would remain, as a guitarist and a vocalist. In his teens, Johnny was playing with local Texas bands, his style more blues and less rock & roll than his brother's. In 1968, a Rolling Stone profile launched Johnny’s career, landed him a contract with Columbia Records, and led to Johnny having a spot at Woodstock. It was all uphill from there for Johnny and his band, Johnny Winter And.
Here, then, are seven fantastic Johnny Winter tunes, loaded with jazz/blues sound, and a little rock & roll for good measure.
Mississippi Blues (1969): From his self-titled first album, this song really shows off Johnny’s frenetic and yet precise guitar work early on. It’s a fun tune with fun lyrics:
You know I was
sittin' right down, people
On my daddy's cotton
farm
Come here, baby, let your long hair down
Ah, come
Here, woman, let your hair down
Read More: Start Your Weekend Right With Some Great Tunes From America's Greatest Albino Rocker, Edgar Winter
Be Careful With A Fool (1970): Originally released on Johnny’s first album in 1969, this live cut was recorded for a Danish TV show; this live version lent a big dash of blues to Johnny’s patented guitar work. His vocals are great, too; this guy would have been right at home in any New Orleans blues joint, at any time.
Fast Life Rider (1970): This is a fast-stepping tune, blending some jazzy overtones, some blues riffs, and even some rocking guitar work. The lyrics tell a tale of the toll a traveling life takes on a guy, and I can vouch for that personally.Third Degree (1986): Much later in Johnny’s career, this live version showcases Johnny’s guitar work like few others. His guitar work is right up there with, and reminiscent of, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. This song really lets Johnny off the leash.Done bought me a ticket
The trunk's already gone
Y'ought to know by that
Ain't gonna be here long
Lord fast life rider
Steals the life...from me
Read More: Start Your Weekend Right With 6 Great Stevie Ray Vaughan Tunes
Rock Me Baby (1988): Another live cut from 1988, another great tune with some smoky, Texas-style guitar work from the shirtless, scrawny, and pale Johnny. The lyrics are nothing to write home about, but this isn’t a song you should listen to for poetic lyrics.
Stranger Blues (1991): This 1991 cut presents us with more great guitar work, and in this piece Johnny seems to be setting aside his earlier bluesy style for some good old, straight-up rock & roll. This one sings a song of a stranger coming into a new town, bemoaning that just because he’s a stranger, “everybody wants to dog me around.” The lyrics are blues, the music is rock. Great combination.Highway 61 (2007): A cover of an old Bob Dylan tune, this song carries some Biblical overtones; not unusual for Dylan, a little more so for Johnny. This live tune, recorded in 2007, reunited Johnny Winter with his brother Edgar and long-time Johnny Winter And band member Rick Derringer. They did it a lot different than the original; less folk, more rock. Johnny’s vocals were set off by his great slide guitar work and brother Edgar’s saxophone jam.Just for fun, here’s Dylan’s original 1965 studio recording, which can only be described as having a very different sound. America's Songwriter was, in those days, a folk music guy, not a blues man, but I like both versions.Johnny Winter played right up to the end. He died in Switzerland in 2014, at 70 years of age, just 48 hours after playing in the Cahors Clues Festival in France. Johnny’s family never released the official cause of death, but Johnny’s friend and producer, Paul Nelson, said Johnny died from a combination of emphysema and pneumonia. There are worse ways to go – rocking right up to the end.Rock me, baby, rock me all night long
Rock me all night long
Rock me, baby, rock me all night long
Want you to rock me like my back ain't got no bone
I’m sure, if you’re an old guy like me, you’ve got some Johnny Winter favorites. Lay ‘em out! The comments, once more, are all yours.
