Johnny had just played the Cahors Blues Festival in France, which was destined to become his last show. The project has been years in the making, Edgar was first approached about it just after his brother passed away on July 16, 2014. The guitar-driven album celebrates the expansive styles Johnny was known for – the 17 tracks were carefully curated by Edgar and producer Ross Hogarth to represent Johnny’s evolution as an artist, honoring his great legacy while also incorporating a personal tribute from brother to brother, and for which Edgar penned two new songs. Joining Edgar on the inclusive project is an impressive array of renowned musicians who knew, or were inspired by Johnny, including Joe Bonamassa, Doyle Bramhall II, John McFee, Robben Ford, Billy Gibbons, David Grissom, Taylor Hawkins, Warren Haynes, Steve Lukather, Michael McDonald, Keb Mo, Doug Rappoport, Bobby Rush, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Ringo Starr, Derek Trucks, Waddy Wachtel, Joe Walsh, Phil X and Gregg Bissonette. The album is a powerful sonic journey, traveling the course of Johnny’s musical life, impeccably directed, as only his brother Edgar could. Quarto Valley Records proudly announces the April 15, 2022, release of ‘Brother Johnny’, a tribute to the legendary blues guitarist created by his brother Edgar Winter. As the decades progressed, Johnny has reverted to his blues roots more than once, his mastery of the idiom never in question.Įlectric Blues 1939-2005.Organised by his brother Edgar Winter Released Digitally, on CD and Vinyl – April 15, 2022 "Overnight, people that wouldn't even talk to me were calling me from New York, California, Europe, every place, man."Winter chose to sign with Columbia, his 1969 major label debut album catapulting the long-haired axeman to rock superstar status. "The 'Rolling Stone' article came out about Texas musicians, saying that I was the greatest thing in Texas still starving to death,"says Winter. Gangster Of Love became a hippie-era classic when Steve Miller placed it on his 1968 ‘Sailor’ LP.Īfter nearly a decade of struggle, a glowing feature in a well-read rock magazine changed everything for Winter. "Dickey Lee, the guy who had out a song called 'Patches' years ago, he sang in the background chorus on that song."Frolic paired it with Winter's own Eternally, but when Ritter leased Eternallyto Atlantic, he coupled it with the garage-rocking Winter original You'll Be The Death Of Me. "That particular song I love,"says Johnny. He'd say, 'Well, I've got a lot of expenses, kid.'" Ritter leased Johnny's Gone For Bad to MGM but held onto Winter’s 1964 cover of Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s boastful ’57 Keen platter Gangster Of Love for Frolic (multi-instrumentalist Edgar devised the horn chart). I don't know how much Ken made, but he'd always get a little money in front. "Ken Ritter was my manager, and he would lease the records," says Johnny. ![]() Ken Ritter, nephew of Western star Tex Ritter, produced several early Winter 45s for his KRCO and Frolic labels, ranging from lowdown swamp blues to catchy instrumentals and pop-accessible pieces. He said, 'Great! We'll record 'em!' We couldn't even believe it,"says Winter, whose debut offering came out on the Dart label in 1960. The band headed to Bill Hall's Gulf Coast Recording Studio in Beaumont to lay down School Day Blues and a flip, Edgar manning the 88s. There wasn't anybody near as good as I was at that point." You couldn't use a group you had to get up there and just sing and play guitar,"says Johnny. The two Winters formed Johnny and The Jammers when Johnny was only 14 and snared their first record contract through a contest built around the 1959 rock and roll film 'Go, Johnny Go!' "As kind of a gimmick that went along with the movie, they had this contest called the Johnny Melody Contest. "He was one of the first blues musicians that I actually got to see and watch close up and learn from. So I'd be staying over at her place, and I could just walk over two doors and see Clarence,"says Johnny. " The radio station then was like two doors down from where my grandmother lived. Johnny listened regularly to Beaumont blues guitarist Clarence Garlow's KJET radio program. By decade's end, the whole world would know Johnny Winter, but when he raucously revived Johnny 'Guitar' Watson's Gangster Of Love for Ken Ritter's Frolic label in 1964, Winter was a regional phenomenon.īorn Februin Beaumont, Texas, Johnny and his younger brother Edgar grew up loving the blues. ![]() Albino kid with enough heat in his fingers to melt a guitar neck shook up the Gulf Coast during the early '60s.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |