Johnny Winter Passes - Tell Your Johnny Stories Please

[68X426]

Johnny Winter passed.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Blues-legend-Johnny-Winter-dies-at-70-in-Zurich-5627544.php

Tell your Johnny stories, for the younger guys and gals who wouldn't know who he is.  Brag him up, talk him up. Because he was simply the master.

I saw all the guitar gods and goddesses over the past 50 years.  For my money Johnny was the best.  Rolling Stone puts him at #63 of the 100 greatest.  Please.  They missed badly on that one.

I first saw him at a hole-in-the-wall in the 1976 in Santa Barbara, just before the historic albums with Muddy Waters.  He was seemingly unknown then, as he seems to be today.  Blistering guitar work, as well the slowest and blue-est of blues guitar.  And a soulful voice, not that he was exactly a good singer, but it was pure blues.

RIP.

[Old Moparz]

(Added to the Obituary Forum already)   


But yeah, he was a great player. One of my favorite recordings was not his directly, but Muddy Waters. The album entitled, "Hard Again" was incredible. Johnny convinced Muddy to come out of his retirement & record again. He retired mainly because record companies eff'd him over & he wanted nothing to do with recording ever again until Johnny twisted his arm.

This song is probably in my top favorites of all time.....

Mannish Boy

I've seen him in small clubs a couple of times but the best story I have is from my sister's friend. 

My wife Mary was working with my sister's friend at the time & one Monday morning she approached her & said, "Mary, have you ever heard of a guy named Johnny Winter?"

My wife said, "Yes, he's a blues guitarist.....Why?"

"Is he kind of strange looking?" she asked my wife.

My wife said, "He & his brother are albino if that's what you mean."

So my sister's friend says, "Oh my god.....You mean he was telling me the truth?"

"What do you mean?" my wife said.

My sister's friend replied, "Some albino guy with long hair & a cowboy hat was trying to buy me & my friend drinks & we told him no thanks. He asked us if we knew who he was, & we of course said no, so he told us who he was & we just thought he was hitting on us & laughed & left."

My wife was floored & had to explain it, but I died laughing because I have known my sister's friend since she was about 10 & is a complete airhead so it seemed normal to me. The only thing missing with this girl was the blonde hair. 

[RallyeMike]

Did you ever look to see who is left around?
When I think about the past it only brings me down
Everyone I thought was cool is six feet under ground....


I was introduced to him late (in the early 80's) - one of my favorites for sure, anther one of those guys who played some big shows, and today so few of the general public have heard of him. All my stuff of his is on vinyl so I don't beak it out as often as I should. Gonna have to change that.

[Dino]

Aww one of the greats to be sure.  I'll have to dust the vinyl of myself.

That Rolling Stone rag can never get any polls right.  I know it's hard to categorize these seeing we all have our own opinions but they really have no clue what they're talking about.  I heard it once was a decent mag but I've never seen it.

RIP Mr. Winters.

[Mopar Nut]

R.I.P. Johnny

[Bob T]

He gave it 100% no less and it stands on so may tracks.
I 'd say my favourite album would be 3rd Degree.

Tilar, I have Hard Again as well, great album, man - it used to get played a lot at my old place when I was really into my blues period. Taught myself to play blues harp off lots of Sonny Terry / Brownie McGhee stuff , still get them out and give it a bash every now and then.