Johnny Winter American blues guitarist and singer (born February 23, 1944 in Beaumont, Texas USA - died July 16, 2014 in Zurich, Switzerland). His first instruments were the clarinet and the ukulele, settling on guitar by age eleven. Something of a musical child prodigy, he grew up in Beaumont, Texas, on a diet of blues and rock 'n' roll. As a teen, nearly every weekend he would hitch-hike to Louisiana to play in small night clubs. After a short college stint, he gave up his academic pursuits and devoted himself to creating music. He signed a five year contract with Columbia Records in 1969 (for $300,000) and the rest is history. Before signing to Columbia he recorded one album (two if you consider 'First Winter' als a proper album) and lots of singles, under his own name or as sideman. These have been repackaged and compiled at infinite. Older brother of Edgar Winter. Review: Texas guitar legend Johnny Winter became a seeming overnight star in 1968 with the release of his first album on Columbia records. Winter was and remains an incendiary guitar player and a gruff, authoritative vocalist. An exceptionally fluid and dynamic soloist on both standard and slide guitar, his records in the 70's tended towards rock excess, but by the end of that decade he had returned to a much more pure blues approach which continues today. Along the way Winter was instrumental in helping the career resurgence of Muddy Waters, producing and playing on a number of acclaimed records. Winter was an important influence on a whole generation of musicians, including Chris Whitley and Stevie Ray Vaughn Aliases: Guitar Slim, Texas Guitar Slim

Johnny Winter Discography