Britbike forum Forums General discussion The Rod and Tappet RIP Johnny WInter- Lifetime Guitar Hero Dead @ 70

Stunned by the news today that one of THE all-time great rock and blues Guitarists- (once voted 63rd in Rolling Stone's Top 100 guitarists of all time) Johnny Winter, born in 1944 in Beaumont Texas, died yesterday on July 16th in his hotel in Switzerland, 2 days after his last performance at the Cahors Blues Festival in France, on July 14th..

Age 70 years, he was definitely one my formative favorites from back when I was 14 or 15 years old. Saw him perform many times over the decades- There was never anyone who could rival his fire; his tone and technique were simply outstanding.

Here's the '73 album Still Alive And Well in its entirety:



Here's a March 2014, 70th birthday interview with Johnny:




Johnny and his brother Edgar are albinos, and Johnny basically did drugs from his entire lifetime, only more recently having given up dope. He was always frail and partially blind, yet always managed to come out blazin'!

He was a master of the blues, and I always really loved seeing him play live.

Here are Johnny and Janis Joplin performing in Boston in 1969:



This performance at Woodstock captures his spirit pretty well:



Jumpin Jack Flash- 74- dispalying the blazing gunslinger style he was reknowned for:



Here's a Wiki article detailing the life times, and career of Johnny Winter

And finally one of the best-ever moments in blues and rock history- Johnny Winter, Muddy Waters, Bob Margolin, Willie "Big Eye" Smith, Pinetop Perkins, bassist Charles Calmese, with James Cotton sitting in on harmonica playing the Muddy Waters classic Mannish Boy.



Think I'm gonna crack a beer and continue surfing youtube listening to Johnny.
RIP Johhny- and thanks for a lifetime of great music!

Made ME thirsty :Bigt R.I.P Johnny

Vale Johnny

One of my favourites

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6jss730okQ

I'll be buggered eh, I was only discussing the talent of this man with a friend the other day.

I'm stunned, though not surprised. The last time I saw Johnny he did not look well.
I'm thankful that I did have the pleasure of seeing him play several times while in his prime, at least once with Muddy Waters.
The Wiki page taught me one thing. I own one of the 'bootleg' recordings, "First Winter." I think it's on the Buddha label. I bought it many years ago in a Dallas record store.
God's speed, Johnny.

I was surprised how little attention this got. One of the greats, and a big favorite back to my days of 8 track tapes

I made it to a big festival in 69, saw Johnny, Jimi, Janis and a bunch of others. Hendrix was probably the headliner, but the performance which has stuck with me all through the years was Johnny's. Nobody else quite like him.

Last night my favorite radio station WNKU (Northern Kentucky University) played Johnny Winter's tunes all night long. It was great, hanging out in the garage, wrenchin on the Commando, Dogfish 60 in hand and listening to Johnny & sometimes Edgar wiling the blues....doesn't get much better

Dave

One of the best Johnny Winter shows I ever saw was a riverside Blues Fest in Philadelphia. It rained like crazy- I wore a full rain suit and carried a big umbrella. Rain came down sideways, rained at least a couple inches. They cancelled all the acts except the top four, presented on the Main Stage.

Room Full Of Blues with Duke Robillard
Elvin Bishop Band
James Cotton
Johnny Winter

Turned out to be THE best overall line-up I've ever seen, to this day. Everybody played their asses off. It was completely amazing. Later, going home on the PA Turnpike we stopped for a break at a rest stop, and I bumped into James Cotton. I said Hey Mr Cotton, thanks for a great performance in the rain today!

He looked at me and said, "got any weed?"

Why am I not surprised to see someone honoring Johnny on here? One of many who were not given the honor they deserved while they were with us. I was a budding bass player in about 1970 when my friend and band mate gave me a copy of Johnny Winter And (studio version) for my birthday. I had been a Grand Funk Railroad fan and was discovering Led Zep but THAT RECORD opened my eyes to the dirty low down rockin blues like no other. ( I was actually embarrassed to let my parents hear it....listened kinda quiet....)
I know that Johnny later on didnt like the rock stuff and preferred to do all his own guitar but he and Rick Derringer were a force to recon with.

RIP Papa John.