RIP Johnny Winter

[Highlander]

Where's your brother...? Rockin' in peace is where...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q67drNe2aRg

Thanks for all the music...

[drbassman]

Wow, this makes me sad.  One of my all time favorites.  Bless you and your family.

[Dave W]

[gweimer]

You guys will probably like this.  My old singer/guitarist in an old photo with Johnny.

[bobyoung]

Great stuff, I always liked him.

[nofi]

i have kind of been cheeking to see if cause of death has been posted, apparently not. imo if the cause of death was not natural they may be withholding the info for the good of his fans. crazy thought i know but possible, and i am not usually a conspiracy guy.

[Pilgrim]

Article in the paper today about his last album - just released - says emphysema is thought by many to be the cause.

[uwe]

It's a small wonder that he lived as long as he did. He wasn't just an albino, he had multiple health issues even as a kid and was alcohol-, drug- and medicine-dependent most of his life. He wasn't healthy-looking by the late seventies and I don't mean his complexion. Did he even ever have a family? I've never heard of a Mrs Johnny Winter (Edgar's married though - and has better health, there mus be a correlation ...). Very much a blues guy in all those respects. Stay healthy and sane with that type of music and people will start calling you Robert Cray. 

[Dave W]

The newspaper reports said an autopsy had been ordered. You would think it would be in the news if there were any hint of foul play. One of his representatives said an official statement would be made later but I haven't seen anything yet.

His final album will be out tomorrow.

[uwe]

I ordered it as a last salute.

[uwe]

Just got it, haven't heard it yet. What I have been hearing is his (CBS-) debut (not the earlier Johny Winter in the car (on my way to work this morning). I have never heard it before at all, the only Johnny Winter album I ever owned was "Captured Live!" plus a home tape of "Live Johnny Winter And" (one of my schoolmates was a big Winter fan) plus some CD compilations of his work (both CBS and beyond). What strikes me with the debut was how traditional it sounds, there was little attempt to give it British Blues Invasion gloss, especially the drumming could have been lifted off some 30ies blues recording (the bass playing is quite busy and "modern" on the non-Willie Dixon bass tracks). Considering how he was to be championed as a (very!) white Hendrix (something he never professed to be), those early recordings really shy away from attempting to sound either like the Experience or Cream. I'm surprised that that first CBS album did as well as it did (it almost cracked the Top 20, only one other of his albums - Still Alive and Well - did that). Not because it was badly made, but because it so staunchly defied the sound "of its time" which today probably makes it timeless I guess.

I have nine more CDs plus the new one to go - rediscovery time!   

PS: The similarity to Rory Gallagher - that gritty attack in playing - is evident on that first album already, especially on the acoustic stuff. Johnny is a bit more liberal in the concept of timing I suppose  - did I hear anybody cry "Carlos Santana!"? Well, he's not THAT liberal. Let's just  say "not over-obsessed with ternary note discipline" when a shuffle plays in the background.

[uwe]

So I've heard it.

First impressions: I was expecting a "what Rick Rubin did with the other Johnny" sparse sound. Yet production-wise this is the most honed Winter recording ever. Except on a few tracks such as Long Tall Sally, the gruffness of his voice has made room to what in places sounds like Bob Seger on a rough day (not a knock, I like Bob). A full, smooth, aurally pleasant sound of the backing band, akin to what you would expect on, say, a more recent Bonnie Raitt album. The album was obviously aimed at cracking the AORish deep pocket baby boomer market and ironically will probably have good sales now not only for the slick (but not sterile) production, but also for the unfortunate event of his death. People that like to listen to Joe Cocker or Eric Clapton albums when having friends over for dinner won't yank this CD out of their player in horror.

But even a honed Johnny will never sound bland, so it's a fitting epitaph. The album is full of guitarist guests (Clapton, Setzer, Gibbons, Perry, and, yes quite, the these days largely unavoidable Bonamassa) and if you dig comparing Johnny's fluid yet rawish style with Clapton's terse "gentleman blues" or Setzer's slightly nervous rockabilly licks, you won't be bored here.