Evidence suggests his death was medically related. See photos: Hollywood’s Notable Deaths of 2014Īccording a police spokeswoman Reuters spoke to, a prosecutor has ordered an autopsy because the cause of death is not clear, but there was no indication of third-party involvement. “An official statement with more details shall be issued at the appropriate time.” “His wife, family and bandmates are all saddened by the loss of their loved one and one of the world’s finest guitarists,” a brief statement on his Facebook read. More information about Johnny Winter on Wikipedia.Johnny Winter, a legendary blues guitarist, was found dead in his hotel in Zurich, Switzerland on Wednesday. Copying, also of extracts, or any other form of reproduction, including the adaptation into electronic data bases and copying onto any data mediums, in English or in any other language is permissible only and exclusively with the written consent of Bear Family Records® GmbH. The Definitive Collection!Ĭopyright © Bear Family Records®.
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. "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.
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