A personal influence died today. Yes there is more "important" news, but in case anyone cares...

[Glassunion]

Yes, I know a plane crashed, or was shot down. Some folks are saber rattling about another pointless war. This news is terrible. But before the news of this hit, I was already taken aback by other bad news today.

Tonight I am celebrating. A huge influence on my musical carreer. His influences, also influenced me. Most folks don't know him. That's ok. If tonight if I could ask all of you, if you've never heard of him, to look up and give a listen to Johnny Winter. He passed away and the news hit early this morning. I mentioned it at work and not one person... Not a single one ever heard of him. But that's ok. Today they have.

All I'm asking is if you've never heard of him, look him up and give a listen. If you have, well, you know what I'm talking about. Dust off the album and give it a spin.

It's amazing. One of the worlds most influential guitar players, and hardly anyone has ever heard of the man.

I will miss Johnny.

[zappaman]

1. R.I.P.

Saw him in Texas in the mid 80's, then again last year!
Outstanding player and a great loss.

[Bonobo]

2. Johnny was great and will be missed.

I saw him in 1986, right up front and personal. He was a fireball of energy.

[zappaman]

34. That's right around when I saw him.

He was great then.
Last year, you could tell he had lost a step but still really powerful!

[WCGreen]

45. me too

[betsuni]

3. My husband was very upset

this morning when he saw in the newspaper that Winter had died. Winter had performed in our city earlier this year and the husband hadn't gone. Now he said, sadly, he'll never get to see Johnny Winter again. I'm not familiar with his music, but I'm going to find some now and listen.

[MerryBlooms]

4. Yes, another music icon gone. Who will fill these shoes?

[virgogal]

13. There is probably a young kid out there who will fill his shoes.

There always is.

[ms liberty]

5. I saw him in concert in 1976 I think...I can't get to my concert tickets to check...

He was touring with Edgar, and Robin Trower was on the bill too...it may have been a show that was headlined by Jethro Tull? Anyway, Edgar got sick, and Johnny played a longer set, as did Trower because of it. This was at Tampa Stadium...the old Tampa Stadium, not the one the Bucs play in now. He was awesome. I'm sorry for your loss.

[WCGreen]

46. I think I went to that show....

or some liine-up back then,

[Sissyk]

49. How very good it is to "see" you!

You keep getting better now, and come back soon. I really can't wait to get to know you.

[ms liberty]

62. Hi! Good to see you!

[Mopar151]

7. Johnny live - as we'll never see him again.

[tridim]

8. Frankenstein was the first song I remember hearing as a kid.

Dad's tube amp and headphones, 3 years old. I remember it blowing my mind.

I've loved music ever since. Thanks Johnny.

[Bonobo]

9. That was Edgar Winter. nt

[tridim]

16. I thought he played guitar on it? Oh well, still family.

Just looked it up, Rick Derringer played guitar on the song.

[WCGreen]

47. he had a keyboard

strapped around his neck so he could be like j

[DirkGently]

10. KNR.

[thucythucy]

11. His "White Hot and Blue" album is amazing--

but so is all his work. Him and Buddy Guy and Freddy King mean the world to me.

What a sad day this has been.

[sweetloukillbot]

12. Saw him about 10 years ago - he didn't look good.

He had to be helped onstage and didn't stand at all. I'd read he was doing better lately and he seemed to be getting a career revitalization. Sad.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

24. My buddy ran sound for him the last 5 or 6 times he came to town...

He had to be helped on stage and mostly sat as well. He was scheduled to be here next week for a blues fest (also featuring Edgar Winter and Vanilla Fudge).

[bluesbassman]

25. I saw him about twenty years ago in in San Francisco.

He was basically led on stage at that point, but stood for the whole hour and a half set and was scorching the guitar the entire time. Absolutely amazing player.

I was saddened a few years back when some Blues Cruise videos popped up and his playing had deteriorated significantly, but I too had heard he was doing better these days and glad to hear that he was touring. Doing what he loved to the end. We should all be so lucky.

RIP Johnny.

[Ferretherder]

14. Took my little sister to see Black Oak Arkansas, somewhere around '78 to '80, I think,...

...and Johnny was the OPENER! Hard to believe, huh? This was in Monroe, LA - civic center.

I think Derringer may have been with him, but I can't recall, now.

[ZX86]

15. Johnny and Edgar Winter in '76

Good show. Great guitarist. Texas lost a another great bluesman.

[uppityperson]

17. Noooooo. rip Mr Winter and thank you for all your music

[CaptainTruth]

18. As a fellow guitar player ...

... I will say he was great. I will miss him.

RIP Johnny ...

[sweetexile]

19. our generation's spokespersons

I was in my mid-teens when I saw Johnny perform at the Tower Theater in Philly, on the bill with Seals and Croft; makes me sad of course for his family's personal loss, and for my own sense of an irretrievable loss of youth which JW initially helped develop with his memorable performances. Avoir, Johnny. (he's probably jammin with Hendrix as we speak!)

[Sissyk]

20. Yes, there is sadness in our house tonight.

Take a look at this young man. Start about 1/2 way thru if you don't like the song. It's not to replace Johnny with another Johnny, just another very talented player to maybe give you a smile.

Sorry, Glassunion!

https://m.

One more;

https://m.

They a re both youtube, but believe it or not, I don't know how to embed them.

[Sissyk]

21. Oh!

I guess I did know how. haha.

[Throd]

22. R.I.P. Johnny. I will proudly be a cheap imitation of you as long as I can pluck.

[Uncle Joe]

23. RIP Johnny

Thanks for the thread, Glassunion.

[DFW]

26. Not only heard of him, but met him, chatted with him, admired him

At a somewhat chaotic rock festival in France, at the end, I was asked if I wanted to play something solo. At age 18, I wasn't ready to do that, and besides I had just sold the only instrument I had to none other than Johnny Winter. He said, "hey if you get up there and play, I might even come up there and play with ya." If only I had had the chops (and the guts) at the time--but I didn't.

[Duppers]

27. wow, great story.

Still play?

[DFW]

32. Plenty!

But have moved on from electric blues. A year later, my brother handed me Leo Kottke's Armadillo album, and I was hooked. I couldn't believe one guitar could sound like that. When I had the geographical and financial chance, I even sought out Kottke's luthier, Božo Podunavac, and started having him build me all sorts of different 12 string guitars. The sound is unmatched and unmistakable.

[Duppers]

33. and I repeat myself - Wow!

I also like Leo.

[DFW]

35. I did some touring way back when

No longer, of course, but I still play:
[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

Also, if you go to the Jango/Radio Airplay site, and tap into the "The Freedom Toast" channel, listen for "Canyonlands" or "Lazy C Ranch." That's the only place where I know recordings of my stuff can be readily heard.

[Duppers]

37. thanks!

I'll check them.

[MuseRider]

39. You listen to Andy McKee?

http://www.andymckee.com/

He does some incredible things with his guitar.

Nice guy too.

[DFW]

51. Never heard of him

But he is really good! His influences seem to stem more from Michael Hedges and Tommy Emmanuel than Kottke, but I recognize his musical ability to be top notch. I'm not much into 6 string any more, but I may yet check out one of those instruments he's playing!

[freebrew]

53. Leo also a fave here...

have you listened to John Fahey? He once claimed he taught Leo how to play. He was joking I'm sure. He sounded like he was playing 3 or 4 guitars at the same time.

If you like acoustic blues, check out Bob Brozman. He plays nothing but Nationals, new and vintage.

[DFW]

57. Fahey wasn't entirely joking

Kottke was helping him out, so legend has it, at Takoma Records, Fahey's own label, and Fahey nurtured Kottke's playing after hearng a cassette Kottke sent him. The famous "Armadillo" album appeared on Takoma Records.

Kottke credits quite a few influences, including Tim Sparks, whom I saw at a guitar festival in Germany.

I have seen dozens of guitarists whose technical ability may match Leo's, but I have seen anyone with Leo's melodic imagination. Leo Kottke has composed more MEMORABLE guitar melodies than any acoustic player I know of. It's like Alvin Lee of Ten Years After may have been a lightning fast guitarist, but I can listen to him for ten minutes tops, where I could listen to Mark Knopfler for hours because his sense of melody is so in tune with my own.

[RainDog]

38. you have the best stories!

what a nice memory to share.

[DFW]

41. Johnny Winter was a prince of a guy

Completely at ease and so NOT full of himself--completely the opposite of Rick Zehringer ("Derringer&quot , who was in his band at the same time.

[Dustlawyer]

58. You got that right, Johnny was a Prince of a guy!

[lunasun]

28. Born with albinism and 20/400 eyesight in one eye and 20/600 in the other but boy could he play

[awoke_in_2003]

29. To everyone who ever says...

"SRV is the greatest guitarist to come from Texas" I ask "So you haven't heard of Johnny Winter?"

[mountain grammy]

30. Rest in peace, Johnny. You will be missed.

[Ed Suspicious]

31. Johnny Winter and Dr. John.

[Duppers]

54. Wonderful!

Thanks for posting this.

[Dustlawyer]

36. Sorry, I just posted something about him without seeing this was here! He was AWESOME!

Proud he and Edgar are from my hometown, Beaumont, Texas! Believe it or not, but Janis Joplin grew up 15 miles away at the same time. Johnny played with Janis a few times, incredible! Had a few really great times watching him and my brother-in-law jam at my sister's house. Johnny was always polite and reserved when I met him. I was a skinny little kid so I guess he could relate to me! R.I.P. JOHNNY!!!

[Mister Ed]

42. Though I was never into his music, he changed my life forever.

My friends insisted I go with them to his concert anyway, and they dragged me along with them. When I walked through that door and into that crowded room, far away across a sea of a thousand faces, my eyes suddenly lit upon the face of an angel.

It was the face of the wondrous woman I now call Mrs. Ed. The face whose features now grace my beloved daughter's visage, which I gaze on even as I type these lines.

Rest in peace, Johnny.

[Oilwellian]

43. I saw Johnny and his brother Edgar perform in New Orleans

in the mid seventies. Edgar was a complete surprise...Johnny interrupted the concert and said "hey, I gotta a little surprise for you tonight. My brother Edgar." He walked out on stage and the crowd went wild. They will always be legends. Johnny will be greatly missed.

[Enthusiast]

44. Loved Johnny's unique guitar style.

Johnny's brother Edgar introduces him here on the Roadwork LP for a cameo appearance. He rips it up! If you are not familiar with the White Trash Roadwork LP you should be. It is an ALL Star band and a really fine LP.

[negoldie]

48. Style

His finger pickin' style is what I copied growing up in the sixties and seventies. I still play that way, while my mates implore me to"use a pick...."

[CBGLuthier]

50. He will be missed and he was truly great. He also happened to be legally blind.

As to the references to his being led onto the stage the man was legally blind, as many"albinos" are, so he always needed a wee bit of help in that regard.

Life style considerations and all I am happy he made it to 70 and was still able to do the thing he loved. I will not mourn his death but instead celebrate his life and the music he made.

[whathehell]

52. Saw him at the Filmore back in '70...Great musician.

RIP Johnny.

[Eleanors38]

55. We know him at DU. Thanks, Johnny.

[Mojorabbit]

56. Years ago I was proposed to right before a concert featuring both brothers. :) nt

[raven mad]

59. Don't need to dust off the albums, they're usually pretty close to the front!

Thank you, dear friend Johnny for all you gave this old world!

[Mopar151]

60. True dat! n/t

[NBachers]

61. Thanks for putting this out there, Glassunion. Johnny never left the top of his craft