As far as old blues men go, Johnny Winter is as accomplished and legit as any. As an albino, he's perhaps the most strikingly white blues musician of all time. Winter's long and wild history is rich with big moments, myths, and heartbreak. He hit the stage with B.B. King at age 17, played Woodstock in '69, fell into heroin addiction in the early '70s, returned to produce a pair of Grammy-winning Muddy Waters albums later in that decade, and has been more-or-less devoted to delivering roots blues ever since. Even now, as the aging legend is forced to be seated onstage as he wails away, each note is imbued with half a century of gutsy living.
Winter has enjoyed a great resurgence in the past decade as his 2004 album, I Am a Bluesman, was nominated for a Grammy. Plus, he appeared at huge festivals across the country, including legendary sit-ins at the last two installments of Eric Clapton's Crossroad Guitar Festival and headlining slots at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival, and others. Some things in life only grow richer and more beautiful with age, and one of those things is the blues man. Don't miss the chance to witness this living legend, who has been "there" and back and is still going.
