The fourth and final disc takes it from 1978 up to 2011. Needless, the style and approach may be a bit more restrained on “Tired Of Tryin’,” “Walkin’ Thru The Park” and “I Done Over It,” but the interaction between the players is phenomenal. Not only was Winter paying tribute, he was joined by legends of the blues Muddy Waters, James Cotton and Pinetop Perkins. Winter’s sizzling live performance of Larry Williams’ “Bony Moronie,” another staple of his set, may reaffirm the guitarist’s loyalty to the blues, but by 1977, that loyalty went a step further when he made Nothin’ But The Blues. Winter’s jaunty run-through of John Lennon’s “Rock And Roll People,” from 1974’s John Dawson Winter III, has the rare distinction of being a Lennon song the singer never released in his lifetime (it has since appeared on John Lennon posthumous collections). The guitarist’s own “Rock & Roll” and “Bad Luck Situation” are booming amalgamations of incendiary blues-rock at its delectable finest. Even with rock songs like this, the blues were never too far away, and Winter’s ripping take of “Rock Me Baby” makes sure they’re here to stay.
The third disc includes material from 1973’s Still, Alive And Well, the album Winter says is his “greatest rock album.” Indeed, the title track, penned by Rock Derringer, remains one of his most signature rock tunes, though it, like every other song Winter recorded, wasn’t a hit single. His guitar burns and soars on “It’s My Own Fault” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” while the 17-minute workout on “Mean Town Blues” is an exercise in feel, timing, intensity and sheer brilliance. But it always seems on stage where Winter was most at home. The songs from the group’s self-titled studio album - “Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo “Guess I’ll Go Away” and “On The Limb” - takes Winter’s marriage of rock and blues even deeper. By this time, Winter was integrating more rock and roll into his blues framework and he had a new group too: Johnny Winter And with Rick Derringer on guitar, Randy Hobbs on bass and for the Atlanta gig, his brother “little” Edgar filling in on drums. The second disc lifts off with three live songs - “Eyesight To The Blind,” “Prodigal Son” and “Mean Mistreater” - from the 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival. Speaking of live, aside from Winter’s Fillmore East break-out performances, the first disc features a song from Woodstock (“Leland Mississippi Blues”) and finishes up with two smoldering oldies, “Black Cat Bone” and “Johnny B. He swings and sways on the guitar like a fearless outlaw on Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited,” a song he continues to regularly play live to this very day. Through it all, the man’s measure as a guitarist, vocalist and bandleader seemingly leaps, evolves and tightens its rein. Selections from the Columbia debut, 1969’s Johnny Winter, include original songs like “I’m Yours And I’m Hers” and “Dallas,” along with “Mean Mistreater” featuring Willie Dixon and Walter “Shakey” Horton. It was Winter’s first visit to New York City, and resulted in landing him a six-figure advance from Columbia Records, reportedly the largest advance of it kind’s at the time. The next thing you know, Mike Bloomfield is introducing a young Johnny Winter to the Fillmore East, calling him the “baddest motherfucker, man” and adding “this cat can play,” which he proceeds to do for almost 11 minutes on John lee Hooker’s “It’s My Own Fault,” with Bloomfield and Al Kooper at his side. At once, you’re swept up by the fervent, agile guitar licks and Winter’s roar of a voice. Organized chronologically, True To The Blues: The Johnny Winter Story begins with the swampy, low-down acoustic blues of “Bad Luck and Trouble” and the upbeat, rollicking “Mean Town Blues,” both original compositions from Winter’s very first record, The Progressive Blues Experiment. Fans, freaks and curious onlookers can get the cream of the crop of Winter’s music on the four-CD box set, True To The Blues: The Johnny Winter Story. Through it all, he’s stayed true to his calling, overcoming personal demons, maintaining a busy and constant touring schedule, and making it all the way to the ripe age of 70 on February 23, 2014.
Indeed, Johnny Winter’s career is one of extraordinary opportunities and challenges. “I was hoping I would,” he laughed, “I’m lovin’ it.” That love, passion and dedication to his craft and the blues have resulted in nearly 30 studio and live albums of his own, as well as contributions as a guitarist and producer on dozens of others, including the last four albums by Winter’s hero, Muddy Waters. During a brief phone interview in 2013, I asked Johnny Winter if he thought 45 years after playing Woodstock in 1969, he’d still be out playing and touring today.
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