Like a true bluesman, Johnny Winter went out still doing what he loved.
Sad to say that we heard today great Texas guitar slinger Johnny Winter died at the age of 70 while on tour in Zurich Switzerland, the blues music world will take moment to pause and surely celebrate the life and music of this man dedicated to the blues for decades.
As many blues acts do, Johnny was on a European summer tour following the highly successful 2011 release “Roots”. Another album was in the works “Step Back”, that will unfortunately be a posthumous release in the Fall.
Johnny stood out, both physically as an albino with his brother Edgar Winter, but more because of his high energy, fast, Texas-styled blues guitar sound. Honing his chops with the likes of Muddy Waters (having produced albums for Muddy later in Muddy’s life), he also came into his own during the blues renaissance in Austin led by WC Clark, the Vaughan Brothers and a veritable who’s who in the blues guitar world attracted by clubs that included Antone’s.
Johnny had battled personal demons and health issues for many years, but was at his most creative in the last few years as he experienced some renewal in his career as he seemed to have gotten his life together and had leveled out his health issues.
I will recall fondly the times I was able to catch Johnny’s powerful, raw and emotional playing…rest in peace Johnny – join Freddie, Muddy, the Albert’s…thanks for the great times and music. More news on this topic
Filed under Blues Legends by on Jul 17th, 2014. Comment. 
I really like these “behind the scenes” views into the recording process musicians use on their songs.
This video shares such a view (albeit still officially produced) into the recording studio during a recording of the song “Stop” from Joe Bonamassa’s 2010 CD “John Henry”.
Notice a few things:
- How several overdubs of vocals and guitar solo is done
- How Joe switches guitars on the solo – starting with a very clean “Lucille” model Gibson into a much dirtier Les Paul for the latter half of the solo
- How Bonomassa even switches from sitting to standing on different parts of the vocal (honestly I don’t know how anyone can record sitting down)
Anything else you notice of note in the video?
Filed under blues guitar, Blues Legends, Joe Bonamassa by on Dec 26th, 2013. Comment.
I like to think I’ve immersed myself in blue (past and present) pretty thoroughly over the last couple of decades…not to say that I haven’t missed someone along the way for sure.
What impresses me more than anything else is how incredibly deep, rich and divergent the talent is…at its root, the I,IV,V (with some slight variations) put to a slow, shuffle, delta or jump style can be the start of millions and millions of different sounds, ryhthms and soul that makes up the blues.
But what about the greatest blues guitar players of all time?
This is subjective, but I really want to get your input on this list…do you agree, disagree? Leave us a comment.
1. T-Bone Walker
2. Son House
3. BB King
4. Jimmie Hendrix
5. Freddie King
6. Albert King
7. Robert Johnson
8. Buddy Guy
9. Stevie Ray Vaughan
10. Eric Clapton
How many do you agree with? Anyone else you would add to the list?
Filed under blues guitar by on Jul 18th, 2012. Comment.
I always make it a top priority to catch Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi each time they come to town, happily each time I am more impressed.
Formed back in 2010, this Royal Couple of the guitar blues combines skill, dedication and passion to their craft…definitely a situation where 1+1=3
Two things I noticed at this year’s show from previous years…
1. Tedeschi’s guitar work is now a more featured part of the act – even though the band is now an 11-piece juggernaut, there is still more room for Tedeschi to shine with her passionate vocals and gritty guitar work. Nice job!
2. Derek Trucks is evolving even further into other guitar (and song) styles with the addition of horns, a flute and some very entrancing (is that a word?) guitar work (think Santana!) he is clearly not a man that lacks creativity. Some of it missed, but much of it hit BIG time.
Here is a clip of Rollin and Tumblin that features the considerable talents of Susan Tedeschi…hope they come back next year.
Leave us a comment if you have had the chance to listen or see Trucks or Tedeschi…let us know your thoughts.
Filed under Blues Festival, blues guitar by on Jul 12th, 2012. Comment.
What better way to kick off the Smokin Blues Guitar blog than to pay homage to one of greatest blues guitarists and all around nice guys still on the blues circuit today.
Hubert Sumlin was born on November 16th, 1931 in Mississippi and raised in Arkansas – endorsed by the great Howlin” Wolf who brought him up to Chicago. There he learned his chops, developed his style and created the sound behind some of the best blues classics of all time.
Do yourself a favor and head over to his official website now – check out his Gallery where you will see nearly every influential music star that matters, all of them want to be with Hubert.
I had the chance to see Hubert up close this past weekend here at the Ottawa Blues Festival where he hung out for 3-days before moving on to Mt Tremblant – a couple hour drive from here to join Robert Cray.
My first siting was watching local band Monkey Junk (a hugely talented trio in their own right), where I see this person doing some mean air drumming and air guitar to the tastey blues licks of the boys. Since I was right up front, I poked my ahead around to see stage right and there is Hubert Sumlin jiving away with Monkey Junk – that was Friday evening, he had arrived for a set of gigs on Saturday and Sunday.
The local guys – Tony D, Steve Mariner and Matt Sobb were humbled and giddy at the fact that Sir Hubert was taking in their set, and purely enjoying what he was hearing by the way.
Along came Saturday and Hubert took the Hard Rock Stage (one of 6 stages at Ottawa Bluesfest), it was a terrific set with some very tastey blues.
It struck me like thunder how many giant blues hits he has put his own flavor to over the last 50-years – Killing Floor, Going Down Slow, and my personal favorite from this concert, Sitting On Top of The World!
As if that weren’t enough, I got to say hi to him (and received a huge Hubert smile and wave) as he passed by a group of us lined up to see Doyle Bramhall perform later that afternoon.
Sunday came, and yet another priveledged Hubert Sumlin concert – this time he put something extra into the mix throwing some additional songs into the mix, sometimes completely mystifying his band, but he sure knew what he was doing – they had to catch up.
Here’s a terrific set of clips of “Hubert blues licks” – see if you don’t recognize some of these:
What struck me more than anything else though over these 3 days is how vibrant, energetic and positive a person Hubert is. He brought the festival to life – he walks with the aura of thousands of blues greats before him and will have influenced thousands after…their aren’t many gentelman left in this world like Hubert Sumlin…it just so happens he is also a living legend of the blues guitar.
Do you have a Hubert Sumlin story or favorite moment to share? Leave a comment and let us hear about it.
Filed under Blues Legends by on Jul 15th, 2009. Comment.
