Birth of the Blues: Johnny Winter
By Hunter60

After a four-year hiatus, Winter returned to recording with three releases for Chicago's Alligator label with "Guitar Slinger" garnering him another Grammy nod. Despite musical trends, Winter has remained a true blues man, forgoing his occasional stints into rock and roll. He has never really regained his foothold as a major guitarist that he had in the late Sixties and Seventies, at least commercially, but critically, he remains a name that is often mentioned when people list influential guitarists.

The Nineties were noted with a continual touring schedule (as long as his health would allow) with occasional releases. As his career progressed, several of the labels that he has recorded with have released several compendiums of his work, mining demos and his pre-success period as well as repackaging practically his entire catalogue. In 2004, he released "I'm a Bluesman", his first release of new material in eight years.

In "History of the Blues", author Francis Davis writes of Winter " … Johnny Winter and John Mayall have stuck with the blues through thick and thin. If someone happens to announce a blues revival and that brings people through the doors, so much the better. But these performers are in for the long haul, blues revival or no. They've long since paid all dues required of them."

It seems to me that blues is as much about living them as well as playing them. Johnny Winters career is near perfect example of that.