Johnny and Edgar Winter come together on stage for the first time in a decade.
By: Susan Van Dongen
How have musicians like Johnny and Edgar Winter stayed in the business and on the road, putting on killer live concerts for 40 years now?
Easy, say the brothers, known as seminal white Southern bluesmen.
"I’ve lasted so long because I love it so much," says brother Johnny.
"The energy comes from the excitement and playing the music that I love," says Edgar. "It’s very energizing. I get a little tired hearing classic rock musicians complain how strenuous and hard it is. Sure, the logistics of the road are difficult to negotiate but the music is what makes it all worthwhile. And really, we have people taking care of us. It’s not as hard as folks would make it out to be."
For the first time in well over a decade, Johnny and Edgar Winter will share the stage, along with old friend Rick Derringer, at two high-energy concerts in central New Jersey. The rockers will reunite at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank April 6 and at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton April 7.
The producers of the Triple Threat Concert Tour say it’s been 17 years since the three guitarists have shared a stage, although Johnny and Edgar have jammed together in recent years. Are there any fears of rusty chops among the three axemen?
"No, it’ll be a blast," Edgar says. "I love playing with Johnny. It brings back many wonderful memories of childhood. There’s always that spiritual bond between brothers, sisters and family and it’s very emotional for me. It’s something we don’t do that often, so it makes it all the more special.
"And having Rick there will be great he’s played with us in various bands," he adds. "He played with me in my first band, White Trash, and with Johnny Winter and also with the Edgar Winter Group after Ronnie Montrose left."
Mr. Derringer, who pop-rock trivia fans might remember from the proto-garage band the McCoys ("Hang on Sloopy"), and for his song "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo," is better known as the hit-making producer of Edgar Winter’s 1973 album They Only Come Out at Night. He was Edgar’s preferred producer and studio whiz throughout the ’70s.
"Rick was producing most of my records since ‘White Trash,’" Edgar says. "And it was back in the days when record companies preferred that artists not produce themselves. They said, ‘It’s better to have an objective ear as a producer,’ which meant they would bring someone in to make the record more commercial. But I wanted to have a producer who was really musical, who would understand what I was trying to create, and who would be supportive as a musician."
They Only Come Out at Night had the hit "Free Ride" on it as well as the unusual instrumental "Frankenstein," which went to Number One and is said to be the first heavy metal hit song. It took Edgar’s career on a bit of a detour, away from pure guitar-based blues-rock, more toward experimentation with keyboards and early synthesizers.
"’Frankenstein’ was at the forefront of heavy metal and also was noted for ushering in the era of the synthesizer," Edgar says. "It was acclaimed because it was so cutting edge, but then people were using synthesizers to recreate other instruments, so a lot of live musicians were out of work.
"My whole approach to synthesizer came from my love of sci-fi movies, like ‘Forbidden Planet,’ which used the theremin," he continues. "I wanted to create these new sounds and that’s what ‘Frankenstein’ was about."
A child prodigy whose main instrument is the saxophone, Edgar also was classically trained in piano. He’s the one who had the idea of taking a portable keyboard and attaching a strap to it so the keyboardist could come out on the stage and rock with the guitarists.
"It changed the perception of the keyboardist at the time," he says. "I got frustrated being stuck behind the keyboard I wanted to get out there and boogie. I saw these synthesizers and thought, ‘You could put a strap on this’ and the monster was born. Really, I just enjoy integrating all these different styles. I’m perceived as a rocker but I’m really more of a blues guitarist."
The brothers grew up in Beaumont, Texas, in a musical home where their father played saxophone and banjo in a swing band and their mother played and taught piano. Johnny and Edgar both albinos learned a number of instruments and by a very young age performed as an Everly Brothers-type duo on The Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour.
"We started on ukuleles, these cute little kids playing on local talent shows around Beaumont," Edgar says. "Then I played bass, drums and later piano. When I got to be a teenager, I found my dad’s old alto sax and experimented. We just had a very musical family I never thought it was anything extraordinary. I could hear a song and understand the structure and be able to play it pretty readily. I could always pick up instruments easily, and singing to me was as natural as walking."
In his late teens, Johnny Winter left Texas for Louisiana, then Chicago. But it wasn’t until after he returned to the South that he began to get rave reviews along the Georgia-Florida circuit. A 1968 article in Rolling Stone described Johnny as "a cross-eyed albino with long fleecy hair playing some of the gutsiest fluid blues guitar you’ve ever heard." That review brought Johnny to national attention and he soon had a regular gig at the Scene in New York City and a contract with Columbia.
He had some heady days in the ’70s as a bandleader and soloist, but really hit his stride backing up and touring with Muddy Waters. In the tradition of Albert Collins, Billy Gibbons and the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny is a true "Texas guitar slinger." The grind of the road derailed Johnny’s career, however, and then trends in music changed in the ’80s and he took a number of years off.
Johnny’s most recent Grammy-nominated album is I’m a Bluesman (Virgin, 2004). Look for him to perform with a road-tested trio bassist Scott Spray, drummer Wayne June and guitarist Paul Nelson.
Edgar Winter grew away from recording albums, leaning toward film and television scores, and even making some appearances onscreen. More interested in playing live and he’s noted for long, impassioned concerts the commercial aspect of the recording business no longer interests him.
"Music should come from the heart it’s never been a business for me," Edgar says. "I had no particular desire to become famous, it was just something that I loved to do. It’s been a spiritual journey and music has illuminated that path for me. Music is a very powerful tool to bring people together."
Johnny and Edgar Winter with Rick Derringer will perform at the Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, April 6, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25-$55. For information, call (732) 842-9000. On the Web: www.countbasietheatre.org; and at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, West Lafayette and Barrack streets, Trenton, April 7, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30-$50. For information, call (800) 955-5566. On the Web: www.thewarmemorial.com. Edgar Winter on the Web: www.edgarwinter.com. Johnny Winter on the Web: www.johnnywinter.net. Rick Derringer on the Web: www.rickderringer.com

