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Johnny Winter in 1988

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Press Release from Slatus Management

Timeline 1988

Press release by Slatus Management for the release of "Winter of 88".

Johnny Winter is an American music legend. A recording artist for some 28 years he burst from the Texas bar scene in the late 60's to become an archetypal rock guitar hero. He remains the perfect example of the hard-working, no-nonsense artist who's built his career on substance, rather than image. Fashions come and go, but Johnny Winter continues to create his original blues/hard rock blend as only he can. The release of Winter of '88, his debut LP for the MCA distributed Voyager label, clearly demonstrates that the guitarist's touch has only improved with time. More over, the LP presents Winter in a musical setting that spruces up his sound without losing the grit and sweat that are essential to his style. Produced by Terry Manning of ZZ Top fame, Winter of '88 is an album of raw power, virtuosity and across-the-board impact. Winter renders the LP's tunes (including both new material and blues clasics) with lean ferocious simplicity. Backing him are Jon Paris on bass and Tom Compton on drums, players who've toured with him for years. The sparse, direct and contemporary feel of the tracks lets Winter and his group shine through brilliantly.

"It was real important to find a producer who thought the same way I did," Winter says. "Terry had done a lot of blues work as well as rock 'n roll, which attracted me in the first place. I felt that he was aware of how to get a modern sound but at the same time he would also understand my direction. The idea was not to change my music, just to reach a bigger audience." Standout LP tracks such as "Rain" (a moody song of romantic longing), "Lightning" (a steamy rocker with killer slide work) and "Anything For Your Love" (a slow churning love plea) should both delight Winter loyalists and make new converts. If Winter of '88 reaches out to a wide segment of rock listeners, it does so without strain or compromise. Johnny Winter testifies as guitarist and vocalist with the integrity and deep emotion that have always been present through his decades of making music. Winter became a professional musician at the age of 14 when he and his keyboard wizard brother Edgar formed Johnny and the Jammers, in their hometown of Beaumont, Texas. Already Johnny's rock 'n roll was steeped in the blues from years of listening to Beaumont's black radio station and hanging out with Clarence Garlow, a local DJ and blues guitarist. Johnny and the Jammers were a local phenomenon, winning talent shows and eventually a recording contract with the Dart label. Their first single, "Schoolday Blues", was released when Johnny was 15. more...

From that time on, Johnny was a regular in the Houston and Beaumont recording studios, cutting dozens of tunes as both a leader and sideman. When he wasn't in the studio he was barnstorming the Deep South club circuit, playing everything from hard blues to cocktail jazz and Top 40 tunes. His singles, cut for dozens of little labels, were often leased to majors like MGM and Atlantic. They earned plenty of local radio play but didn't break nationally. Finally, in 1968, Winter committed himself to playing the blues, forming a trio with Tommy Shannon on base and Uncle John Turner on drums. Discouraged with performing around Texas, he was investigating the music scene in England when a cover story in Rolling Stone made him a celebrity overnight. After a furious bidding war, he was signed to Columbia and proceeded to unleash a series of classic blues rock LPs. Johnny Winter and Second Winter were cut with his original blues trio plus brother Edgar, while Johnny Winter And and and Johnny Winter And Live (the latter his best-selling LP) featured Rick Derringer on second guitar. In 1973 he returned to a more direct blues sound with Still Alive and Well, followed by Saint and Sinners in '74 In 1977 Winter fulfilled a lifelong dream by producing Muddy Waters for his new label, the CBS distributed Blue Sky Records. Hard Again was a comeback album for Muddy, an album that returned him to his Chicago blues band roots. Both Hard Again and the following Waters LP I'm Ready won Grammy Awards. "Working with Muddy made me feel people were finally more...

Realizing that I'm not faking and can really play the blues", Winter says. "I felt I'd established myself." Winter's own music continued to explore the nuances of the blues in its varied forms. Signing with Alligator Records, he released a series of much praised LPs, including the Grammy nominated Guitar Slinger (1984) and Serious Business (1985). Third Degree (1986) completed his trio of Alligator albums. In addition to recording and producing, Winter has maintained a heavy touring schedule over the past decade, appearing in arenas, roadhouses and everywhere in between. "For the last two or three years I've been on the road at least eight to nine months a year," he reports. "Besides the States, we've been to Europe, Australia and Canada. We go everywhere people want to see us, from festivals to college gigs, you name it." "A lot of new people have been showing up," he continues. "I meet kids who are 15 and 16 years old, loyal fans who first heard our records from their older brothers and sisters and sometimes their parents. And, of course, I see the old fans who've never stopped being into the blues." What Winter brings to old and young fans alike is his unequivocal passion for music. "The older I get, the more I seem to love it," he says. "It's like eating and sleeping --it's a necessity for me. The blues may come in and out of fashion, but I just keep playing what I love and hope that others love it too."

 

Johnny leaves Alligator and signs with MCA/Voyager.

Riverwalk Blues Festival, Fort Lauderdale Fl.

Beacon Theatre.

Copa Club, Canada.

The Palace, Hollywood, Cal.

Tuesday, 23 February 1988: Chestnut Cabaret, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  1. Hideaway
  2. I'm Good
  3. That's Alright
  4. Help Me
  5. Rock Me Baby
  6. Serious As A Heart Attack
  7. Mojo Boogie
  8. Rollin' And Tumblin"
  9. Johnny B Goode
  10. Boot Hill
  11. Wildwood Flower

Friday, 29 April 1988: Airport Hall, Allentown PA

  1. Hideaway
  2. Rock Me Baby
  3. Don't Take Advantage Of Me
  4. Red House
  5. Serious As A Heart Attack
  6. Mojo Boogie
  7. Shake Your Moneymaker
  8. I'm Good
  9. Instrumental
Johnny Winter Live in 1988 Bluesin88 Blues Festival in 1988 Pistoia Italy

Friday, 1 July 1988: Piazza Duomo, Pistoia, Italy.

Other bands in this blues festival include Steve Ray Vaughan, Blues Brothers Reunion Band, Rufus Thomas. Ron Wood, Bo Didley, John Lee Hooker, Otish Rush, Magic Slim, Louisiana Red, Zoot Money and many, many others

This show has been broadcasted on TV by the Italian RAI Duo

    Setlist
  1. Honky Tonk
  2. Rock me baby
  3. Don't take advantage of me
  4. Early in the morning or one room country shack [Johnny presents Jon Paris on "Mississipi Saxophone", a harmonica]
  5. Serious as a heart attack
  6. Mojo Boogie
  7. Shake your moneymaker
  8. Johnny Be Goode
  9. Jumpin Jack Flash
  10. Wildwood flower

Johnny Winter 1 Jul 1988 Piazza Duomo, Pistoia, Italy

Photo Gallery of this fantasic concert in Pistoia 1988
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
Photo Gallery Johnny Winter Live in Pistoia 1988 Italy
   

Monday, 4 July 1988 - Milan Blues Festival, Arco Della Pace, Milan, Italy

  1. Succotash
  2. Rock me baby
  3. Don't take advantage of me
  4. Red house
  5. Serious as a heart attack (with drum solo)
  6. Mojo boogie
  7. Shake your money maker
  8. Johnny b. goode
  9. 1st encore: It's all over now final. Encores, played non-stop:
  10. Wildwood flower
  11. Boot hill
  12. Okie dokie stomp

Saturday, 6 August 1988: Pier #84 NY

  1. Hideaway
  2. Rock Me Baby
  3. Don't Take Advantage Of Me(w/Gimme Shelter Inst. ending)
  4. Love Her With A Feeling
  5. Serious As A Heart Attack
  6. Mojo Boogie
  7. Shake Your Moneymaker
  8. Johnny B Goode
  9. Stranger Blues

Tuesday, 23 August 1988: Toad's Place, New Haven, Connecticut

  1. Hideaway
  2. Rock Me Baby
  3. Don't Take Advantage Of Me
  4. Looking For Trouble
  5. Serious As A Heart Attack
  6. Mojo Boogie
  7. Stranger Blues
  8. Ain't That Just Like A Woman
  9. Mother Earth
  10. It's All Over Now
  11. Boot Hill
  12. Wildwood Flower

Monday, 19 September 1988: Highlands, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

  1. Succotash
  2. I'm good
  3. Llooking for trouble
  4. Don't take advantage of me
  5. Mojo boogie
  6. Stranger blues
  7. Medley: mother earth / the things that I've used to do / mother earth
  8. Ain't just like a woman [with a Chuck Berry's guitar riff at beginning]
  9. Boot hill 10. it's all over now

Tuesday, 20 September 1988: Diamond Club, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  1. Ssuccotash
  2. I'm good
  3. Don't take advantage of me
  4. Looking for trouble
  5. Mmojo boogie
  6. Stranger blues
  7. Johnny b. goode
  8. Bboot hill
  9. It's all over now
  10. Mmother earth
  11. Mmedley: hold it / okie dokie stomp

Wednesday, 21 September 1988: Dr. Rockits, London, Ontario, Canada

    Setlist
  1. Rock me baby
  2. Don't take advantage of me [great!!]
  3. Mother earth
  4. Mojo boogie
  5. Stranger blues
  6. I'm good
  7. Boot hill
  8. Jumpin' jack flash
  9. Going to New York [rare rendition of Jimmy Reed's classic]

Thursday, 22 September 1988: Entex, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

    Setlist:
  1. Honky tonky
  2. I'm good
  3. Love her with a feeling
  4. Serious as a heartattack
  5. Bony moronie
  6. Drum solo
  7. Bony moronie (reprise)
  8. Mojo boogie
  9. Stranger blues
  10. Ain't that just like a woman
  11. Sweet papa john
  12. Johnny b. goode

Saturday, 24 September 1988: Lost Horizons, Syracuse, New York

    Setlist:
  1. Honky tonk
  2. I'm good
  3. Mother earth
  4. Don't advantage of me
  5. Jumpin' jack flash
  6. Serious as a heart attack
  7. Mojo boogie
  8. Stranger blues
  9. Little queenie
  10. Boot hill
  11. Johnny b. goode

Sunday, 9 October 1988 Billy's Old Mill, Greenfield, Wisconsin

    Setlist:
  1. Succotash
  2. I'm good
  3. Mother earth
  4. Don't take advantage of me
  5. Mojo boogie
  6. Stranger blues
  7. Little queenie [Jon Paris on guitar & vocals, Johnny on bass]
  8. Boot hill
  9. Ain't just like a woman
  10. Rain [ one of the lost pearls from "Winter of 88", without any cheesy post-production, raw as Johnny would like to be released. The true highlight of this show - 7 minutes long ]
  11. It's all over now

Thursday, 20 October 1988: Rockafellars, Houston, Texas

    Setlist:
  1. Succotash
  2. I'm good
  3. Mother earth
  4. Don't take advantage of me
  5. Mojo boogie
  6. Stranger blues
  7. Ain't just like a woman
  8. Johnny b. goode
  9. Boot hill
  10. It's all over now
  11. Wildwood flower [with full parts of "serious as a heart attack" instrumental in the middle]

Wednesday, 2 November 1988: Finky's Daytona Beach, Fla

Friday, 2 December 1988 FILLMORE in SF, CA

On 2 Dec 1988 Johnny Winter, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Chester D.

Johnny Winter, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Chester D.

Tuesday, 13 December 1988: The Palace, Hollywood, Los Angeles (recorded for King Biscuit Flower Hour)

    Setlist:
  1. Succotash
  2. I'm good
  3. Mother Earth
  4. Don't take advantage of me
  5. Boney moronie
  6. Drum solo
  7. Mojo boogie
  8. Stranger blues
  9. Serious as a heart attack
  10. Johnny b. goode
  11. Please come home for christmas
  12. It's all over now
  13. Okie Dokie Stomp

Friday, 16 December 1988 - San Juan Capistrano, California

    Setlist
  1. Succotash
  2. Rock me baby
  3. Love me with a feeling
  4. Ain't just like a woman
  5. Serious as a heart attack
  6. Mojo boogie
  7. Stranger blues
  8. Please come home for Christmas
  9. Run Rudolph run
  10. Boot hill
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