Thursday, February 23, 2006

The Baddest White Dude With A Slide On His Pinky, EVER

Today is the 62nd birthday of Texas Bluesman extraordinaire John Dawson Winter, III. Johnny Winter to us. I first saw him with Jeff Beck at the Filmore East when I was like 15 or 16. Voice that growled like a wildcat, and the meanest damned finger slide I'd ever witnessed. I was blown away.

He also performed at one of the concerts that I will forever kick myself for missing. Stupid. Just plain stupid.

It's good to know that some things just get better with age, and Johnny's one of them. Catch him if he comes near your town. He is an American treasure.

6 comments:

Cassandra said...

Well now that is someone I have not thought of in a while.

He is one of those who will always remind me of sitting in someone's basement with the lights off because you just didn't want to be distracted while the music just washed over you. Or at least I didn't.

spd rdr said...

One of the best examples of why music doesn't have to be complicated to satisfy.

Cassandra said...

Thank you.

That was nice. I was getting incredibly frustrated at work and I looked him up and downloaded a CD full of blues guitar and just kind of felt all (or at least most) of the tension drain out of my neck and shoulders for a little while.

Man, it has been a long week, and if my (*&^ phone doesn't stop ringing I am going to put it through the nearest wall in about 2 minutes, music or no music.

spd rdr said...

"Good morning little schoooooool girl,
Can aye, aye, aye... come home with you..."

Crap, these lyrics would get me arrested these days.

Um...no...they wouldn't. I am just a mean ol poopy head...with memories.

Cassandra said...

Funny how music can take you back. Put on the right song and you can be fifteen again, dangerous and invincible :)

It's magic.

Pooke said...

Damn, I was going to post something about how feel good Just Hangin' Around was, but it quickly occurred to me that THAT was Edgar. Still fun, fun stuff that I'll play on a Sunny Day. (Lighthouse, too!)