Live Bootleg Series, Vol. 1

Performer: Johnny Winter
Producer: Johnny Winter; Johnny Winter
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Johnny Winter (vocals, guitar); Johnny Winter (guitars); Jon Paris (harmonica, bass guitar); Bobby T., Bobby T. (drums). Liner Note Author: David Rubin. Photographer: Susan Winter. The most important thing to know about this Live Bootleg Series by Johnny Winter is that these are officially released tapes by him and he produced these recordings. These are not bootlegs in the sense of the word we have used it since the 1960s. That said, on this first volume, Winter goes back into his personal archive and pulls out various performances from his long career, and these are from the early '70s when he was so deeply drawn to the power of rock & roll that he and his band -- both with and without Rick Derringer -- tear through roots rock classics like "Johnny B. Goode" and "Jumpin' Jack Flash," as well as blistering versions of blues nuggets -- Muddy Waters' "Rollin' and Tumblin'" and Robert Johnson's "Come on in My Kitchen" among them. Sound quality varies a bit but is generally very good and will not cause the listener any difficulty at all. These are great performances, and anyone remotely interested in the guy should check these out, perhaps above his studio albums. ~ Thom Jurek

Texan blues guitarist Johnny Winter, surely the first albino blues guitar hero, was already a convincing artist in the '60s when still in his teens. At the dawn of the '70s, he embraced the sound of the time, adopting a louder, more frenetic blues-rock style. Backed by the McCoys, including guitarist Rick Derringer, he released a series of classic blues-rock albums, while his keyboard-playing brother Edgar, with whom Johnny played on and off over the years, achieved stardom in his own right. At the end of the '70s, Winter produced Muddy Waters, helping him make a triumphant comeback. In the ensuing decades, Winter maintained a prolific schedule of touring and recording.

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