George Winston grew up mainly in Montana, and also spent his formative year… Read Full Bio ↴George Winston grew up mainly in Montana, and also spent his formative years in Mississippi and Florida. During this time, his favorite music was instrumental rock and instrumental R&B, including Floyd Cramer, the Ventures, Booker T & The MGโs, Jimmy Smith, and many more. Inspired by R&B, jazz, Blues and rock (especially the Doors), George began playing organ in 1967. In 1971 he switched to the acoustic piano after hearing recordings from the 1920s and the 1930s by the legendary stride pianists Thomas โFatsโ Waller and the late Teddy Wilson. In addition to working on stride piano, he also at this time came up with this own style of melodic instrumental music on solo piano, called folk piano. In 1972, he recorded his first solo piano album, BALLADS AND BLUES 1972, for the late guitarist John Faheyโs Takoma label.
His latest solo piano release is LOVE WILL COME โ THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI, VOL. 2 (to be released 2/2/10), which features compositions by the late jazz pianist, including pieces from the Peanutsยฎ TV specials.
Since 1980 George has released ten other solo piano albums: AUTUMN (1980), WINTER INTO SPRING (1982), DECEMBER (1982), SUMMER (1991), FOREST (1994), LINUS & LUCY-THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI (1996), which features compositions by the late jazz pianist, including Cast Your Fate to the Wind and pieces from the Peanutsยฎ TV specials; PLAINS (1999), which was inspired by his Eastern Montana upbringing, NIGHT DIVIDES THE DAY - THE MUSIC OF THE DOORS (2002), and MONTANA - A LOVE STORY (2004) and GULF COAST BLUES & IMPRESSIONS โ A HURRICANE RELIEF BENEFIT (2006).
Also, in 2001 George released REMEMBRANCE - A MEMORIAL BENEFIT, a six song CD of piano, guitar and harmonica solos, to benefit those affected by 9/11. He has also worked with the late George Levenson of Informed Democracy (www.informeddemocracy.com) on three projects: a solo guitar soundtrack for SADAKO AND THE THOUSAND PAPER CRANES, and soundtracks of piano, guitar and, harmonica solos for PUMPKIN CIRCLE, and BREAD COMES TO LIFE. In 1984 he also did the solo piano soundtrack for the childrenโs story THE VELVETEEN RABBIT for Rabbit Ears Productions.
George is presently concentrating mainly on live performances, and most of the time he is touring playing solo piano concerts (the Summer Show or the Winter Show), solo guitar concerts, solo harmonica concerts, and solo piano dances (with R&B and slow dance songs).
He is also studying the playing of the great New Orleans pianists Henry Butler, James Booker, Professor Longhair, Dr. John, and Jon Cleary, and he is also working on interpreting pieces on solo piano by his favorite composers, including Vince Guaraldi, Professor Longhair, the Doors, Frank Zappa, Randy Newman, Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, Laura Nyro, Al Kooper, Dr. John, Henry Butler, James Booker, Jon Cleary, Ralph Towner, Arthur Lee, Milt Jackson, John Hartford, Oliver Schroer, Taj Mahal, Philip Aaberg, and others, to play at concerts, and at his solo piano dances.
George is also working on solo guitar and is recording the masters of the Hawaiian Slack Key guitar for an extensive series of albums for Dancing Cat Records (www.dancingcat.com). Slack Key is the name for the beautiful solo fingerstyle guitar tradition, unique to Hawaii, which began in the early 1800s and predated the steel guitar by over half a century. He is also recording his main inspirations for his harmonica playing, Sam Hinton, Rick Epping, and Curt Bouterse.
His latest solo piano release is LOVE WILL COME โ THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI, VOL. 2 (to be released 2/2/10), which features compositions by the late jazz pianist, including pieces from the Peanutsยฎ TV specials.
Since 1980 George has released ten other solo piano albums: AUTUMN (1980), WINTER INTO SPRING (1982), DECEMBER (1982), SUMMER (1991), FOREST (1994), LINUS & LUCY-THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI (1996), which features compositions by the late jazz pianist, including Cast Your Fate to the Wind and pieces from the Peanutsยฎ TV specials; PLAINS (1999), which was inspired by his Eastern Montana upbringing, NIGHT DIVIDES THE DAY - THE MUSIC OF THE DOORS (2002), and MONTANA - A LOVE STORY (2004) and GULF COAST BLUES & IMPRESSIONS โ A HURRICANE RELIEF BENEFIT (2006).
Also, in 2001 George released REMEMBRANCE - A MEMORIAL BENEFIT, a six song CD of piano, guitar and harmonica solos, to benefit those affected by 9/11. He has also worked with the late George Levenson of Informed Democracy (www.informeddemocracy.com) on three projects: a solo guitar soundtrack for SADAKO AND THE THOUSAND PAPER CRANES, and soundtracks of piano, guitar and, harmonica solos for PUMPKIN CIRCLE, and BREAD COMES TO LIFE. In 1984 he also did the solo piano soundtrack for the childrenโs story THE VELVETEEN RABBIT for Rabbit Ears Productions.
George is presently concentrating mainly on live performances, and most of the time he is touring playing solo piano concerts (the Summer Show or the Winter Show), solo guitar concerts, solo harmonica concerts, and solo piano dances (with R&B and slow dance songs).
He is also studying the playing of the great New Orleans pianists Henry Butler, James Booker, Professor Longhair, Dr. John, and Jon Cleary, and he is also working on interpreting pieces on solo piano by his favorite composers, including Vince Guaraldi, Professor Longhair, the Doors, Frank Zappa, Randy Newman, Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield, Laura Nyro, Al Kooper, Dr. John, Henry Butler, James Booker, Jon Cleary, Ralph Towner, Arthur Lee, Milt Jackson, John Hartford, Oliver Schroer, Taj Mahal, Philip Aaberg, and others, to play at concerts, and at his solo piano dances.
George is also working on solo guitar and is recording the masters of the Hawaiian Slack Key guitar for an extensive series of albums for Dancing Cat Records (www.dancingcat.com). Slack Key is the name for the beautiful solo fingerstyle guitar tradition, unique to Hawaii, which began in the early 1800s and predated the steel guitar by over half a century. He is also recording his main inspirations for his harmonica playing, Sam Hinton, Rick Epping, and Curt Bouterse.
Cast Your Fate To The Wind
George Winston Lyrics
Instrumental
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jackycook64
I remember the first time I saw you in concert. My mom took me. I was 8yrs old. I loved every minute of it and, according to my mom, my eyes were as large as saucers the entire concert. When we got home, I got out some $ that I had earned and I wrote you a letter telling you how much I enjoyed your music and to get yourself an ice cream. I still have your Winter into Spring cassette that you sent in response (sadly your letter was lost in a move). That cassette meant and still means the world to me. Fast forward 17yrs and living in Billings. For my 25th birthday my friend got tickets for your concert and then took me backstage to meet you. You were so kind and so generous with your time. It was one of the best bday gifts I have ever received made even more special when you remembered my letter and the ice cream after all that time. I am 46 now, and Ilove your music and still listen to it daily and still say that meeting you will always be one of my most valued memories. You have given so much to so many people. Thank you!
Kris Aaron
Every artist would kill to get a letter like this.
naoliver35
@jackycook64 Thanks for the nice memory -- I likely would have had a very similar reaction if I had been 15-20 years younger when I first saw him!
jackycook64
@naoliver35 thank you for sharing! His concerts also felt magical to me. And I always enjoyed his guitar. Your memory sparked mine. At that first concert I was shocked that he came out in his socks (I was only 8 after all) and asked my mom if it was because he couldn't afford shoes....lol. She assured me he could afford shoes and that he probably just enjoyed playing without them. For days after the concert I did not want to wear my shoes. When my parents would catch me outside in my socks and punish me my excuse would always be "but Mr. Winston plays in his socks!" Lol lol
naoliver35
What a lovely memory - thank you so much for sharing it! In my sophomore year of college in Maryland I had not heard of George Winston, but a friend of mine had two tickets for a performance at the Kennedy Center in DC (around Christmas 1984, 85?). My friend's father dropped us off and inside, there was plush red carpet, sparkling chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, patrons in their three-piece suits and evening gowns, a polished stage with a huge, gleaming Steinway (I assumed) concert grand piano. Then George came shambling out barefoot, wearing faded jeans and a plaid lumberjack shirt, big bristling beard beneath wire-rimmed spectacles. He walked over to the piano, looked out at us and waved saying "hello", sat down, and began to play. It was a magical hour or so, and I was enthralled by the music. Occasionally I could hear one of the very fancy people sitting near us take in a sharp breath at a poignant moments in the music that held us all. George also played some guitar which my friend was less fond of, but that was great fun for me (my uncle played bluegrass guitar and I was trying to follow in his footsteps). Afterwards, leaving through the lobby, there was a woman in plain clothes with a stack of sheet music in her arms, handing copies out to anyone who wanted them. I had learned a little about piano the year or two before, and took what she had to offer (Linus and Lucy, one other). She was very pleasant and I smiled shyly when I took the sheets. Later, my friend and I were waiting outside for his father to pick us up, and Mr. Winston and the woman who had been handing out sheet music walked by us, arms around each other's shoulders. I still have the leaves of Linus and Lucy and treasure them. The other musical sheets I leant to a 'friend' to copy and he left the area without returning them! Sigh. I hope that he's still enjoying them somewhere, though he wasn't a musician so I suspect that they just went by the wayside. But that doesn't matter, because the memory of that concert and my having learned to play Linus and Lucy are treasures that I will always hold dear and never forget.
Rene Melendez
Wow! & Wow! Too awesome! What love expressed in your experience. So happy for your happy moments with George. Thank you for sharing with me and the rest.
Johnny Sparkleface
My grandfather was a musician, my mother once told me he was moved to tears by beautiful music. I'm not a musician, but I get moved to tears too. This song does it for me.
Jonathon Main
One of my favorite recordings of yours! So much so, it played at my wedding while the wedding party assembled at the front of the sanctuary. Then I had the sound tech play โThe Great Pumpkin Waltzโ as my beautiful bride entered the room!
scjr
George playing Guaraldi beautifully. I love how he keeps his music alive.
Michael Iacangelo
Dear George,
Your "December" album is one of my all-time faves and influenced me in developing my piano skills. Many years ago, I wrote an instrumental called "Silent Rhapsody," written and dedicated to my late brother and mother, and mailed a copy on CD to you. You were kind enough to mail me a greeting card back that encouraged me to "keep writing." I thought of that piece of music as something of a "one-off," but I followed your advice and did keep writing a number of songs and pieces since. Here's a belated Christmas thank-you:
https://youtu.be/YnVY9mal7bI