Johnny Winter, along with his brother Edgar Winter, were nurtured at an early age by their parents in musical pursuits. Both he and his brother, who were born with albinism, began performing at an early age. When he was ten-years old, Winter appeared on a local children's show, playing ukelele and singing Everly Brothers songs with his brother.
His recording career began at the age of fifteen, when his band Johnny and the Jammers released "School Day Blues" on a Houston record label. During this same period, he was able to see performances by classic blues artists such as Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and Bobby Bland. In the early days Winter would sometimes sit in with Roy Head and The Traits when they performed in the Beaumont, Texas area, and in 1967, Winter recorded a single with The Traits: "Tramp" backed with "Parchman Farm" (Universal Records 30496). In 1968, he released his first album The Progressive Blues Experiment, on Austin's Sonobeat Records.
Winter caught his biggest break in December 1968, when Mike Bloomfield, whom he met and jammed with in Chicago, invited him to sing and play a song during a Bloomfield and Al Kooper concert at the Fillmore East in New York. As it happened, representatives of Columbia Records (which had released the Top Ten Bloomfield/Kooper Super Session album) were at the concert. Winter played and sang B.B. King's "It's My Own Fault" to loud applause and, within a few days, was signed to reportedly what was then the largest advance in the history of the recording industry–$600,000.
Winter's first Columbia album, Johnny Winter was recorded and released in 1969. It featured the same backing musicians with whom he recorded The Progressive Blues Experiment, bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Uncle John Turner, plus Edgar Winter on keyboards and saxophone, and (for his "Mean Mistreater") blues legends Willie Dixon on upright bass and Big Walter Horton on harmonica. The album featured a few selections that became Winter signature songs, including his composition "Dallas" (an acoustic blues, on which Winter played a steel-bodied, resonator guitar), John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson's "Good Morning Little School Girl", and B.B. King's "Be Careful With A Fool".
The album's success coincided with Imperial Records picking up The Progressive Blues Experiment for wider release. The same year, the Winter trio toured and performed at several rock festivals, including Woodstock. With brother Edgar added as a full member of the group, Winter also recorded his second album, Second Winter in Nashville in 1969. The two-record album, which only had three recorded sides (the fourth was blank), introduced a couple more staples of Winter's concerts, including Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" and Bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited".
In 1984, Winter began recording for several labels, including Alligator Records and Point Blank Records, where he has focused on blues-oriented material. He continues to perform live, including festivals throughout North America and Europe. Winter has headlined such prestigious events as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Chicago Blues Festival, Swedish Rock Fest, Warren Haynes X-mas jam, and Europe’s Rockpalast. He also performed with the Allman Brothers at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan on the 40th anniversary of their debut. In 2007 and 2010, Winter performed at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festivals. Two guitar instructional DVDs have been produced by Cherry Lane Music and the Hal Leonard Corporation. The Gibson Guitar Company released the signature Johnny Winter Firebird guitar in a ceremony in Nashville with Slash presenting.
In 2004, Winter received a Grammy nomination for his I’m a Bluesman album. Backing him are guitarist Paul Nelson, bassist Scott Spray, and drummer Vito Liuzzi. Beginning in 2007, a series of live Winter albums titled the Live Bootleg Series and a live DVD have all entered the Top 10 Billboard Blues charts. In 2009, The Woodstock Experience album was released, which includes eight songs that Winter performed at the 1969 festival. Johnny Winter is signed to Megaforce Records, who will release a new studio album titled Roots on September 27, 2011. It will include Winter's interpretation of eleven early blues and rock 'n' roll classics and feature several guest artists.
Winter produced three Grammy Award-winning albums by Muddy Waters, Hard Again (1977), I'm Ready (1978), and Muddy "Mississippi" Waters – Live (1979). Several Winter albums were also nominated for Grammy Awards. In 1980, Winter was on the cover of the first issue of Guitar World and in 1988, he was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame.
Hard Way
Johnny Winter Lyrics
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I've had a hard, hard way to go
I really had to suffer
I've had a hard, hard way to go
I've been down and out
When the ground was covered with snow
I could cry the whole night through
Yeah, all know I'd get so worried
I would cry the whole night through
Think about my troubles
And the hardships I've been through, yeah
Someday I may get lucky
And find me a place to go
You know someday I may get lucky
And find me a place to go
I've tried and tried
It's been a hard, hard way to go
Well, I really had to suffer
I've had a hard, hard way to go
You all know I really had to suffer
I've had a hard, hard way to go
I've been down and out
When the ground was covered with snow
Yes, I have
The lyrics to Johnny Winter's song "Hard Way" reflect on the struggles and hardships the singer has faced in life. He acknowledges that he has had a difficult journey, and has been down and out, even during the harshest of conditions, symbolized by his mention of being in the snow. The singer has had to endure so much that it has caused him to worry throughout the night and cry out his troubles. This repetition of the phrase "hard way to go" further emphasizes the difficulties he has experienced.
However, despite his struggles, the singer still holds hope of finding a better place to call home in the future. This hope serves as a beacon of light amid the darkness he has lived through. He continues to persevere and acknowledges that he has tried and tried, signifying his resilience despite the obstacles he has faced.
The lyrics of "Hard Way" embody a sense of resiliency, hope, and the human ability to overcome struggles. The song serves as a reminder that even when life gets tough, one can push through and find better days ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I really had to suffer
I have experienced a great deal of pain and hardship
I've had a hard, hard way to go
My journey has been full of difficulty and challenge
I've been down and out
There have been times in my life when I was destitute and struggling
When the ground was covered with snow
During difficult times when external circumstances were making things harder for me
I used to get so worried
I would experience extreme anxiety about my situation
I could cry the whole night through
I was so upset that I would cry non-stop for hours
Think about my troubles
I would constantly dwell on my hardships and problems
And the hardships I've been through, yeah
I have experienced many challenges and difficulties in my life
Someday I may get lucky
There is a possibility that things may improve for me in the future
And find me a place to go
I may find a new home or a place of belonging where I can feel safe and secure
I've tried and tried
I have made significant effort to overcome my difficulties
It's been a hard, hard way to go
It has been an incredibly challenging journey for me
You all know I really had to suffer
Others are aware that I have undergone significant pain and hardship
When the ground was covered with snow
Again, referring to difficult external circumstances that have compounded my struggles
Yes, I have
Affirming that the singer has indeed had a difficult journey
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group
Written by: Grover McDaniel, Aaron 't-Bone Walker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind