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.
Hustled Down in Texas
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well! hustled down in Texas, went to Chicago too
You know wouldn't nobody let me do what I want to do
You know I travel 'round in Georgia, I made the southern scene
I traveled 'round in Georgia, I made the southern scene
Just trying to find somebody, a friend who's deal was clean
Don't ask questions, stupid, 'cause your southern can is mine
Hustled down in Texas, went to Chicago too, wouldn't nobody let me do what I want to do
Ah baby, don't try jiving me no more
Ah baby baby, don't try jiving no more
'Cause I'm hip to your jiving, down the road I go
Listen to me people, try to understand, can't get good from evil, so do the best you can
I want to tell you people, please try to understand,
You know you can't get good from evil so do the best you can
You know I hustled down in Texas, went to Chicago too
Yeah, hustled down in Texas, went to Chicago too,
Wouldn't nobody let me do what I want to do
In Johnny Winter's song "Hustled Down in Texas," the singer describes his experiences of being rejected and taken advantage of while trying to make a living doing what he loves. He describes traveling to different parts of the US, including Texas, Chicago, and Georgia, in search of a friend with a clean deal, but encountering nothing but disappointment and betrayal. The refrain "wouldn't nobody let me do what I want to do" suggests a sense of resignation and defeat in the face of obstacles that prove insurmountable.
Winter's lyrics reveal a deep sense of frustration and disillusionment with the music industry and its power structures. The line "Use me for your fool, sign on the dotted line" suggests a predatory dynamic in which established musicians take advantage of up-and-coming artists' desperation to succeed. The repeated use of the word "hustled" reinforces the idea that the singer is being tricked, exploited, or coerced into taking actions that are not in his best interests.
Overall, "Hustled Down in Texas" can be read as a powerful critique of the music industry, with its emphasis on profit and commercial success over artistic integrity and personal autonomy. The repeated refrain, "wouldn't nobody let me do what I want to do," suggests that the singer is trapped in a system that offers him few options for self-expression and creative fulfillment. Despite the bleak portrait that the song paints, however, there is a glimmer of hope in Winter's final verse, which encourages listeners to do the best they can and strive to avoid being taken advantage of.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I hustled down in Texas, went to Chicago too
I traveled extensively to pursue my dreams and career in music, going from Texas to Chicago in search of opportunities.
Well! hustled down in Texas, went to Chicago too
I took myself to places hoping to find my success, like Texas and Chicago in hopes of fulfilling my aspirations.
You know wouldn't nobody let me do what I want to do
Despite my efforts, people rejected me and did not allow me to express myself musically as I had hoped to.
I traveled 'round in Georgia, I made the southern scene
I journeyed throughout Georgia, experiencing the Southern music scene.
I traveled 'round in Georgia, I made the southern scene
I journeyed throughout Georgia, experiencing the Southern music scene.
Just trying to find somebody, a friend who's deal was clean
I was looking for a genuine music partner who was sincere and honest in our dealings.
Use me for your fool, sign on the dotted line
Some people took advantage of me by making me sign agreements blindly and exploiting my naivety.
Don't ask questions, stupid, 'cause your southern can is mine
I was often dismissed and belittled for asking questions, and people exploited my Southern background and accent.
Ah baby, don't try jiving me no more
I have become aware and wise to people's deceits and false promises.
'Cause I'm hip to your jiving, down the road I go
Now that I am aware of others' deceitful ways, I am moving on and prioritizing my own path.
Listen to me people, try to understand, can't get good from evil, so do the best you can
I urge people to listen and comprehend that it's impossible to attain good from evil actions and conditions, so we must do our best in challenging situations.
You know I hustled down in Texas, went to Chicago too
Again, I emphasize that I worked hard and made significant efforts to make a name for myself, but was met with rejection and closed doors.
Yeah, hustled down in Texas, went to Chicago too,
The same way I did the same thing, traveling from Texas to Chicago to try and make my dream a reality.
Wouldn't nobody let me do what I want to do
However, I was unable to do so because no one gave me the chance or opportunity to express myself as I wished to.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ERIC D. DAWKINS, CRAIG ASHLEY DAVID, HARVEY JAY MASON, DAMON E. THOMAS, ANTONIO LAMAR DIXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RedroomStudios
Johnny's best song in my opinion! never get tired of hearing this. and such a cool album with 3 sides of music and one blank side....
Miguel Valencia
Uno de los mejores discos de Jhonny, un mago de la guitarra y del Rock & Blues.
Austin Cunningham
I freaking LOVE some Johnny Winter! And man--I LOVE this Hustled Down In Texas!!!! Thanks for posting. He was BADASSSSSSSS!
ontariobuds
I love the tone of Johnnys guitar on this track.
Dianne Davis
I rocked to this when I was 17. I’m rocking to it still, at 67. Johnny Winter was much more than “fast”. He was steeped in blues, style and passion.
Andrew Guttry
Me too-also 67...
Kay Hansen
Me too 65 he look just like this to when he played no special effects just strobelite on him. My favorite Johnny song
Randall koch
This music will never grow old.
cricketbat08
A true blues legend.
Valerie Worboyes
So right