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.
Illustrated Man
Johnny Winter Lyrics
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He's got tattoos everywhere
People love his decorations
They just have to stop & stare
Got the Mona Lisa on his cheek
the Van Gogh on his nose
Got naked women all over him
Got a screamin' demon on his chest
Cat face on his thigh
He's a walkin' wonder box
Until the day he dies
The lyrics of Johnny Winter's song "Illustrated Man" depict a man who is adorned with various tattoos, each one telling a unique story. The song describes the illustrated man as being covered from head to toe in a variety of tattoos, with people stopping and staring at him due to his elaborate decorations. The lyrics describe the various tattoos on his body, including the Mona Lisa on his cheek and Van Gogh on his nose. Additionally, the illustrated man has depictions of naked women and a screamin' demon on his chest, as well as a cat face on his thigh.
The lyrics of "Illustrated Man" can be interpreted as a commentary on the culture of tattooing and the significance of tattoos to those who get them. Tattoos are a form of self-expression and can have deeply personal meanings to the person who gets them. The lyrics of the song suggest that tattoos can be considered a form of art and that the illustrated man is a walking masterpiece, admired by all who encounter him.
In conclusion, "Illustrated Man" is a song celebrating the art of tattooing and the beauty of self-expression. It encourages the listener to appreciate the beauty of tattoos and to embrace their significance in the lives of those who choose to get them.
Line by Line Meaning
He's the illustrated man, baby
He's a person who has tattoos all over his body
He's got tattoos everywhere
His tattoos cover most of his body
People love his decorations
People admire and appreciate his tattoos
They just have to stop & stare
People are fascinated by his tattoos and can't help but look
Got the Mona Lisa on his cheek
He has a tattoo of Mona Lisa on his cheek
the Van Gogh on his nose
He has a tattoo of Van Gogh on his nose
Got naked women all over him
He has tattoos of nude women all over his body
From his head down to his toes
He has tattoos covering his entire body
Got a screamin' demon on his chest
He has a tattoo of a screaming demon on his chest
Cat face on his thigh
He has a tattoo of a cat face on his thigh
He's a walkin' wonder box
He is a walking display of unique tattoos
Until the day he dies
He will continue to be covered in tattoos until he dies
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: ALFRED 'FRED' JAMES, MARY ANN BRANDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind