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.
Last Night
Johnny Winter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Last night, last night I lost the best friend I ever had
Oh you're gone, you're gone and left me, that make me feel so bad
(Make me feel bad, baby)
Now it's early in the morning and my love is comin' down for you
(Come on down)
Early in the morning and my love is coming down for you
(Yeah we gotta do somethin' now, let's give it a try)
Gonna wait for tomorrow, they tell me every day bring 'bout a change
Gotta wait for tomorrow, tell me every day bring 'bout a change
(Yeah)
I love you baby, don't you know that's a cryin' shame
The lyrics of Johnny Winter and John Popper's song "Last Night" tells a story of loss and heartbreak. The first two lines set the tone, with the singer mourning the loss of the best friend he ever had. He repeats this sentiment, emphasizing the significance of the loss. The line "Oh you're gone, you're gone and left me, that make me feel so bad" further emphasizes the depth of the singer's emotions.
The second verse shifts to a more hopeful tone. The singer says that it's early in the morning and his love is coming down for the person whom he lost. He wants to know what they are going to do about their predicament. This shift in tone is interesting because it demonstrates the complexity of emotions that can come with loss. The singer is still mourning, but he is also looking for a solution.
The last verse is particularly poignant. The singer decides that he will wait for tomorrow, hoping that it will bring about a change. He emphasizes his love for his lost friend, saying that "it's a crying shame" that they are no longer there. This line is particularly powerful because it implies that the friend who was lost was someone who was deeply loved and cherished.
Overall, "Last Night" is a powerful song that captures the complexity of grief and loss. It demonstrates how people can experience a range of emotions when they lose someone they love, from deep sorrow to hope for the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night I lost the best friend I ever had, yeah
The singer lost a close friend last night who they believe was the best friend they ever had.
Last night, last night I lost the best friend I ever had
The singer repeats the sorrowful news of losing their best friend last night.
Oh you're gone, you're gone and left me, that make me feel so bad
The singer expresses their sadness over their friend leaving them and how terrible it makes them feel.
Now it's early in the morning and my love is comin' down for you
It's currently early in the morning and the artist is expressing their affection for someone who they believe is coming to see them.
(Come on down)
The artist encourages the person they are waiting for to come see them.
Early in the morning and my love is coming down for you
The singer repeats their excitement over the person they care about coming to see them.
I, I want you to tell me baby, woman what are we gonna do
The singer asks the person they are waiting for what they are going to do now that they are together.
(Yeah we gotta do somethin' now, let's give it a try)
The artist suggests that they have to do something now that they are together and encourages the other person to try and figure it out with them.
Gonna wait for tomorrow, they tell me every day bring 'bout a change
The artist suggests waiting until tomorrow because they have heard that each day brings a new opportunity for change.
Tell me every day bring 'bout a change
The artist repeats the idea of each day bringing about change.
(Yeah)
The singer reaffirms their previous statement with enthusiasm.
I love you baby, don't you know that's a cryin' shame
The artist declares their love for someone, but also expresses that it is unfortunate that they love them because of how difficult it can be.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Walter Jacobs
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind