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Edgar Winter

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Edgar Winter
Winter performing in 2009
Winter performing in 2009
Background information
Birth nameEdgar Holland Winter
Born (1946-12-28) December 28, 1946 (age 77)
Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
  • singer
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • keyboards
  • saxophone
  • percussion
Years active1969–present
Labels
Member ofRingo Starr & His All-Starr Band
Formerly of
Websiteedgarwinter.com

Edgar Holland Winter[3] (born December 28, 1946)[4] is an American multi-instrumentalist,[5] working as a vocalist along with playing keyboards, saxophone, and percussion.[6] His success peaked in the 1970s with his band the Edgar Winter Group and their popular songs "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride".[7] He is the brother of late blues singer and guitarist Johnny Winter.

Early life

[edit]

Winter was born to John Winter II and Edwina Winter on December 28, 1946, in Beaumont, Texas.[8] Both he and his older brother Johnny were born with albinism.[9] By the time he left the family home, Winter had mastered numerous instruments and reading and writing music.[10]

Career

[edit]
The Edgar Winter Group, Oct.1, 1975- L to R: Chuck Ruff, Rick Derringer, Dan Hartman, Edgar Winter.

Winter composed and performed songs of numerous genres, including rock, jazz, blues, and pop.[10] His critically acclaimed[10] 1970 debut release, Entrance,[8] was first to demonstrate his unique style of genre-blending musicianship. His early recording of "Tobacco Road" gained attention. Edgar followed Entrance with two hit albums backed by his group White Trash, a group originally composed of musicians from Texas and Louisiana. White Trash, with Winter and Jerry Lacroix both on lead vocals and sax,[11] released the studio album Edgar Winter's White Trash,[12] in 1971. It reached #111 on the charts,[13] and 1972's follow-up album (partially recorded at New York's Apollo Theater) Roadwork achieved gold status.[8]

In late 1972, Winter brought together Dan Hartman, Ronnie Montrose and Chuck Ruff to form The Edgar Winter Group,[8] who created such hits as the number one "Frankenstein"[14] and "Free Ride" (with lead vocals by its writer Hartman).[15] Released in November 1972, They Only Come Out at Night,[8] peaked at the number 3 position on the Billboard Hot 200[13] and stayed on the charts for 80 weeks. It was certified gold in April 1973 by the RIAA,[16] and double platinum in November 1986.[17]

Winter invented the keyboard body strap[3] early in his career, an innovation that allows him the freedom to move around on stage during his multi-instrument high-energy performances.[10]

After They Only Come Out at Night, Winter released Shock Treatment, featuring guitarist Rick Derringer in place of Ronnie Montrose.[18] That album contained Winter's third and final Top 40 single "River's Risin'",[13] again sung by Hartman.[19] Later albums included Jasmine Nightdreams, The Edgar Winter Group with Rick Derringer, Together: Edgar Winter and Johnny Winter Live, Recycled, a reunion with White Trash, Standing on Rock, Mission Earth, Live in Japan, Not a Kid Anymore, The Real Deal, Winter Blues and Rebel Road.[20]

Winter also kept busy doing session work, playing saxophone on Meat Loaf's "All Revved Up with No Place to Go",[21] Dan Hartman's solo hit "Instant Replay",[22] Tina Turner's "Simply the Best"[23] and David Lee Roth's remake of "Just a Gigolo",[24] as well as appearing on material by Rick Derringer,[25] Johnny Winter,[26] Ronnie Montrose,[27] Todd Rundgren,[28] Michael McDonald[29] and many others.

Major national television and radio campaigns have used Winter's music to advertise their products.[30] Winter has also made frequent television appearances, both to promote his music and to give his opinions, on shows such as Politically Incorrect.[31] Winter also starred with George Hamilton in a commercial for Miller Lite beer.[32] He appeared in the film Netherworld[33] and the TV shows The Cape,[10] Mysterious Ways,[34] Late Show with David Letterman,[35] and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[36]

Edgar Winter with Ringo Starr in 2011

Winter's music has been used in many film and television projects, including Netherworld, Air America, Dazed and Confused, My Cousin Vinny, Encino Man, Son in Law, What's Love Got to Do with It, Wayne's World 2, Starkid, Wag the Dog, Knockabout Guys, Duets, Radio, The Simpsons, Queer as Folk, and Tupac: Resurrection.[33] Tupac: Resurrection, a biography of rapper Tupac Shakur, produced and co-written by Eminem,[37] sampled Winter's song "Dying to Live" as "Runnin' (Dying to Live),"[38] incorporting vocals by the Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, and Winter himself. "Runnin'" peaked at number 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles Sales chart and the soundtrack was #1 for 8 consecutive weeks.[39] Blues performer Jonny Lang also covered "Dying to Live"[40] around this time. Winter performed the song solo at the piano on Jimmy Kimmel Live![citation needed]

Winter's 2003 CD and DVD titled Live at the Galaxy was recorded live at the Galaxy Theatre for Classic Pictures.[41] It features the songs, "Keep Playing That Rock and Roll", "Turn on Your Love Light", "Free Ride", "Texas", "Show Your Love", "New Orleans", "Frankenstein" and "Tobacco Road".[42] In addition, the DVD includes a 30-minute documentary, Edgar Winter: The Man and His Music.[18]

Winter also played with Ringo Starr in the ninth (2006), tenth (2008), eleventh (2010-2011) and fifteenth (2022-) iterations of his All-Starr Band.[43] The band's 2010–11 tour featured the reunion of Winter and Rick Derringer.[44] From August to early-September 2017, The Edgar Winter Band toured as the opening act for both Deep Purple and Alice Cooper as they performed several North American tour dates as part of The Long Goodbye Tour.[45]

In 2017, Cherry Red released a four-CD remastered compilation of all of the Edgar Winter solo albums from 1970 until 1980, entitled Tell Me in a Whisper: The Solo Albums 1970 - 1980.[46] In 2018, Cherry Red also released a remastered six-CD compilation of the Edgar Winter: White Trash Band and the Edgar Winter Band albums entitled I've Got News for You: Featuring the Edgar Winter Group & Edgar Winter's White Trash 1971 - 1977.[47]

Mission Earth

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Winter also produced, arranged, and performed on the 1986 album Mission Earth.[48] This album's lyrics and music were written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.[49] Hubbard is said to have left detailed instructions and audio tapes for the musicians and producers to follow when making the album.[50] Winter described Mission Earth as "both a return to rock's primal roots and yet highly experimental." Winter wrote, "Ron's technical insight of the recording process was outstanding."[51] Winter also described Hubbard's delineation of counter-rhythm in rock as something "which was nothing short of phenomenal, particularly in as much as it had then been entirely unexplored and only later heard in the African-based rhythms of Paul Simon's work, some five years after Ron's analysis."[34]

Personal life

[edit]

Winter and his wife, Monique,[52] live in Beverly Hills, California.[10] The couple have no children.[4] Winter stated in an interview: "I can see how that would be a wonderful rewarding thing, but I think there are enough people in the world" and that "it might have been more problematical if I had children with a career and all of it. I tour all the time. If I were to have children, I would want to be home all the time."[53]

Discography

[edit]
Winter in 2006

Solo albums

[edit]
Year Name US Top 200
[54]
1970 Entrance 196
1975 Jasmine Nightdreams 69
1979 The Edgar Winter Album –
1981 Standing on Rock –
1985 or 1986 or 1989 (disputed) Mission Earth –
1994 Not a Kid Anymore –
1996 The Real Deal –
1999 Winter Blues –
2003 Live at the Galaxy –
2004 Jazzin' the Blues –
2008 Rebel Road –
2022 Brother Johnny –
"–" denotes releases that did not chart.

Edgar Winter's White Trash albums

[edit]
Year Name Peak chart positions Notes
US Top 200
[54] 		Can Top 100
1971 Edgar Winter's White Trash 111 82
1972 Roadwork 23 –
1977 Recycled – –
"–" denotes releases that did not chart.

Edgar Winter Group albums

[edit]
Year Name Peak chart positions Notes
US Top 200
[54] 		AUS
[56] 		Can Top 100
1972 They Only Come Out at Night 3 28 4
1974 Shock Treatment 13 – 9
  • US: Gold[55] #69 Can Year End
1975 The Edgar Winter Group with Rick Derringer 124 – –
2018 I've Got News for You, 1971–1977 – – – 6 cd compilation set
"–" denotes releases that did not chart.

Edgar Winter Compilation albums

[edit]
Year Name Peak chart positions Notes
US Top 200
[54] 		AUS
[56] 		Can Top 100
1996 People Music – – –
2002 The Best of Edgar Winter – – –
2014 The Essential Edgar Winter – – –

Albums with other artists

[edit]
Year Name US Top 200
[54]
1976 Together with Johnny Winter 89
1990 Edgar Winter & Rick Derringer Live in Japan –
2007 Edgar, Johnny Winter & Rick Derringer (live) –
2010 An Odd Couple - with Steve Lukather (live) –
"–" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

[edit]
Year Single Peak chart positions Certification Album
US
[54] 		AUS
[56] 		CAN
 		GER
 		MEX
 		UK
[58]
1970 "Tobacco Road" – – – – – – Entrance
1971 "Where Would I Be" 128 – – – – – Edgar Winter's White Trash
"Give It Everything You Got" – – – – – –
"Keep Playin' That Rock 'n' Roll" 70 – 51 – – –
1972 "I Can't Turn You Loose" 81 – – – – – Roadwork
"Round & Round" 108* – – – – – They Only Come Out at Night
1973 "Frankenstein" 1 19 1 39 10 18
"Free Ride" 14 84 8 – – –
"Hangin' Around" 65 – 39 – – –
"We All Had a Real Good Time " – – – – – –
1974 "River's Risin'" 33 – 61 – – – Shock Treatment
"Easy Street" 83 – 79 – – –
"Someone Take My Heart Away" – – – – – –
1975 "One Day Tomorrow" – – – – – – Jasmine Nightdreams
"Little Brother" – – – – – –
"I Always Wanted You" 129* – – – – –
"People Music" – – – – – – The Edgar Winter Group with Rick Derringer
1976 "Diamond Eyes" – – – – – –
"Let The Good Times Roll" – – – – – – Together
1977 "Stickin' It Out" – – – – – – Recycled
1979 "Above & Beyond" – – – – – – The Edgar Winter Album
"It's Your Life to Live" – – – – – –
1981 "Love Is Everywhere" – – – – – – Standing on Rock
1983 "Frankenstein 1984"[59] – – – – – – Single only
1989 "Cry Out"[60] – – – – – – Mission Earth
2000 "Texas"[61] – – – – – – Winter Blues
"–" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

"Above & Beyond" reached 94 on the US Dance chart in 1979.
US Charts are Billboard unless otherwise noted. * Record World Singles Chart.[62]

Producer

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Awards

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References

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  1. ^ All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Backbeat Books. 2002. p. 1333. ISBN 978-0-87930-653-3.
  2. ^ Alev, Iklim (April 29, 2022). "Edgar Winter Reflects On David Lee Roth's Early Solo Career". Rock Celebrities. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Edgar Winter". Powerline Entertainment. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Happy Birthday Edgar Winter". Madhouse Magazine. December 28, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  5. ^ Burnett, John (March 1, 2018). "'Still Alive and Well': Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer to play Honokaa". Hawaii Tribune Herald. Oahu Publications Inc. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  6. ^ Wall, Mick (November 27, 2015). "Q&A: Edgar Winter". Louder. Future Publishing Ltd. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  7. ^ Klosterman, Chuck (August 8, 2011). "Frankenstein's Monster". Grantland. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Blues (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 388. ISBN 0-85112-673-1.
  9. ^ Chawkins, Steve (July 17, 2017). "Johnny Winter dies at 70; dazzling blues guitarist". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Edgar Winter's BIOGRAPHY". Edgarwinter.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  11. ^ "Edgar Winter's White Trash Introducing Jerry laCroix". Discogs. Netaktion, Inc. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  12. ^ "Edgar Winter's White Trash". Light in the Atiic Records. Light In The Attic Records. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c "Chart History Edgar Winter". Billboard. Billboard Media, LLC. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  14. ^ "The Twenty-Five Best Rock Instrumentals". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014.
  15. ^ Osborn, Dave (March 17, 2014). "Edgar Winter still enjoys free-riding rock career". Naples Daily News. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  16. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 322. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  17. ^ "Edgar Winter Group - They Only Come Out at Night - Reviews". Album of the Year. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  18. ^ a b "About This Artist". LA Phil. Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  19. ^ "'River's Risin' by the Edgar Winter Group at Veteran's Memorial Coliseum (New Haven, CT)". Wolgang's. Bill Graham Archives LLC. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  20. ^ "Edgar Winters Albums and Discography". AllMusic. Netaktion, Inc. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  21. ^ Aday, Marvin. Bat out of Hell (liner notes). Willoughby, Ohio: Cleveland International. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  22. ^ Marchese, Joe (November 18, 2016). "Double-O-Love: SoulMusic, Cherry Red Reissue Dan Hartman's "Instant Replay"". The Second Disc. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  23. ^ "Tina Turner - Simply the Best (CD)". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  24. ^ "35 Years Ago: David Lee Roth Steps Outside of Van Halen with 'Crazy'". Van Halen News Desk. VHND.com. January 28, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  25. ^ "Interview: Rick Derringer (solo, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Ringo Starr)". Hit Channel. April 22, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  26. ^ "Johnny Winter - Edgar Winter". Secondhand Songs. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  27. ^ "Ronnie Montrose: The Official Ronnie Montrose Site". Ronnie Montrose. Ronnieland/RoMoCo. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  28. ^ Giles, Jeff (June 12, 2014). "Todd Rudgren, Edgar Winter, and Lou Gramm Join All-Star Doors Tribute Album". Ultimate Classic Rock. Townsquare Media, Inc. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  29. ^ "Michael McDonald - If That's What It Takes (1982, Los Angeles Pressing)". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  30. ^ "Edgar Winter - Other Works". IMDB. Amazon. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  31. ^ Corbett, Jeff (2008). "Jeff Corbett goes ONE-ON-ONE with Music Legend Edgar Winter". C&K Magazine. 3 (3). Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  32. ^ Perry, Shawn. "The Edgar Winter Interview (2002)". vintagerock.com. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  33. ^ a b "Edgar Winter". IMDB. Amazon. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  34. ^ a b "Edgar Winter's White Trash". TheAudioDB. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  35. ^ Ramirez Maciolek, Andrea (May 24, 2019). "Legendary Edgar Winter to perform at The Wolf Den, Mohegan Sun Casino June 22nd". Rock at Night. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  36. ^ ""Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Episode #3.11 (TV Episode 2004)". IMDB. Amazon. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  37. ^ "Tupac: Resurrection (2003) - Soundtracks". IMDB. Amazon. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  38. ^ "Sample Featuring Edgar Winter". WhoSampled. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  39. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales". Billboard. Billboard IP Holdings. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  40. ^ "Original Versions of Dying to Live by Jonny Lang". Second Hand Songs. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  41. ^ "Edgar Winter – Live At The Galaxy (CD)". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  42. ^ "Live at the Galaxy - Edgar Winter - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Netaktion, Inc. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  43. ^ DeVivo, Darren. "The History of Ringo Starr's All-Starr Bands". 90.7 WFUV. WFUV Media from Fordham University. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  44. ^ Bosso, Joe (June 16, 2011). "Rick Derringer on touring with Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band". MusicRadar. Future Publishing, LTD. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  45. ^ "Deep Purple Launching Its 'Long Goodbye Tour' With Alice Cooper/Edgar Winter Band". Glide Magazine. Glide Publishing LLC. January 30, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  46. ^ "Edgar Winter – Tell Me In A Whisper: The Solo Albums 1970-1981". Discogs. N. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  47. ^ "Edgar Winter Group & White Trash: I've Got News For You, Featuring The Edgar Winter Group & Edgar Winter's White Trash 1971 – 1977, 6CD Clamshell Boxset". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  48. ^ "Edgar Winter – Mission Earth (1989, CD)". Discogs. Netaktion, Inc. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  49. ^ "Mission Earth - L. Ron Hubbard, Edgar Winter Release Credits". AllMusic. Netaktion, Inc. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  50. ^ Hubbard, Lafayette Ron (March 28, 2012). Music Maker, Composer & Performer. Commerce, CA: Bridge Publications, Inc. ISBN 978-1403198853. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  51. ^ Ortega, Tony. "Edgar Winter, Scientology Celebrity". The Underground Bunker. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  52. ^ Brandjord, Laura (February 26, 2018). "A Winter Rock 'n' Roll Love Story". The Spectrum. NDSU Spectrum. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  53. ^ Flaska, Barbara. "In a Stream of Consciousness with Edgar Winter". PopMatters. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
  54. ^ a b c d e f "Edgar Winter - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  55. ^ a b c d "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  56. ^ a b c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 341. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  57. ^ "Canadian certifications – Edgar Winter". Music Canada. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  58. ^ "EDGAR WINTER GROUP - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  59. ^ "Edgar Winter - Frankenstein 1984 (1983, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
  60. ^ "Edgar Winter - Cry Out / Joy City (Cassette) - Discogs". Discogs.
  61. ^ "Edgar Winter - Texas (2000, CD) - Discogs". Discogs.
  62. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2015). The Comparison Book Billboard/Cash Box/Record World 1954-1982. Sheridan Books. p. 553. ISBN 978-0-89820-213-7.
[edit]
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