The leaves hadn’t fifty-fifty started turning reddish inward Texas inward belatedly Oct 1969 when Beaumont-born bluesman Johnny Winter released Second Winter, arguably the pinnacle of his long in addition to storied career.
Technically speaking, this was the guitar great's "third Winter," if yous lead keep into concern human relationship 1968's Progressive Blues Experiment, which was released past times Austin’s tiny Sonobeat Records earlier Winter signed amongst the mighty Columbia -- a label in addition to hence powerful, it evidently had no qualms close revising historical accounting.
Either way, the talented six-string phenom grasped this chance in addition to allow loose a powerful display of fret prowess across all iii vinyl sides of Second Winter. As anyone amongst a prized original copy, or a long memory, tin post away nation you, the album was released every bit a rare three-sided set, the production of an inspired Nashville recording session that yielded also much dandy fabric to live pared downward into a regular two-sided LP simply non quite plenty for a four-sided double.
So, rather than short-change fans or themselves, Winter in addition to his bandmates -- bassist Tommy Shannon (who after joined Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble), drummer Uncle John Turner in addition to keyboard-and-sax-playing piffling blood brother Edgar -- released the volume of the sessions in addition to left side iv blank.
Winter starts it all off past times showing off his soulful vocalization on a embrace of Percy Mayfield’s "Memory Pain," earlier he surrenders the spotlight to Edgar’s nimble keys on the self-penned "I’m Not Sure." It wraps amongst a strangling of his Gibson Firebird’s cervix on Dennis Collins’ "The Good Love."
Side two, somewhat surprisingly, turns into an old-time ‘50s stone 'n' curlicue trip the calorie-free fantastic toe party, every bit Winter wails his agency across classics similar "Slippin’ in addition to Slidin"’ in addition to "Miss Ann" (both made famous past times Little Richard), in addition to Chuck Berry’s ripping "Johnny B. Goode."
But the biggest surprise was saved for last: a reinvention of Bob Dylan’s "Highway 61 Revisited" featuring a slide-guitar tour-de-force that would larn downward every bit a highlight of Winter's career.
Side iii shifts the focus dorsum to Winter's songwriting, including the amusingly contradictory "I Love Everybody" (another slide-swathed standout) in addition to "I Hate Everybody" (a jazz-based departure) sandwiching the tongue-in-cheek "Hustled Down inward Texas," in addition to the experimental "Fast Life Rider."
Second Winter may live the belatedly Winter's masterpiece. It made it to alone No. 55 on the nautical chart (both The Progressive Blues Experiment in addition to 1969's self-titled debut charted higher). But he never sounded to a greater extent than assured in addition to seasoned than he does here.
Johnny's minute Columbia album shows an creative mortal inward transition. He's yet evidently a Texas bluesman, recording inward the same trio format that he left Dallas with. But his music is moving toward the to a greater extent than stone & curlicue sounds he would larn on to create. The opener, "Memory Pain," moves him into psychedelic blues-rock territory, spell old-time rockers similar "Johnny B. Goode," "Miss Ann," in addition to "Slippin' in addition to Slidin'" render him amongst familiar landscapes on which to spray his patented licks. His reworking of Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" is the high location of the record, a career-defining rail that's yet a major element of his modern-day develop list. This was originally released dorsum inward the solar daytime every bit a three-sided vinyl double album, past times the way.
Track listing:
01 Memory Pain
02 I'm Not Sure
03 The Good Love
04 Slippin' in addition to Slidin'
05 Miss Ann
06 Johnny B. Goode
07 Highway 61 Revisited
08 I Love Everybody
09 Hustled Down inward Texas
10 I Hate Everybody
eleven Fast Life Rider
Personnel:
Johnny Winter - guitar, mandolin, vocals
Edgar Winter - keyboards, alto saxophone, vocals
Uncle John Turner - percussion
Tommy Shannon - bass
Dennis Collins - bass
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