Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter whose genres include

blue-eyed soul Blue-eyed soul (also called white soul) is rhythm and blues (R&B) and soul music performed by white artists. The term was coined in the mid-1960s, to describe white artists whose sound was similar to that of the predominantly-black Motown and Stax ...

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...

, blues rock, and

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, ear ...

. Though primarily a keyboard player and vocalist prominent for his distinctive, soulful high tenor voice, Winwood plays other instruments proficiently, including drums, mandolin, guitar, bass, and saxophone. Winwood was an integral member of three seminal

musical ensemble A musical ensemble, also known as a music group or musical group, is a group of people who perform instrumental and/or vocal music, with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name. Some music ensembles consist solely of instrumentalists ...

s of the 1960s and 1970s: the Spencer Davis Group,

Traffic Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation. Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic ...

, and Blind Faith. Beginning in the 1980s, his solo career flourished and he had a number of hit singles, including " While You See a Chance" (1980) from the album '' Arc of a Diver'' and " Valerie" (1982) from '' Talking Back to the Night'' ("Valerie" became a hit when it was re-released with a remix from Winwood's 1987 compilation album '' Chronicles''). His 1986 album '' Back in the High Life'' marked his career zenith, with hit singles including " Back in the High Life Again", "

The Finer Things ''The Finer Things'' is a compilation album box set of recordings by Steve Winwood. It includes songs from his early days with The Spencer Davis Group through Traffic and Blind Faith and into his work during his solo career. Track listing Disc o ...

", and the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number one hit "

Higher Love "Higher Love" is a 1986 song by English singer Steve Winwood. It was the first single released from his fourth solo LP, ''Back in the High Life'' (1986). It was written by Winwood and Will Jennings and produced by Russ Titelman and Winwood. Th ...

". He found the top of the Hot 100 again with " Roll With It" (1988) from the album of the same name, with " Holding On" also charting highly the same year. While his hit singles ceased at the end of the 1980s, he continued to release new albums up to 2008, when '' Nine Lives'', his latest album, was released. Winwood was inducted into the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...

as a member of Traffic in 2004. In 2005, Winwood was honoured as a BMI Icon at the annual BMI London Awards for his "enduring influence on generations of music makers." In 2008, ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' ranked Winwood No. 33 in its 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Winwood has won two

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

s. He was nominated twice for a Brit Award for Best British Male Artist: 1988 and 1989. In 2011, he received the Ivor Novello Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for Outstanding Song Collection.

Early life

Winwood was born on 12 May 1948 in Handsworth, Birmingham. His father Lawrence, a foundryman by trade, was a semi-professional musician, playing mainly the saxophone and clarinet. The 4-year-old began playing piano while interested in

swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing ri ...

and Dixieland jazz, and soon started playing drums and guitar. He was also a choirboy at St. John's Church of England,

Perry Barr Perry Barr is a suburban area in north Birmingham, England. It is also the name of a council constituency, managed by its own district committee. Birmingham Perry Barr is also a parliamentary constituency; its Member of Parliament is Khalid Ma ...

. The family moved from Handsworth to Kingstanding (Atlantic Road) Birmingham, where Winwood attended the

Great Barr School Fortis Academy is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form located in the Great Barr area of Birmingham, England. History The school was officially opened by D. Rogers on 24 September 1957 as Great Barr Comprehensive School. The schoo ...

, one of the first

comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is re ...

s. He also attended the

Birmingham and Midland Institute The Birmingham and Midland Institute (popularly known as the Midland Institute) (), is an institution concerned with the promotion of education and learning in Birmingham, England. It is now based on Margaret Street in Birmingham city centre. It ...

of Music to develop his skills as a pianist, but did not complete his course. During this time, he befriended future Fleetwood Mac member Christine McVie. At eight years old, he first performed with his father and elder brother Muff in the Ron Atkinson Band. Muff later recalled that when Steve began playing regularly with them in licensed pubs and clubs, the piano had to be turned with its back to the audience to try to hide him, because he was so obviously underage.

Career

Early years

While still a pupil at Great Barr School, Winwood was a part of the Birmingham blues rock scene, playing the Hammond C-3 organ and guitar, backing

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the ...

and rock legends such as

Muddy Waters McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913 April 30, 1983), known professionally as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer and musician who was an important figure in the post- war blues scene, and is often cited as the "father of modern Chicag ...

John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1912 or 1917 – June 21, 2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues. Hooker often in ...

, Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King,

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

, and

Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, inc ...

on their United Kingdom tours, the custom at that time being for US singers to travel solo and be backed by pick-up bands. At this time, Winwood was living on Atlantic Road in Great Barr, close to the Birmingham music halls where he played. Winwood modelled his singing after

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

The Spencer Davis Group

At age 14, Winwood (then known as "Stevie" Winwood) joined the Spencer Davis Group along with older brother Muff, who later had success as a record producer, after Davis saw them performing as the Muffy Wood Jazz Band at a Birmingham pub called the

Golden Eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird ...

. The group made their debut at the Eagle and subsequently had a Monday-night residency there. Winwood's distinctive high tenor singing voice and vocal style drew comparisons to Ray Charles. In 1964, they signed their first recording contract with

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anothe ...

. Producer and founder

Chris Blackwell Christopher Percy Gordon Blackwell (born 22 June 1937) is an English businessman and former record producer, and the founder of Island Records, which has been called "one of Britain's great independent labels". According to the Rock and Roll ...

later said of Winwood, "He was really the cornerstone of Island Records. He's a musical genius and because he was with Island all the other talent really wanted to be with Island." The group's first record, a single, was released 10 days after Winwood's 16th birthday. The group had their first number one single at the end of 1965, with "

Keep on Running "Keep On Running" is a song written and first recorded by Jackie Edwards. It became a hit in the UK for The Spencer Davis Group; their version reached number one in the charts. Recordings "Keep On Running" was written by Jamaican singer-songwrit ...

"; the money from this success allowed Winwood to buy his own

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated ...

. Winwood co-wrote and recorded the chart-topping hits "

Gimme Some Lovin' "Gimme Some Lovin" is a song first recorded by the Spencer Davis Group. Released as a single in 1966, it reached the Top 10 of the record charts in several countries. Later, ''Rolling Stone'' included the song on its list of the 500 Greatest So ...

" and " I'm a Man" before leaving the Spencer Davis Group in 1967.

Eric Clapton and Powerhouse

Winwood joined forces with guitarist

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list o ...

as part of the one-off group

Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse was a British blues rock studio group formed in 1966. They recorded three songs, which were released on the Elektra Records compilation '' What's Shakin in 1966. A possible fourth song remained unreleased. ...

. Songs were recorded for the Elektra label, but only three tracks made the 1966 compilation album, ''

What's Shakin' ''What's Shakin' '' is a compilation album released by Elektra Records in May1966. It features the earliest studio recordings by the Lovin' Spoonful and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, as well as the only released recordings by the ''ad hoc'' s ...

''.

Traffic, Blind Faith, and Ginger Baker's Air Force

Winwood met drummer Jim Capaldi, guitarist

Dave Mason David Thomas Mason (born 10 May 1946) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic. Over the course of his career, Mason has played and recorded with many notable pop and rock mu ...

, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood when they jammed together at

The Elbow Room The Elbow Room is a traditional nightclub in the Aston area of Birmingham, England. It played a significant part in the formation of the rock band, Traffic, in the late 1960s. History On 11 September 1968, police arrested gangster Christopher ...

, a club in

Aston Aston is an area of inner Birmingham, England. Located immediately to the north-east of Central Birmingham, Aston constitutes a ward within the metropolitan authority. It is approximately 1.5 miles from Birmingham City Centre. History Aston wa ...

, Birmingham. After Winwood left the Spencer Davis Group in April 1967, the quartet formed

. Traffic Biography

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

Soon thereafter, they rented a cottage near the rural village of Aston Tirrold, Berkshire (now

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primaril ...

), to write and rehearse new music. This allowed them to escape the city and develop their music. Early in Traffic's formation, Winwood and Capaldi formed a songwriting partnership, with Winwood writing music to match Capaldi's lyrics. This partnership was the source of most of Traffic's material, including popular songs such as " Paper Sun" and " The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys", and outlived the band, producing several songs for Winwood and Capaldi's solo albums. Over the band's history, Winwood performed the majority of their lead vocals, keyboard instruments, and guitars. He also frequently played bass and percussion, up to and including the recording sessions for their fourth album. While still in Traffic, Winwood was brought in by

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

to play organ for " Voodoo Chile" on the '' Electric Ladyland'' album. Winwood formed the supergroup Blind Faith in 1969, with

Ginger Baker Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker (19 August 1939 – 6 October 2019) was an English drummer. His work in the 1960s and 1970s earned him the reputation of "rock's first superstar drummer", for a style that melded jazz and African rhythms and pi ...

, and Ric Grech. The band was short-lived, owing to Clapton's greater interest in Blind Faith's opening act

Delaney & Bonnie & Friends Delaney & Bonnie were an American duo of singer-songwriters Delaney Bramlett and Bonnie Bramlett. In 1969 and 1970, they fronted a Rock music, rock/soul music, soul Musical ensemble, ensemble, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, whose members at differ ...

; Clapton left the band at the tour's end. Baker, Winwood, and Grech stayed together to form Ginger Baker's Air Force. The line-up consisted of 3/4 of Blind Faith (without Clapton, who was replaced by

Denny Laine Denny Laine (born Brian Frederick Hines, 29 October 1944) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter, known as a founder of two major rock bands: the Moody Blues, with whom he played from 1964 to 1966, and Wings, with whom he played from 1 ...

), half of Traffic (Winwood and Chris Wood, minus Capaldi and Mason), plus musicians who interacted with Baker in his early days, including

Phil Seamen Philip William Seamen (28 August 1926 – 13 October 1972) was an English jazz drummer. With a background in big band music, Seamen played and recorded in a wide range of musical contexts with virtually every key figure of 1950s and 1960s Bri ...

, Harold McNair, John Blood, and

Graham Bond Graham John Clifton Bond (28 October 1937 – 8 May 1974) was an English rock/blues musician and vocalist, considered a founding father of the English rhythm and blues boom of the 1960s. Bond was an innovator, described as "an important, un ...

. This project also turned out to be short-lived. Winwood soon went into the studio to begin work on a new solo album, tentatively titled ''Mad Shadows''. However, Winwood ended up calling in Wood and Capaldi to help with session work, which prompted Traffic's comeback album ''

John Barleycorn Must Die ''John Barleycorn Must Die'' is the fourth studio album by English rock band Traffic, released in 1970 as Island ILPS 9116 in the United Kingdom, United Artists UAS 5504 in the United States, and as Polydor 2334 013 in Canada. It marked the ban ...

'' in 1970. In 1972, Winwood recorded the part of Captain Walker in the highly successful orchestral version of

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

's ''Tommy''. He recorded a 1973 album with

Remi Kabaka Remi Kabaka (born 27 March 1945) is an Afro-rock avant-garde drummer. He worked with John Martyn, Hugh Masekela, on '' Rhythm of the Saints'' by Paul Simon, and '' Short Cut Draw Blood'' by Jim Capaldi. He was also an important figure in the 1970 ...

and Abdul Lasisi Amao, as Third World, ''Aiye-Keta''. Later, after the reggae group

Third World The term "Third World" arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Western European nations and their allies represented the " First ...

had formed, the album was re-released and identified as being just by the band members' names. In 1976, Winwood provided vocals and keyboards on ''Go'', a concept album by Japanese composer

Stomu Yamashta Stomu Yamashta (or Yamash'ta), born , is a Japanese percussionist, keyboardist and composer. He is best known for pioneering and popularising a fusion of traditional Japanese percussive music with Western progressive rock music in the 1960s and 1 ...

. In 1976, Winwood also played guitar on the

Fania All Stars The Fania All-Stars is a musical group formed in 1968 as a showcase for the musicians on Fania Records, the leading salsa music record label of the time. History Beginnings In 1964, Fania Records was founded in New York City by Jerry Masucci, a ...

' ''Delicate and Jumpy'' record and performed as a guest with the band in their only UK appearance, a sold-out concert at the Lyceum Theatre, London.

Solo career

Weariness with the grind of touring and recording prompted Winwood to leave Traffic and retire to sessioning for some years.Black, Johnny (May 1997)
Feature: Steve Winwood
, ''

Mojo Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...

''. Under pressure from Island Records, he resurfaced with his self-titled first solo album in 1977. This was followed by his 1980 hit '' Arc of a Diver'' (which included his first solo hit, " While You See a Chance") and '' Talking Back to the Night'' in 1982. Both albums were recorded at his home in

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of ...

with Winwood playing all instruments. He continued to do sessions during this period, and in 1983, he co-produced and played on Jim Capaldi's top 40 hit " That's Love" and co-wrote the

Will Powers Will Powers was the stage name used by celebrity photographer Lynn Goldsmith when she created a self-help comedy music album. The 1983 album, entitled ''Dancing for Mental Health'', used affirmations set to music to poke fun at the self-hel ...

top 20 hit " Kissing with Confidence". In 1986, he moved to New York. There he enlisted the help of a coterie of stars to record '' Back in the High Life'' in the US, and the album was a hit. He topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with "

" and earned two

s: Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Winwood embarked on an extensive tour of North America in support of the album. All these albums were released on

. However, at the peak of his commercial success, Winwood moved to

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a world ...

and released '' Roll with It'' and ''

Refugees of the Heart ''Refugees of the Heart'' is the sixth solo studio album by Steve Winwood, released in 1990. The album contained the hit single, "One and Only Man", which topped the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and saw the return of former Traffic bandmate Jim C ...

''. The album ''Roll with It'' and the title track hit No. 1 on the USA album and singles charts in the summer of 1988. Another album with Virgin, '' Far from Home'', was officially credited to Traffic, but nearly all the instruments were played by Winwood. Despite lacking a significant hit, it broke the top 40 in both the UK and USA. His final Virgin album '' Junction Seven'' also broke the UK top 40. A new studio album, '' Nine Lives'', was released 29 April 2008 by Wincraft Music through Columbia Records. The album opened at No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart, his highest US debut ever. In 2008, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

to add to his honorary degree from Aston University, Birmingham. On 28 March 2012 Winwood was one of

Roger Daltrey Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, musician and actor. He is a co-founder and the lead singer of the rock band The Who. Daltrey's hit songs with The Who include " My Generation", " Pinball Wizard", " Won't Get Fooled ...

's special guest stars for "An Evening with Roger Daltrey and Friends" gig, in aid of the

Teenage Cancer Trust Teenage Cancer Trust is a cancer care and support charity in the UK that exists to improve the cancer experience of young people aged 13–24. Founded in 1990, the charity's key service is providing specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals. I ...

at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

. In 2013, Winwood toured North America with

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...

as part of the "Live the Life" tour. In 2014, Winwood toured North America with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. In January 2020, a North American summer tour was announced with Steely Dan. On 17 February 2020, Winwood participated in "A Tribute to Ginger Baker", which took place at Eventim Apollo Hammersmith in London. Other participants were Ron Wood, Roger Waters, and Eric Clapton. The concert was held in honour of Ginger Baker, his former band member in Blind Faith, who had died the previous year.

Group work

In 1994, Capaldi and Winwood reunited Traffic for a new album, ''Far From Home'', and a tour, including a performance at

Woodstock '94 Woodstock '94 was an American music festival held in 1994 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock festival of 1969. It was promoted as "2 More Days of Peace and Music". The poster used to promote the first concert was r ...

Festival. That same year, Winwood appeared on the ''A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield'' CD, recording Mayfield's " It's All Right". In 1995, Winwood released "Reach for the Light" for the

animated film Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most ani ...

Balto Balto (1919 – March 14, 1933) was a Siberian Husky and sled dog belonging to musher and breeder Leonhard Seppala. He achieved fame when he reportedly led a team of sled dogs driven by Gunnar Kaasen on the final leg of the 1925 serum run to ...

''. In 1997, Winwood released a new album, '' Junction Seven'', toured the US, and sang with

Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan (), is an American singer. Her career has spanned more than five decades, beginning in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. Known as the " Q ...

at the VH-1 Honors. In 1998, Winwood joined

Tito Puente Ernest Anthony Puente Jr. (April 20, 1923 – June 1, 2000), commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer of Puerto Rican descent. He is best known for dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz ...

Arturo Sandoval Arturo Sandoval is a Cuban-American jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer. While living in his native Cuba, Sandoval was influenced by jazz musicians Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, and Dizzy Gillespie. In 1977 he met Gillespie, who became his f ...

, Ed Calle, and other musicians to form the band "Latin Crossings" for a European tour, after which they split without making any recordings. Winwood also appeared in the film ''

Blues Brothers 2000 ''Blues Brothers 2000'' is a 1998 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis from a screenplay written by Landis and Dan Aykroyd, both of whom were also producers. The film, starring Aykroyd and John Goodman, is a sequel to the 1980 fi ...

'', as a member of the Louisiana Gator Boys, appearing on stage with

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songw ...

, and KoKo Taylor at the battle of the bands competition. In 2003, Winwood released a new studio album, '' About Time'', on his new record label, Wincraft Music. In 2004,

Eric Prydz Eric Sheridan Prydz (, ; born 19 July 1976), also known by his many aliases including Pryda () and Cirez D (), is a Swedish DJ and music producer. He rose to fame with his 2004 hit single " Call on Me", and saw continued chart success with " Pr ...

sampled Winwood's 1982 song " Valerie" for the song " Call on Me". After hearing an early version, Winwood not only gave permission to use his song, he re-recorded the samples for Prydz to use. The remix spent five weeks at No. 1 on the UK singles chart. In 2005, his Soundstage Performances DVD was released, featuring the recent ''About Time'' album, with solo hits including "Back in the High Life", and he also performed hits from his early days with Traffic. That same year, he appeared on Grammy Award winner Ashley Cleveland's album ''Men and Angels Say'', a mix of rock, blues, and country arrangements of well-known hymns, including "

I Need Thee Every Hour Annie Hawks (May 28, 1836 - January 3, 1918) was an American poet and gospel hymnist who wrote a number of hymns with her pastor, Robert Lowry. She contributed to several popular Sunday school hymnbooks, and wrote the lyrics to a number of well ...

", which featured a vocal duet and organ performance. On her 2006 record '' Back to Basics'',

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...

featured Winwood (using the piano and organ instrumentation from the ''John Barleycorn Must Die'' track "Glad") on her song "Makes Me Wanna Pray". Steve Winwood Band

In May 2007, Winwood performed in support of the

Countryside Alliance The Countryside Alliance (CA) is a British organisation promoting issues relating to the countryside such as farming, rural services, small businesses and field sports, aiming to "Give Rural Britain a voice". History The Countryside Alliance ...

, an organisation opposed to the

Hunting Act 2004 The Hunting Act 2004 (c 37) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which bans the hunting of most wild mammals (notably foxes, deer, hares and mink) with dogs in England and Wales, subject to some strictly limited exemptions; ...

, in a concert at Highclere Castle, joining fellow rock artists

Bryan Ferry Bryan Ferry CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to ''The Independent'', Ferry an ...

Steve Harley Steve Harley (born Stephen Malcolm Ronald Nice; 27 February 1951) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as frontman of the rock group Cockney Rebel, with whom he still tours, albeit with frequent and significant personnel changes. E ...

, and Kenney Jones. In July 2007, Winwood performed with Clapton in the latter's Crossroads Guitar Festival. Among the songs they played were "Presence of the Lord" and "

Can't Find My Way Home "Can't Find My Way Home" is a song written by Steve Winwood that was first released by Blind Faith on their 1969 album ''Blind Faith''. ''Rolling Stone'', in a review of the album, noted that the song featured "Ginger Baker's highly innovative ...

" from their Blind Faith days, with Winwood playing several guitar leads during a six-song set. The two continued their collaboration with three sold-out nights at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylv ...

in New York City in February 2008. On 19 February 2008, Winwood and Clapton released a collaborative EP through

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...

titled '' Dirty City''. Clapton and Winwood released a CD and DVD of their Madison Square Garden shows and then toured together in the summer of 2009.

Personal life

Between 1978 and 1986, Winwood was married to Nicole Weir (d. 2005), who had contributed background vocals to some of his early solo work. The two married at

Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...

manor house A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals ...

in the

Cotswolds The Cotswolds (, ) is a region in central-southwest England, along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale. The area is defined by the bedrock of J ...

, England, where he also has a recording studio. Winwood also has a home in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...

, with his wife, Eugenia Crafton, a

Trenton, Tennessee Trenton is the county seat and fourth largest city of Gibson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,264 at the 2010 census, down from 4,683 in 2000. History Trenton was established in 1824 as a county seat for the newly-created ...

native whom he married in 1987. They have four children. Both were patrons of the Cheltenham Festivals of music and literature between 2007 and 2015. Winwood's eldest daughter, Mary Clare, in 2011 wedded businessman Ben Elliot, who later became the Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party. The couple have two sons. Winwood's daughter Lilly Winwood is a singer; she was featured with him performing a duet of his song "Higher Love" in a Hershey commercial. She was the opening act and sang backup on multiple songs during her father's 2018 Greatest Hits Live tour.

Discography

Solo

Steve Windwood toy2, Hangout Music Festival 2012

*1977: ''

Steve Winwood Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock. Though primarily a keyboard player and vocalist prominent for his disti ...

'' *1980: '' Arc of a Diver'' *1982: '' Talking Back to the Night'' *1986: '' Back in the High Life'' *1988: '' Roll with It'' *1990: ''

'' *1997: '' Junction Seven'' *2003: '' About Time'' *2008: '' Nine Lives'' *2017: ''Greatest Hits Live''

Spencer Davis Group

*''

Their First LP ''Their First LP'' is the debut studio album by the Spencer Davis Group, released in the UK and Europe in June 1965. It peaked at number 6 on the UK Albums Chart. Although never released in its original incarnation in the US, a majority of the ...

'' (1965) *'' The Second Album'' (1966) *'' Autumn '66'' (1966)

Traffic

see '' Traffic discography''

Blind Faith

*1969: '' Blind Faith''

Ginger Baker's Air Force

*1970: '' Ginger Baker's Air Force''

Third World

*1973: ''Aiye-Keta''

Go

*1976: '' Go'' *1976: '' Go Live from Paris''

Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood

*2009: '' Live from Madison Square Garden''

Session work

The Jimi Hendrix Experience James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

– '' Electric Ladyland'', 1968 *

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...

– "

With a Little Help from My Friends "With a Little Help from My Friends" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, from their 1967 album ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. It was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and sung by drummer Ringo Starr (as Sgt. Pep ...

", 1968 * BB King – ''

B.B. King in London ''B.B. King in London'' is a studio album by B.B. King, recorded in London in 1971. He is accompanied by US session musicians and various British rock- and R&B musicians, including Ringo Starr, Alexis Korner and Gary Wright, as well as members of ...

'', 1971 * McDonald and Giles – '' McDonald and Giles'', 1971 - organ, and piano solo on "Turnham Green" *

– ''

The Cry of Love ''The Cry of Love'' is a posthumous album by American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Recorded primarily in 1970, it features new material that Hendrix was working on for his planned fourth studio album before his death later t ...

'', 1971 * Howlin' Wolf – ''

The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions ''The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions'' is an album by blues musician Howlin' Wolf released in 1971 on Chess Records, and on Rolling Stones Records in Britain. It was one of the first super session blues albums, setting a blues master among famous m ...

'', 1971 - organ and piano *

Shawn Phillips Shawn Phillips (born February 3, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, primarily influential in the 1960s and 1970s. His work is rooted in folk rock but straddles other genres, including jazz fusion and funk. Phillips has rec ...

– ''Faces'', 1972 – Organ on ''Parisien Plight II'' *

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

– ''Tommy – As Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Chamber Choir'', 1972 * Jim Capaldi – ''

Oh How We Danced ''Oh How We Danced'' is the debut studio album by the British musician Jim Capaldi. The album was recorded while Traffic was on hiatus due to Steve Winwood's struggles with peritonitis and was released by Island Records in 1972. Like his contempo ...

'', 1972 *

Eddie Harris Eddie Harris (October 20, 1934 – November 5, 1996) was an American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. He was also fluent on the electric piano and organ. His best-k ...

– ''

E.H. in the U.K. ''E.H. in the U.K.'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Eddie Harris recorded in England with prominent British rock musicians in 1973 and released on the Atlantic label.

'' (Atlantic), 1973 With Chris Squire, Alan White and Tony Kaye *

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades ...

– ''

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...

'', 1973 * John Martyn – ''

Inside Out Inside Out may refer to: *Backwards (disambiguation) or inverse Books * '' Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd'', by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason * ''Inside Out'', Christian book by Larry Crabb * ''Inside Out'', novel by Barry Eisler ...

'', 1973 * Jim Capaldi – '' Whale Meat Again'', 1974 * Robert Palmer – ''

Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley ''Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley'' is the debut solo album by Robert Palmer, released in 1974. It was his first effort after three album releases co-fronting the band Vinegar Joe. Palmer is backed by The Meters and Lowell George of Little ...

'', 1974 *

Vivian Stanshall Vivian Stanshall (born Victor Anthony Stanshall; 21 March 1943 – 5 March 1995) was an English singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and wit, best known for his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, for his exploration of the British upper ...

– '' Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead'', 1974 * Jim Capaldi – '' Short Cut Draw Blood'', 1975 * Jade Warrior – ''

Waves Waves most often refers to: * Waves, oscillations accompanied by a transfer of energy that travel through space or mass. * Wind waves, surface waves that occur on the free surface of bodies of water. Waves may also refer to: Music *Waves (ban ...

'', 1975 * Toots & the Maytals – '' Reggae Got Soul'', 1976 * Sandy Denny – '' Rendezvous'', 1977 * John Martyn – '' One World'', 1977 *

Pierre Moerlen's Gong Pierre Moerlen's Gong was an instrumental jazz fusion band led by French drummer Pierre Moerlen which developed as an offshoot of the psychedelic progressive rock band Gong founded and led by Daevid Allen. It was notable for the prominent use o ...

– '' Downwind'', 1978 *

– '' Sir Henry at Rawlinson End'', 1978 * Jim Capaldi – ''Daughter of the Night'', 1978 *

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

– ''

'', 1979 *

Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...

– ''

Broken English Broken English is a name for a non-standard, non-traditionally spoken or alternatively-written version of the English language. These forms of English are sometimes considered as a pidgin if they have derived in a context where more than one ...

'', 1979 * Jim Capaldi – ''The Sweet Smell of... Success'', 1980 * Jim Capaldi – ''Let the Thunder Cry'', 1981 *

– ''

Dangerous Acquaintances ''Dangerous Acquaintances'' is the eighth studio album by English singer Marianne Faithfull. It was released on 1 September 1981 by Island Records. The album was seen by reviewers as a disappointing follow-up to Faithfull's '' Broken English'', ...

'', 1981 * Jim Capaldi – '' Fierce Heart'', 1983 *

David Gilmour David Jon Gilmour ( ; born 6 March 1946) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and member of the rock band Pink Floyd. He joined as guitarist and co-lead vocalist in 1967, shortly before the departure of founding member Syd Barrett. P ...

– '' About Face'', 1984 * Christine McVie – '' Christine McVie'', 1984 *

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist and songwriter. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his album and signature song of the same name, he has led a commercially successful career as a solo artist since th ...

– '' The Bridge'', 1986 *

– '' Two Hearts'', 1987 *

Talk Talk Talk Talk were an English band formed in 1981, led by Mark Hollis (vocals, guitar, piano), Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass). The group achieved early chart success with the synth-pop singles " Talk Talk" (1982), " It's My Life", and " ...

– ''

The Colour of Spring ''The Colour of Spring'' is the third studio album by English band Talk Talk, released on 17 February 1986. Written by Mark Hollis and producer Tim Friese-Greene, the album combines elements of jazz and art pop in an effort by Hollis to embra ...

'', 1986 * Jim Capaldi – ''Some Come Running'', 1988 *

Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffe ...

– "My Barracuda", 1988 *

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...

– '' ...But Seriously'', 1989 *

Soulsister Soulsister is a Belgian music band consisting of Jan Leyers and Paul Michiels that initially existed from 1986 to 1995 and, after a split, reunited in 2007. Soulsister is often designated as SoulSister, the Soul Sisters or Leyers, Michiels an ...

– ''Heat'', 1990 *

Davy Spillane Davy Spillane (born 1959 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish musician, songwriter and a player of uilleann pipes and low whistle. Biography Irish music At the age of 12, Spillane started playing the uilleann pipes. His father encouraged him ...

– '' A Place Among The Stones'', 1994 * Paul Weller – ''

Stanley Road ''Stanley Road'' is the third solo album by Paul Weller, released by Go! Discs in 1995. In 1998 ''Q'' magazine readers voted it the 46th greatest album of all time. The album took its name from the street in Woking where Weller grew up. ...

'', 1995 * Kathy Troccoli – '' Corner of Eden'', 1998 *

– '' Back Home'', 2005 *

– '' Clapton'', 2010 *

Slash Slash may refer to: * Slash (punctuation), the "/" character Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Slash (Marvel Comics) * Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'') Music * Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band * Nash ...

– '' Hey Joe'' ''Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame'', 2010 * Miranda Lambert – ''

Four the Record ''Four the Record'' is the fourth studio album by American country music singer and songwriter Miranda Lambert. It was released on November 1, 2011, by RCA Records Nashville. This was her first studio album to be released from that label after a ...

'', 2011 *

– '' Old Sock'', 2013 * Gov't Mule – '' Shout!'', 2013

References

External links

Official website

Albums that Winwood guested on and/or produced

Steve Winwood & Eric Clapton live@ Bucharest (review)
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Winwood, Steve 1948 births British Christians Living people English keyboardists English male singer-songwriters English male guitarists English record producers English rock guitarists English organists English songwriters Columbia Records artists Island Records artists Virgin Records artists Blind Faith members Ginger Baker's Air Force members Traffic (band) members Grammy Award winners Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands British rhythm and blues boom musicians British soft rock musicians People from Great Barr People from Handsworth, West Midlands People from Aston Tirrold The Spencer Davis Group members Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse members