Edgar Holland Winter (born December 28, 1946) is an American multi-instrumentalist, working as a vocalist along with playing keyboards, saxophone, and percussion. His success peaked in the 1970s with his band the Edgar Winter Group and their popular songs "

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...

" and " Free Ride". He is the brother of late blues singer and guitarist Johnny Winter.

Early life

Winter was born to John Winter II and Edwina Winter on December 28, 1946, in

Beaumont, Texas Beaumont is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, located in Southeast Texas on the Neches River about east of Houston (city ...

. Both he and his elder brother

Johnny Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John (given name), John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly ...

were born with

albinism Albinism is the congenital absence of melanin in an animal or plant resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and reddish pink or blue eyes. Individuals with the condition are referred to as albinos. Varied use and interpretation of ...

. By the time he left the family home, Winter had mastered numerous instruments and reading and writing music.

Career

Edgar Winter Group with Rick Derringer 1975

Winter composed and performed songs of numerous

genre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...

s, including rock, jazz, blues, and pop. His critically acclaimed 1970 debut release, '' Entrance'', 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, released the studio album '' Edgar Winter's White Trash'', in 1971. It reached #111 on the charts, and 1972's follow-up album (partially recorded at New York's Apollo Theater) '' Roadwork'' achieved gold status. In late 1972, Winter brought together Dan Hartman,

Ronnie Montrose Ronald Douglas Montrose (November 29, 1947 – March 3, 2012) was an American musician and guitarist who founded and led the rock bands Montrose and Gamma. He also performed and did session work with a variety of musicians, including Van Morri ...

and Chuck Ruff to form The Edgar Winter Group, who created such hits as the number one "

" and " Free Ride" (with lead vocals by its writer Hartman). Released in November 1972, '' They Only Come Out at Night'', peaked at the number 3 position on the

Billboard Hot 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Sometimes, a record ...

and stayed on the charts for 80 weeks. It was certified gold in April 1973 by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

, and double platinum in November 1986. Winter invented the keyboard body strap early in his career, an innovation that allows him the freedom to move around on stage during his multi-instrument high-energy performances. After ''They Only Come Out at Night'', Winter released '' Shock Treatment'', featuring guitarist Rick Derringer in place of

. That album contained Winter's third and final Top 40 single "River's Risin, again sung by Hartman. 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.'' Winter also kept busy doing session work, playing saxophone on

Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally by his stage name Meat Loaf, was an American singer and actor. He was known for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. ...

's "All Revved Up with No Place to Go", Dan Hartman's solo hit "

Instant Replay Instant replay or action replay is a video reproduction of something that recently occurred, both shot and broadcast live TV, live. After being shown live, the video is replayed so viewers can see it again and analyze what just happened. Spo ...

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...

's " Simply the Best" and David Lee Roth's remake of " Just a Gigolo", as well as appearing on material by Rick Derringer, Johnny Winter,

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the bands Nazz and Utopia. He is known for his sophistica ...

, Michael McDonald and many others. Major national television and radio campaigns have used Winter's music to advertise their products. Winter has also made frequent television appearances, both to promote his music and to give his opinions, on shows such as ''

Politically Incorrect "Political correctness" (adjectivally "politically correct"; commonly abbreviated to P.C.) is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society. ...

''. Winter also starred with George Hamilton in a commercial for

Miller Lite Miller Lite is a 4.2% ABV reduced calorie light American lager beer produced by Molson Coors. It was introduced in 1973 in limited markets by the Miller Brewing Company (then owned by Philip Morris, Inc.) and began being distributed nationa ...

beer. He appeared in the film '' Netherworld'' and the TV shows ''The Cape'', ''Mysterious Ways'', ''

Late Show with David Letterman ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production com ...

'', and ''

Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', sometimes shortened to ''JKL'', is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show tapes and is based out of the Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywo ...

''. 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 ''Wayne's World 2'' is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Stephen Surjik and starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as hosts of a public-access television cable television show in Aurora, Illinois. The film is the sequel to ''Wayne's World'' ...

'', ''Starkid'', '' Wag the Dog'', ''Knockabout Guys'', ''Duets'', ''Radio'', ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...

'', '' Queer as Folk'', and '' Tupac: Resurrection''. '' Tupac: Resurrection'', a biography of rapper

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor, regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all tim ...

, produced and co-written by

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...

, sampled Winter's song "Dying to Live" as " Runnin' (Dying to Live)," incorporating 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. Blues performer Jonny Lang also covered "Dying to Live" around this time. Winter performed the song solo at the piano on ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' Winter's 2003 CD and DVD titled ''Live at the Galaxy'' was recorded live at the Galaxy Theatre for Classic Pictures. It features the songs, "Keep Playing That Rock and Roll", " Turn on Your Love Light", " Free Ride", "Texas", "Show Your Love", "New Orleans", "

" and " Tobacco Road". In addition, the DVD includes a 30-minute documentary, ''Edgar Winter: The Man and His Music''. Winter also played with

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...

in the ninth (2006), tenth (2008), eleventh (2010-2011) and fifteenth (2022-) iterations of his All-Starr Band. The band's 2010–11 tour featured the reunion of Winter and Rick Derringer. From August to early-September 2017, The Edgar Winter Band toured as the opening act for both

Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...

and

Alice Cooper Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...

as they performed several North American tour dates as part of The Long Goodbye Tour. 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''. 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''.

''Mission Earth''

Winter also produced, arranged, and performed on the 1986 album '' Mission Earth''. This album's lyrics and music were written by

Scientology Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by the American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It is variously defined as a scam, a Scientology as a business, business, a cult, or a religion. Hubbard initially develo ...

founder L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard is said to have left detailed instructions and audio tapes for the musicians and producers to follow when making the album. 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." 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 Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...

's work, some five years after Ron's analysis."

Personal life

Winter and his wife, Monique, live in

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hills ...

. The couple have no children. 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."

Discography

Solo albums

Edgar Winter's White Trash albums

Edgar Winter Group albums

Edgar Winter Compilation albums

Albums with other artists

Singles

Producer

*'' Open Fire'' – (1978) (

) producer, piano,

harpsichord A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a musical keyboard, keyboard. Depressing a key raises its back end within the instrument, which in turn raises a mechanism with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic that plucks one ...

*'' Crazy from the Heat'' – (1985) ( David Lee Roth)

Awards

* Brother Johnny (2023) Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album

65th Annual Grammy Awards The 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 5, 2023. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year – October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022 – as de ...

References

External links

* * *
Edgar Winter Interview
at NAMM Oral History Collection (2013) {{DEFAULTSORT:Winter, Edgar 1946 births Living people 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American singer-songwriters 20th-century American saxophonists 21st-century American guitarists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American pianists 21st-century American singer-songwriters 21st-century American saxophonists American blues guitarists American blues pianists American blues singers American male guitarists American male saxophonists American male pianists American rock guitarists American rock saxophonists American rock singers American rock songwriters American Scientologists American Southern rock musicians Blue Sky Records artists Epic Records artists Guitarists from Texas Musicians from Beaumont, Texas People with albinism Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band members Singer-songwriters from Texas The David Lee Roth Band members