Edgar Holland Winter
(born December 28, 1946, in Beaumont, Texas) is an American musician. Edgar is a multi-instrumentalist, performing on the keyboards, and as a vocalist, saxophonist and percussionist, well-versed in jazz, blues and rock. He was most successful in the 1970s with his band The Edgar Winter Group. He is easily recognized by his albinism.
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THE EDGAR WINTER BAND TICKETS
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History
As teens Edgar and
Johnny (who is two years older than Edgar) began performing together at local
watering holes such as Tom's Fish Camp. The two played in
R&B and
blues groups; Johnny and the Jammers, The Crystaliers, and The Black Plague. By the time he was of college age Edgar had become competent on keyboards, saxophone,
bass,
guitar and
drums. In 1969, Winter appeared with Johnny for two songs ("
I Can't Stand It" and "
Tobacco Road") at the
Woodstock Festival.
After recording with his brother, Edgar was signed to his own
Epic Records contract in 1970 and recorded two
R&B flavored albums,
Entrance
and
Edgar Winter's White Trash
. In 1972 he formed The Edgar Winter Group which included
Dan Hartman,
Ronnie Montrose and
Chuck Ruff. It was with this band that he had his biggest successes: first with the
1972 album
They Only Come Out at Night
which featured the #1 hit instrumental "
Frankenstein" which pioneered the use of the synthesizer as a lead instrument and reached number one in the U.S. in May 1973 and the top 15 single
Free Ride
; which reached number 14 that same year, then the album
Shock Treatment
which featured the song "Easy Street."
thumb
The preponderance of vocals and songwriting by Hartman on
Shock Treatment
led to the release of
Jasmine Nightdreams
with all vocals by Winter. It was nominally a solo album, but it used the same personnel as the Edgar Winter Group. A full band album followed, the Edgar Winter Group with
Rick Derringer, featuring songs and vocals by Derringer.
Success was waning, however, and Edgar teamed with brother Johnny for a live album of blues and early rock classics, including
Harlem Shuffle
(later a revival hit for the
Rolling Stones). This album too performed below expectations, so the White Trash was reformed. They recorded
Recycled
, and toured as an opening act to support the album. The tour was cut short by a tragic plane crash, which killed some members of the tour's headliner,
Lynyrd Skynyrd. This was followed by two solo albums, an attempt at literate disco on the
Edgar Winter Album
and a return to 1970s rock on
Standing on Rock
. Since then there have been more obscure solo albums and session work, namely with
David Lee Roth on
Crazy from the Heat
in 1985, which included a cover version of the song
Easy Street
.
With over 20 albums and many television and radio appearances both to promote his music and to give his opinion on everything politically incorrect, Edgar Winter's music is solidly in the popular vein. Winter's 1970s albums are bluesier than his later albums, but there are blues tunes like "Big City Woman" on his 1990 album
Not a Kid Anymore.
In 2005, "Frankenstein" was featured in the
PlayStation 2 music video game Guitar Hero.
It has also been covered by
Gary Hoey on the 2003 album "Wake Up Call," as well as by
Derek Sherinian on his album
Inertia. "Free Ride" is the main song used in the Disney/Pixar video game "Cars" which is the video game spin off of the animated film of the same name, the initial guitar riff is used on the menu screens and the full song features during game play.
In 2006, Winter joined Hamish Stuart,
Rod Argent,
Richard Marx,
Billy Squier, and
Sheila E touring with
Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band. In 2008, he appeared in the 10th All-Starr Band with
Colin Hay,
Billy Squier,
Hamish Stuart, first timer
Gary Wright and, on drums,
Gregg Bissonette.
Relationship with the Church of Scientology
thumb
Edgar is a
Scientologist. He has appeared in at least seven issues of the
Church of Scientology magazine
Celebrity
between 1995 and 2005, which list the Scientology courses that he has completed.
[1]
Edgar also produced, arranged, and performed on the album
Mission Earth
(1986). This album's words and music were written by Scientology founder
L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard supposedly left detailed instructions and audio tapes for the musicians and producers to follow when making the album.
[2] Edgar described
Mission Earth
as "both a return to rock’s primal roots and yet highly experimental." Winter had glowing words for Hubbard when he 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 inasmuch 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."
[3]
Discography
- Entrance
(1970)
- Edgar Winter's White Trash
(1971)
- Roadwork
(1972)
- They Only Come Out at Night
(1972)
- Shock Treatment
(1974)
- Jasmine Nightdreams
(1975)
- The Edgar Winter Group With Rick Derringer
(1975)
- Together
(1976)
- Recycled
(1977)
- Edgar Winter Album
(1979)
- Standing on Rock
(1981)
- Crazy from the Heat
(1985) (David Lee Roth Session Work)
- Mission Earth
(1986)
- Not a Kid Anymore
(1994)
- The Real Deal
(1996)
- Live in Japan
(1998) (With Rick Derringer)
- Winter Blues
(1999)
- Edgar Winter
(2002)
- Jazzin' the Blues
(2004)
- They Only Come Out at Night
(2006 - Reissue)
- ''Rebel Road (2008)
Soundtracks
Edgar Winter's songs have been featured in the soundtracks of these films:
- ''Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)
- ''Tropic Thunder (2008 film)
-
(2007)
- Invincible
(2006)
- Tupac: Resurrection
(2003)
- Knockaround Guys
(2001)
- Duets
(2000)
-
(1999)
-
(1999)
- Detroit Rock City
(1999)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
(1997)
- Star Kid
(1997)
- Wag the Dog
(1997)
- My Girl 2
(1994)
- Wayne's World 2
(1993)
- Dazed and Confused
(1993)
-
(1992)
- Encino Man
(1992)
- My Cousin Vinny
(1992)
- Air America
(1990)
- Spirit of '76
(1990)
- Maniac Mansion
(Video Game) (1987)
References
- ''Celebrity Magazine'' -- issues number 286, 301, 349, 353, 357, 365, and 367
- RonTheMusicMaker.org Mission Earth Lyrics and Music by L. Ron Hubbard (last accessed 15 Sept 2006)
- RonTheMusicMaker.org Mission Earth - L. Ron Hubbard (last accessed by 15 Sept 2006)