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August '69 was a pivotal month for Johnny Winter. Amidst mixed reviews, he opened for Blood, Sweat & Tears at the Hollywood Bowl, showcasing his unique blend of blues. He also graced Woodstock's stage, though overshadowed by more prominent acts. August concluded with a memorable Texas festival, solidifying his presence in the blues revival scene. Winter's talent and the blues' enduring appeal resonated with the youth,
Sweat and Tears no doubt will put on a good show tonight at the Bowl. Keep In mind that those sitting beyond the halfway mark in the huge arena probably won't be able to tell if its good or bad. But it will he interesting in watch for the reaction bo Johnny Winter, the albino blues singer who has received varying critical reviews.
Winter has been around, but never got far. Then came the blues revival and someone found Winter, put together a substantial promotion campaign and shoved him into the big time. Some critics say he was a poor choice: he shows a lack of individual style; that he borrows from various blues singers and winds up with a combination that adds up to little.
But Critics sometimes get pretty hung up and it's the people who listen to music, and buy recordS, who determine who makes if. and who won't. Brad Ritter
In the concert series of "Summer, Show and Stars" at the Hollywood Bowl, Blood Sweat and Tears, Kaleidoscope with Guest Star: Johnny Winter. This concert of Johnny Winter has been released on the bootleg "Johnny Winter HOT" Setlist:
Atlantic City Race Track, Atlantic City, N.J. August 1-2-3 Fri, Sat and Sun. Johnny was supposed to play on Fri. Aug 1, due to equipment problems he never appeared on stage, other rumors tell that because Johnny Winter is an albino, that he could not play because of the sun.
The schedule of the Atlantic City Pop Festival was: Friday 1 August 1969: Iron Butterfly , Johnny Winter , Crosby, Stills & Nash , Chicago , Procol Harum , Joni Mitchell , Mother Earth , Santana Blues Band , Booker T & The M.G.s.
Saturday 2 August 1969: Jefferson Airplane , Creedence Clearwater Revival , Crazy World of Arthur Brown , Grateful Dead , B. B. King , Butterfield Blues Band , Byrds , Hugh Masekela , Lighthouse , American Dream
Sunday 3 August 1969: Janis Joplin , Canned Heat , Mothers of Invention , Moody Blues , 3 Dog Night , Sir Douglass Quintet , Joe Cocker , Little Richard , Buddy Rich Big Band , Dr. John the Nighttripper
Synopsis: Synopsis: Beale Street, a historic center of blues music, is facing a decline and a looming urban renewal project. Hulbert Sr., the "Mayor of Beale Street", cherishes the street's history and W.C. Handy's legacy, while his son sees a bleak future. The street's decline is evident in its dilapidated buildings and the absence of a vibrant music scene. Despite this, young music enthusiasts are drawn to Beale Street, seeking its roots in blues music. The blues, personified by W.C. Handy's music, transcend time and place, resonating with generations of music lovers and ensuring its survival beyond Beale Street's physical state.
Read The Full Article: Beale Street Blues: Fading Glory and the Enduring Power of Music
The Billboard Magazine wrote about this:
Chicago The Arbors, Date artists, who just finished a successful engagement at Club Atlantis of the Regency Hyatt House in Atlanta, are making their way back home to Chicago via New York. where they have a number of commercial sessions lined up.. . .
Columbia's Johnny Winter, Elektra's Paul Butterfield and the Flock are on tap at Aaron Russo's Kinetic Playground Friday (15 August) and Saturday (16 August). . . . Doug Lee hosted a Decca Records party for the London House opening of Young-Holt Unlimited. Also on hand from Decca were Frank Scardino, Denny Miller and Shim Weiner. . . . The Judy Roberts Trio has replaced the Eddie Higgins Trio at the London House. Higgins re-signed as headmaster after 12 years.
Mercury's Buddy Miles Express held the spotlight July 31 at the Blues Concert at the Northbrook Sports Complex. Also featured were the Joe Kelly Blues Band and the Stanley Moss Blues Band. WCFL's Barney Pip served as master of ceremonies.... Top Old Town performers entertained at North Park Study Center's fifth annual benefit Folk Sing, which was held recently at Second City.
Synopsis: This article explores the "blues awakening" among white youth in America, highlighting the racial inequities that persist within the music industry. The newfound popularity of the blues has brought forgotten black performers into the spotlight, but they continue to face second billing and drastically lower pay compared to their white counterparts.
White musicians like Janis Joplin and Johnny Winter have achieved commercial success and lucrative contracts by imitating black blues styles. Meanwhile, black pioneers like Willie Mae Thornton and B.B. King remain underpaid and underappreciated. Record companies capitalize on this trend by promoting white groups engaged in a modern version of blackface, recognizing the difficulty of selling authentic black music to white audiences.
Black jazz musicians have navigated this issue by incorporating diverse influences into their music, making it challenging for white musicians to imitate. However, blues musicians are limited in their ability to do the same due to the genre's simplicity. The article concludes by acknowledging the bleak prospects for change, emphasizing the power of money and the lack of initiative from both record companies and white musicians to address these racial disparities.
Synopsis: The article "Folk Rock Musicians Borrow From the Blues Too" by Craig Modderno explores the resurgence of blues music within the rock-pop scene. He highlights the influence of blues on iconic rock artists, and how this musical tradition is being revitalized by contemporary blues artists and bands. The article details the blues' journey from its origins to its current popularity, attracting massive crowds. Modderno discusses the success stories of blues musicians like Johnny Winter, and quotes prominent figures to emphasize the universality and emotional depth of blues music. He examines how the blues have been embraced and reinterpreted by various artists, including Janis Joplin and the Creedence Clearwater Revival, touching on the debate about the authenticity of blues music in the context of commercial success. The article concludes by acknowledging the unpredictable nature of musical trends, but asserts that the blues, as a foundational element of American popular music, will continue to exert a significant influence on the evolution of music.
Read the Full Article on: Folk Rock Musicians borrow from the Blues too
Synopsis: Texas blues guitarist Johnny Winter's performance at Woodstock was unfortunately overshadowed by contractual disputes and editing choices. Despite playing a memorable set on the festival's third day, Winter's footage was excluded from both the "Woodstock" film and the accompanying albums. It wasn't until the 25th anniversary of Woodstock that his rendition of "Mean Town Blues" saw official release. Winter's main memory of the event was waking up amidst the chaos and spontaneously taking the stage with his band. Though overlooked by many, Winter's presence at Woodstock remains a testament to the festival's spirit of musical discovery and spontaneity.
Read Full Article: Woodstock Music & Art Fair, 3 Days of Peace & Music
Synopsis: The article by Ray Brack, published in the Charleston, WV Gazette on August 23, 1969, offers a critical review of the trend of pop music festivals in the summer of 1969, leading up to the Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Brack highlights the recurring issues of overcrowding, inadequate facilities, and clashes with the police that plagued many festivals that summer. He points to the Newport Festival and the Denver Pop Festival as prime examples of these problems, where poor planning and crowd control led to violence and injuries.
In contrast, Brack praises the Atlanta International Pop Festival for its successful execution. He attributes this success to the cooperation between the organizers, the police, and the attendees. The festival's peaceful atmosphere and adequate facilities set a positive example for future events.
The article concludes with a sense of anticipation for the upcoming Woodstock festival. Despite the challenges faced by other festivals, the organizers of Woodstock seem determined to create a peaceful and enjoyable experience. Brack acknowledges the potential for problems due to the sheer scale of the event, but he also expresses hope that the lessons learned from previous festivals will lead to a positive outcome. Overall, the article provides a snapshot of the pop music festival scene in 1969, highlighting both its challenges and its potential for positive change.
23 or 24 Aug 1969 - Shea Stadium in New York
24 August Corpus Christi: Newspaper advertisement promoting The Texas International Pop Festival
Synopsis: San Antonio Light, 24 August 1969 – Final preparations are underway for the inaugural Texas International Pop Festival, set to take place from 30 August to 1 September 1969 at the Dallas International Motor Speedway, located 12 miles north of Dallas. The festival promises an exciting lineup featuring renowned acts like Canned Heat, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, Chicago Transit Authority, and more. Over three days, the festival is expected to draw 45,000 to 50,000 attendees per day.
The event will feature state-of-the-art sound provided by Bill and Terry Hanley, known for their work at the Newport Jazz Festival. Additional attractions include a light show by Electric College of Atlanta. Attendees will have access to ample parking, with space for 40,000 cars. A separate press area with interviews and media amenities is also planned.
Tickets are priced at $6 per day in advance or $18 for all three days, with prices increasing to $7 at the gate. The festival follows the success of the Atlanta International Pop Festival in July, and tickets are still available at select locations in San Antonio.
Read The Full Article on: Preview of the Texas International Pop festival
Synopsis: The Texas International Pop Festival, held from August 30th to September 1st, 1969, at the Dallas International Motor Speedway in Louisville, TX, was a monumental event that showcased a diverse lineup of legendary musicians. The festival featured iconic acts like Canned Heat, Janis Joplin, Santana, Led Zeppelin, and Sly and the Family Stone. Among these giants, Johnny Winter delivered an electrifying performance on September 1st, solidifying his place in music history.
Winter's setlist included blues classics like "Mean Town Blues" and "Black Cat Bone," alongside his signature rock-infused tunes. His performance was so captivating that it led to the unofficial recording "White Lighting" and a video titled "Got No Shoes Got No Blues." One fan vividly recalls Winter's stage presence: dressed entirely in white, reflecting the spotlight's brilliance, he was a sight to behold.
Winter's Texas International Pop Festival appearance left a lasting impression on fans and fellow musicians. His dynamic blend of blues and rock, coupled with his undeniable talent and charisma, solidified his status as a guitar legend. The festival itself served as a testament to the power of music, bringing together a diverse crowd of over 300,000 people to celebrate the sounds of a generation.
By Joe Cappo
His White cornsilk hair hangs down to his shoulders and frames the creamy white skin and pointed nose is his face. His eyebrows and lashes are also white and they accent his pale, crowed eyes. This is Johnny Winter. As an albino, he is physically pure white.
As a musician, he is the epitome of blackness, Winter is a guitarist and a vocalist, one of the unusual ones who somehow built up a reputation as a bluesman before he ever stepped into a recording studio. Born in Beaumont 25 years ago, he was a small child when his family moved to Mississippi to operate a cotton plantation. It was there , that the blues first took hold on him.
The FAMILY eventually-moved back to Texas, where Winter learned to play ukulele and guitar. With his kid brother Edgar (also white-haired), Winter started a teen-age blues group and made the rounds of the small roadside clubs in the South. After a semester at Lamar Technical College, he left Texas and wandered to Chicago, where he met Barry Goldberg and Mike Bloomfield, two youngsters destined to be-rates the nation's foremost white Bluesmen. At the time, Bloomfield was running the Fickle Pickle, a State Street coffeehouse, and Winter would sit in with the jammers on guitar and mouth harp. That was the start of five years of digging, working with groups called the Plague and It and Them, traveling from Chicago to Pensacola, from New York to San Francisco.
Winter was working, learning and making little headway until Bolling Stone, bible of the rock music world carried a two-page spread on him late In 1968. WITHIN A month, Stan Paul, operator of "The Scene" In New York, contacted Winter and placed him in his club. Paul aLso became Winter's manager, counseling him to sit back while several record companies bid for his talent, The nod finally went to Columbia Records, which paid Winter a cool $650,000 for a five-year pact. But if his first album is any indication, Winter will more than pay back the Columbia investment. The record Is called simply "Johnny Winter," but there's nothing simple in the contents.
The basic fare is rural blues, with Winter displaying extraordinary virtuosity on guitar. He has both the sensitive feelings demanded by the blues and the gift of structuring tight jam riffs, plus the technical skill of putting the two of them together. The regulars in Winter's group include drummer John Turner and bassist Tommy Shannon, but the real kick in the pants on this album comes from appearances by two old pros, Chicago blues composer Willie Dixon on acoustic bass and Walter (Shakey) Horton on mouth harp. The only weak part in this album is Winter's singing, which Is a little too unmotivoted and unconvincing, particularly when it is displayed side-by-side with his master-ful guitaring. Winter is more musician than singer.
He also is more musician than the vast majority of young guitarists who have drifted to the blues. if he becomes successful — and he should — the whole world contemporary music will better off because of it