LIBERTY Records

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During the 1960s, Liberty Records, an American label founded in the mid-1950s, expanded its roster to include a diverse mix of genres, particularly rock, pop, and jazz. By the late 1960s, as blues-rock gained traction, Liberty recognized the growing appeal of electric blues and moved to sign promising artists in this space, including Johnny Winter, whose raw, intense sound was resonating with the counterculture.

One of Liberty's notable releases from this era was The Progressive Blues Experiment, originally recorded independently by Johnny Winter in 1968. After Winter's breakout at the 1968 Texas Pop Festival and his subsequent rise in the blues-rock scene, Liberty acquired the rights to this album, capitalizing on his newfound popularity. They reissued The Progressive Blues Experiment under their label in 1969, introducing Winter's intense guitar style and powerful vocals to a broader audience.

Liberty also released several singles from this album to promote Winter's blues prowess, making a clear effort to highlight tracks that showcased his deep roots in traditional blues infused with a modern, electrified edge. Some of these singles included “Mean Town Blues,” “Black Cat Bone,” and “Rollin' and Tumblin’.” Each single encapsulated Winter’s ability to merge gritty, authentic blues with a rock-driven energy that appealed to both blues purists and rock audiences.

These singles from The Progressive Blues Experiment helped solidify Johnny Winter's place in the late-60s blues-rock movement. Liberty Records, by championing Winter's electric blues, played a key role in bringing this genre to a larger audience and contributed to the broader blues revival that was gaining momentum during that period.

Photo of Johnny Winter - https://vinyl-records.nl/johnny-winter/biography/index.html

JOHNNY WINTER - Town Blues / Black Cat Bone
Single cover for Johnny Winter's 'Mean Town Blues' and 'Black Cat Bone' featuring a gritty background with Winter standing with his guitar on a pink square, alongside text and Liberty Records logo
Cover of Johnny Winter's single release featuring "Mean Town Blues" and "Black Cat Bone." The design has a gritty, urban aesthetic with a dark, textured background that resembles a chalkboard wall. Johnny Winter stands with his guitar in the centre, placed over a bright pink square, creating a striking contrast. "JOHNNY WINTER" appears in a decorative pink font on the upper left, while "MEAN TOWN BLUES" is presented in bold black letters on a white background to the right. Below, the title "BLACK CAT BONE" is shown in uppercase black text on the pink square. The Liberty Records logo is positioned in the top right corner.
JOHNNY WINTER - Mean Town Blues - I Got Love If You Want It
single cover for Johnny Winter's 'Mean Town Blues' and 'I Got Love If You Want It' featuring a high-contrast purple silhouette of Winter holding a guitar, with text and Liberty Records logo
Cover of Johnny Winter's single release featuring "Mean Town Blues" and "I Got Love If You Want It." It is presented in a stark, high-contrast purple and white color scheme. The design showcases Johnny Winter holding a guitar, standing in full figure against a muted grey background. The text "MEAN TOWN BLUES" appears prominently in bold, uppercase letters on the left side, with "I Got Love If You Want It" just beneath it in a smaller size. The Liberty Records logo is positioned in the top left corner, and Johnny Winter’s name is displayed at the bottom in large, bold type.
JOHNNY WINTER - Rollin And Tumblin / Bad Luck And Trouble
ingle cover for Johnny Winter's 'Rollin' and Tumblin'' and 'Bad Luck and Trouble' featuring a pop-art style portrait of Winter in blue and pink tones, with text and Liberty Records logo
Cover of Johnny Winter's single release featuring "Rollin' and Tumblin'" and "Bad Luck and Trouble." It has a stylized, graphic portrait of Johnny Winter in bold blue, white, and pink tones, set against a black background. The artwork gives a pop-art feel, with Winter’s face in profile and his long hair prominently shown. "ROLLIN AND TUMBLIN'" is displayed inside a white oval bubble in uppercase purple text, and "Johnny Winter" appears in a retro, pink font below. The Liberty Records logo is in the top left corner, and "BAD LUCK AND TROUBLE" is printed to the right of Winter’s portrait in small white letters.
JOHNNY WINTER - Rollin And Tumblin / Forty Four (Japan)
Japanese single cover for Johnny Winter's 'Rollin' and Tumblin'' and 'Forty-Four' featuring a mirrored image of Winter's reflection on a guitar, with Japanese text and Liberty Records logo
Cover of Johnny Winter's Japanese single release featuring "Rollin' and Tumblin'" and "Forty-Four." The design has a reflective, mirrored look, with a distorted image of Johnny Winter holding a guitar, which appears as a reflection on the guitar's body. The title is written in bold, red Japanese characters across the top, accompanied by smaller English text reading "ROLLIN' AND TUMBLIN'." Additional Japanese text is placed on the left and right, with "Johnny Winter" in red Japanese script on the right. The Liberty Records logo is in the bottom right corner, and a small "New Rock Best Hit Series" logo appears in blue on the lower left. The upper border is marked by a blue strip with Japanese text.
JOHNNY WINTER - Rollin And Tumblin / Tribute To Muddy EP (Japan)
JOHNNY WINTER - Rollin And Tumblin / Tribute To Muddy EP (Japan)
Cover of a Japanese EP featuring Johnny Winter with songs "Rollin' and Tumblin'," "Tribute to Muddy," "Help Me," and "Mean Town Blues." The design includes a vivid photograph of Johnny Winter singing passionately into a microphone while playing his guitar, set against a dark background. The right side features a blue sidebar with Japanese text listing the song titles in both Japanese and English. The Liberty Records logo is positioned at the top of the blue sidebar, with the catalog number "LP-4567" and "STEREO" indicated above. Johnny Winter’s name appears in both Japanese and English at the bottom of the sidebar.