Johnny Dawson Winter III - Personal life

- A Deep Dive into the Life, Legacy, and Vinyl Archives of a Blues Icon

John Dawson Winter III, famously known as Johnny Winter, was born on 23rd February 1944 in Beaumont, Jefferson, Texas, USA. He was the first child of John Dawson Winter Jr., born on 2nd May 1909, and Edwina Holland, born on 11th September 1917. His upbringing in Beaumont exposed him to a wide range of music from an early age, from gospel and blues to country and rock.

When Johnny was five, he began his musical journey by playing the clarinet. However, his father, concerned about the possibility of buck teeth from playing the instrument, encouraged him to stop. Johnny switched to the ukulele, which his father initially taught him. Yet, it wasn’t long before his father advised him to transition to the guitar, stating, “The only two ukulele players I ever knew that did anything were Arthur Godfrey and Ukulele Ike, and I think you got a much better choice of making it with a guitar.”

As Johnny’s passion for music grew, so did his skills. Alongside his brother Edgar, the two performed as a duo, mimicking the Everly Brothers’ style. At age 11, they even auditioned for Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour. Johnny learned country licks from Luther Nalley, a Beaumont music store employee, while absorbing the rich blues and gospel sounds of the region. His early influences included local blues and gospel as well as the rock tunes of the 1950s.

After school, Johnny attended Lamar Technical College, specializing in a commercial branch. However, his weekends were spent hitchhiking to Louisiana, where he performed in small nightclubs. After six months, he dropped out of college, dedicating himself entirely to music. By 1964, Johnny Winter made the critical decision to abandon his studies and pursue his career as a full-time musician.

In the early 1960s, Johnny traveled to Chicago, seeking to immerse himself in the authentic blues scene. He briefly joined his friend Dennis Drugan’s band, The Gents, but by the end of 1963, he had returned to Texas. There, Johnny recorded the single Eternally for Ken Ritter’s KRCO label , which was leased to Atlantic Records. The song became a regional hit, leading to opportunities to open for major acts like The Everly Brothers and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Despite his initial struggles, Johnny Winter’s persistence paid off. In 1968, Larry Sepulvado’s article in Rolling Stone famously described Johnny as “a hundred-and-thirty-pound, cross-eyed albino with long fleecy hair, playing some of the gutsiest, fluid blues guitar you have ever heard.” This led to Johnny being invited to perform at Steve Paul’s Scene club in New York, which propelled his career to new heights.

That same year, Johnny’s breakthrough album, Progressive Blues Experiment, was released. It featured his own band, with Tammy Shannon on bass and John Turner on drums. His performances at Fillmore East and collaborations with icons like Muddy Waters solidified his place in the blues and rock world. In 1969, Johnny signed a major recording contract with Columbia Records and released his eponymous debut album, Johnny Winter, which was recorded in Nashville and featured Willie Dixon and Edgar Winter.

Family and Later Life

Johnny Winter’s personal life was marked by significant milestones. On 11th March 1993, he married Susan Jane Warford, who was born on 15th January 1950. Johnny was 49 years old at the time, and Susan was 43. Together, they had one daughter, Judith Elerick.

As Johnny’s career soared, he continued to face personal challenges. His father, John Dawson Winter Jr., passed away on 7th January 2001, when Johnny was 56 years old. A decade later, Johnny lost his mother, Edwina Holland, on 19th January 2011, at the age of 66.

Johnny Winter spent his later years in Easton, Fairfield, Connecticut, where he lived until his passing on 16th July 2014 in Zürich, Switzerland, at the age of 70. He was buried in Union Cemetery, Easton, Fairfield, Connecticut. His wife, Susan Jane Warford, passed away five years after him, around 2019.

A Lasting Legacy

Johnny Winter’s contribution to music, especially to blues and rock, is undeniable. From his early years playing gospel and country in Beaumont to performing on international stages, his journey was marked by dedication and a love for the blues. His collaborations with greats like Muddy Waters and his powerful slide guitar performances made him a legend in his own right.

Though Johnny faced many struggles along the way—physically, emotionally, and musically—his resilience and passion left an indelible mark on the music world. Today, he remains a towering figure in blues history, remembered for his distinctive style and unforgettable performances.

Born on 23 February 1944 in Beaumont, Texas, John Dawson Winter III, better known as Johnny Winter, became an iconic figure in blues and rock music. His powerful guitar work and raw, soulful performances placed him among the greats, but behind his rise to fame lay a deeply rooted Southern family history that spanned several generations.

The Early Years

Johnny Winter was the eldest son of John Dawson Winter II and Edwina Holland. His birth into this family on the Gulf Coast of Texas laid the groundwork for his life’s journey. Johnny’s younger brother, Edgar Winter, born on 28 December 1946, would later join him in the world of music, sharing the stage on various projects during their careers. Despite Johnny Winter’s public life, the family history behind the Winter name remains just as intriguing as the man himself.

The Winter Lineage

Johnny Winter’s father, John Dawson Winter II, was born on 2 May 1909 in Mississippi. A man who lived much of his life in Texas, John Dawson II passed away on 7 January 2001 at the age of 91 in Beaumont. He had a varied and colorful life, spending his early years in Leland, Mississippi, and later moving to Beaumont, Texas, where he raised his family. His own parents, John Dawson Winter I and Roberta Powers, both came from well-established Southern families with deep ties to the Mississippi region.

The Winters of Mississippi

Johnny Winter’s grandfather, John Dawson Winter I, was born on 4 May 1879 in Mississippi. A cotton broker by profession, he worked in Leland, Washington County, a part of the Mississippi Delta known for its rich agricultural landscape. This profession likely linked the Winter family closely to the Southern economy of the time, which was heavily dependent on cotton. John Dawson Winter I married Roberta Powers on 16 August 1904 in Clarke, Virginia, marking the union of two significant Southern families. Together, they had a son, John Dawson Winter II, who would continue the family’s journey into the 20th century.

The death of John Dawson Winter I in 1938, when Johnny Winter’s father was just 28 years old, marked a turning point for the family. Despite the loss, they continued to prosper in Mississippi and later moved to Texas. Roberta Powers, John Dawson Winter I’s widow, lived until 1971, witnessing much of the societal changes that occurred in the South during the 20th century.

A Life Lived Between Two Worlds

Johnny Winter’s music, celebrated for its raw intensity and deeply-rooted blues influences, was undoubtedly shaped by the history and culture of the American South. His family’s Mississippi roots and later Texas upbringing served as the backdrop for the creation of the unique sound that resonated with audiences across the world.

A Lasting Legacy

John Dawson Winter III passed away on 16 July 2014 in Zürich, Switzerland, at the age of 70. He was buried in Union Cemetery, Easton, Connecticut, beside his wife, Susan Jane Warford, who died in 2019. Although his musical legacy continues to inspire, his family’s deep Southern roots, spanning generations of life in Mississippi and Texas, also speak to the perseverance and strength that defined the Winters long before Johnny’s first performance on stage.

In reflecting on his ancestors, it becomes evident that the Southern heritage and economic realities of his forebears, along with their resilience, helped form the foundation upon which Johnny Winter’s remarkable life was built. While his music will remain his most significant contribution, the history of the Winters as a Southern family offers another layer of depth to the story of a blues legend.

John D. Winter Jr. 1910 – January 7, 2001

John D. Winter Jr., 91, of Beaumont, passed away on January 7, 2001, at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital. A graveside service will be held at 3 p.m. today at Evergreen Cemetery in Orange, under the direction of Broussard's Mortuary in Beaumont.

A native of Leland, Mississippi, Mr. Winter resided in Beaumont for 54 years. He was a retired home builder and a proud veteran of the United States Army, having served during World War II.

He is survived by his loving wife, Edwina Holland Winter of Beaumont; and his sons, John D. "Johnny" Winter III of Connecticut and Edgar Winter of California.