JOHNNY WINTER - John Dawson Winter III - 12" Vinyl LP Album

- The tuxedo, the fire, and the sharpest blues cut of ’74

John Dawson Winter III represents a step forward for Johnny, with more emphasis on his exceptional blues-rock guitar work. The record features five new Johnny Winter compositions as well as songs written especially for Johnny by such notables as John Lennon and Rick Derringer. The LP the first by Johnny for the Blue Sky Records (a Columbia Records Custom Label), also server as an introduction for Shelly Yakus as Johnny's producer.

Album Front cover Photo of JOHNNY WINTER - John Dawson Winter III - 12" Vinyl LP Album https://vinyl-records.nl/

Formal studio portrait in warm brown tones: Johnny Winter sits sideways on a simple wooden chair, dressed in a black tuxedo with satin lapels and oversized bow tie. His platinum-blond hair is brushed back, face turned left in profile. The title “John Dawson Winter III” appears in white lettering in the upper right.

John Dawson Winter III represents a step forward for Johnny, with more emphasis on his exceptional blues-rock guitar work. The record features five new Johnny Winter compositions as well as songs written especially for Johnny by such notables as John Lennon and Rick Derringer. The LP the first by Johnny for the Blue Sky Records (a Columbia Records Custom Label), also server as an introduction for Shelly Yakus as Johnny's producer. This web page has photos of album covers, inner sleeves, record labels together with production details, musicians and track-listing.

"John Dawson Winter III" (1974) Album Description:

Black-tie cover, back-alley lungs. "John Dawson Winter III" walks in wearing a tuxedo, then immediately starts leaning on the mic like it owes him money. This is Johnny Winter’s first lap for Steve Paul’s Blue Sky imprint, cut in New York with Shelly Yakus in the producer’s chair, and it sounds like somebody finally opened a window in the room without letting the grit escape.

1974 in America: the mood was loud, the air was thin

The United States in 1974 felt like it was running on fumes and television glare. Watergate had just finished turning the national stomach, gas lines were still a recent memory, and everybody who owned a loud guitar was being asked—by managers, labels, radio—whether they were “real” enough, “heavy” enough, “roots” enough, or simply sellable. Nobody was asking if the amplifiers were telling the truth; they were asking if the chorus could survive a commute.

Winter doesn’t sound like a man chasing new clothes here. He sounds like a man trying to keep the room honest while the decade starts putting on makeup. The irony is that he’s literally in formalwear on the front cover, but the record itself keeps wiping its hands on its jeans.

Where it sits: not Southern rock, not British blues, not polite

Put it next to what was moving in 1974 and the contrasts get interesting fast. The Allman Brothers band had already pushed blues into something widescreen and gospel-tinged, while Lynyrd Skynyrd were turning bar-band electricity into a regional flag. ZZ Top were tightening the Texas groove into something lean and grin-heavy, and Rory Gallagher was still proving that feel can be a weapon without needing arena choreography.

Winter’s lane is different. He’s not building epics and he’s not trying to sound like a British blues revivalist playing dress-up. The songs tend to hit, bite, move on. Even when horns show up and backing vocals widen the frame, the center remains that hard, stinging attack—rock rhythm with blues muscle underneath it, like a clenched fist wearing a ring.

The sound: open space, sharp edges, and no fake fog

Yakus’ practical contribution is simple: the album breathes. The previous record had a reputation for being cluttered; this one behaves like somebody cleared the counters and let the band set up properly. Guitars stay forward without becoming a bright, brittle mess. The rhythm section isn’t buried in studio varnish. When Winter leans into a phrase, you can hear the air around it instead of just the grit.

Recording at The Record Plant East in New York matters in a non-romantic way: it’s a room built for volume that still knows how to separate instruments. The mastering at The Master Cutting Room gives the album a firm outline—punchy, stable, built to survive repeated plays without turning into a smeared gray blur.

Horns appear on a couple of tracks and they’re the main fork in the road for listeners. One camp hears “finally, color.” The other camp hears “keep the brass away from my blues.” Both camps have a point, and the record doesn’t apologize to either.

The cast: a tight trio, plus visitors who actually do something

The core band is a three-piece engine: Johnny Winter up front, Randy Jo Hobbs on bass, Richard Hughes on drums. Hobbs doesn’t just keep time; he keeps the songs wired. Hughes isn’t decorative—he drives, pushes, and yanks the tempo back into line when it starts to run away.

Then the guest list walks in. Edgar Winter shows up with extra horsepower and a sense of arrangement, nudging the record toward bigger shapes without turning it into a Broadway production. Rick Derringer contributes guitar and a song, and his presence is felt in the way certain grooves tighten up and smirk. Kenny Ascher’s piano adds body where a second guitar might have crowded things, and the additional instruments—banjo, dobro, lap steel—aren’t there to “go country,” they’re there to roughen the edges with a different grain.

The horn players (trumpets, tenor sax, baritone sax, trombone) operate like punctuation. They don’t take the album over; they jab, lift, underline. The backing vocal crew does what a good backing vocal crew should do: make choruses feel like a room full of people, then disappear before anyone starts clapping for the wallpaper.

Willie Dixon said it best: “The blues are the roots; everything else is the fruits.” Winter keeps the roots visible even when the fruit bowl shows up.

Songs: what hits first, what creeps up later

The album opens with John Lennon’s “Rock & Roll People,” and that decision tells you the confidence level. It’s a statement track: loud, forward, and not shy about its intent. Some listeners wanted Lennon to keep his songs for himself; Winter takes it and treats it like a workingman’s vehicle—get in, turn the key, drive it hard.

“Golden Olden Days of Rock & Roll” follows like a wink, and then Winter starts feeding you originals that behave like they’ve lived outside. “Self-Destructive Blues” does exactly what the title implies: medium shuffle, stubborn, not begging for approval. “Raised on Rock” is a rock statement with a blues spine, the kind of thing that sounds simple until you try to play it and realize your hands aren’t that honest.

“Stranger” is where the album briefly steps away from the bar fight and lets the lights dim. The guitar tone has that swirling, haunted quality—like the sound is rotating in the air—while the vocal sits in a more careful place. It’s not soft; it’s controlled. Different kind of danger.

Side two starts with Allen Toussaint’s “Mind Over Matter,” and that’s the record showing its cards: Winter is willing to borrow a New Orleans kind of funk and still keep the bite. Derringer’s “Roll with Me” is the fast handshake—simple, pushy, designed for the road. “Love Song to Me” is the curveball: country attitude, self-mockery, and a grin that’s either charming or irritating depending on your mood and your patience.

“Pick Up on My Mojo” and “Sweet Papa John” bring it back to where Winter is most himself—blues structure, rock voltage, and that sense that every chorus is a small argument he intends to win. “Lay Down Your Sorrows” opens the frame again with fuller arrangement, then hands the mic back to the main story: Winter’s voice, Winter’s guitar, Winter’s refusal to sand off the rough parts for anybody.

Controversy: no scandal, just the usual arguments

No big public meltdown came packaged with this release. No headline-worthy feud. The noise lives in smaller places: people arguing about the horns, and people arguing about whether Lennon’s song was a gift or a leftover. Critics also split on Winter’s voice—some hear ferocious character, others hear a rasp that refuses to behave. That isn’t controversy so much as proof the record is actually alive.

The most common misconception is that this album is “straight blues” because Winter’s name triggers that expectation. It isn’t. It’s blues-rock with detours: a funk-informed moment, a country aside, arranged brass in spots, backing vocals that widen the door. The trio remains the spine, but the record isn’t trapped in a single room.

One quiet personal anchor

Late-night radio is where this album makes the most sense: lights low, volume slightly irresponsible, the kind of hour where a guitar tone can feel like a streetlamp buzzing outside your window. The next day, the same songs look different in the record shop bin—tuxedo cover staring out, pretending it isn’t going to get your speakers dirty.

References

Nothing here begs to be called “mature” or “redeemed.” It just plays like a band that wants the groove to stay upright and the volume to stay dangerous—and if the tuxedo cover bothers you, good. It’s supposed to.

Album Key Details: Genre, Label, Format & Release Info

Music Genre:

Blues Rock

Label & Catalognr:

CBS – Cat#: PZ33292

Media Format:

Record Format: 12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record
Total Weight: 230g

Release Details:

Release Date: 1974

Release Country: USA

Production & Recording Information:

Producers:
  • Shelly Yakus – Producer and Sound Engineer

    Engineered "Damn the Torpedoes" and mixed U2's "Under a Blood Red Sky" - the guy your speakers quietly thank.

    Shelly Yakus is the kind of behind-the-glass wizard who makes a band sound like it means it. I first clocked him in New York: assistant engineer at Phil Ramone's A&R Recording (1967-1969), then a Record Plant fixture from 1970. In that stretch he captured Alice Cooper ("School's Out", 1972), Johnny Winter ("John Dawson Winter III", 1974), John Lennon ("Walls and Bridges", 1974) and Blue Oyster Cult ("Agents of Fortune", 1976) - then helped cut Patti Smith's "Because the Night" (1978) and engineered Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' "Damn the Torpedoes" (1979). He later became chief engineer/VP at A&M, mixed U2's "Under a Blood Red Sky" (1983), was a Rock Hall nominee in 1999, and by 2014 co-founded AfterMaster Audio Labs.

    Shelly Yakus Wiki
Sound & Recording Engineers:
  • Eg Sprig – Sound Engineer

    Credited sound engineer—the kind of name you notice when the room tone still feels real.

    Eg Sprig, credited here as sound engineer, sits right in that crucial lane between chaos and capture. On "John Dawson Winter III" the job is simple but unforgiving: keep Winter’s vocal and guitars sharp without turning the mix into a bright, brittle mess. The record lands punchy and defined—band-in-a-room energy, but with CBS-era clarity.

  • Dennis Ferrante – Sound Engineer

    One of the hands on the board helping this album stay tight, loud, and listenable.

    Dennis Ferrante, listed as sound engineer on these sessions, is part of the “don’t blink” crew that keeps everything rolling while the band burns hot. On "John Dawson Winter III" that translates into clean capture and steady balances—guitars stay forward, the low end doesn’t turn to mud, and the overall sound keeps its bite instead of collapsing into studio fog.

  • David Thoener – Assistant Sound Engineer

    Assistant engineer: the quiet hero job where nothing is allowed to go wrong.

    David Thoener, credited as assistant sound engineer, is the guy making sure the technical world doesn’t trip the music. On this album that behind-the-scenes precision matters: mic changes, patching, levels, tape logistics—the unglamorous stuff that lets Winter cut performances without momentum-killing interruptions. The end result feels immediate, not fussed-over.

Recording Location:

The Record Plant East – New York City, USA

  • The Record Plant East – Recording Studio

    NYC’s famous capture room—big-city walls that can take volume and still give it back as music.

    The Record Plant East, the New York studio credited here as the recording location, is built for bands that play loud and mean it. On "John Dawson Winter III" that space helps keep the sound open and physical—guitars have air around them, the rhythm section has room to breathe, and the whole thing feels like it was tracked with the amp knobs turned the right way.

Mastering Studio & Location:

The Master Cutting Room – New York City, USA

  • The Master Cutting Room – Mastering Studio

    The last stop before the grooves go permanent—where “good mix” becomes “good record.”

    The Master Cutting Room, credited here as the mastering studio, is where the album gets translated from studio sound into vinyl reality. On "John Dawson Winter III" that mastering pass matters: the guitars stay sharp without turning harsh, the vocal sits confidently in the center, and the overall cut feels stable and punchy—built for repeated plays, not one polite listen.

Album Packaging

This album comes with a custom inner sleeve with full-page photo of Johnny Winter

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Line-up:
  • Johnny Winter – Texas bluesman

    The rare kind of guitar player who makes a small club feel like it needs seatbelts.

    Johnny Winter is the Texas bluesman who turned raw Beaumont grit into high-voltage stage weather. I caught his early surge in 1968-1969 with the trio of Tommy Shannon (bass) and John "Red" Turner (drums) on "The Progressive Blues Experiment". In 1970-1972 he went full-throttle as Johnny Winter And with Rick Derringer and Randy Jo Hobbs, swapping Randy Z for Bobby Caldwell on the road. From 1976-1981 he repaid the elders, producing and playing on Muddy Waters' Blue Sky comeback run, starting with "Hard Again" (1977). Later bands kept him moving: Jon Paris anchored the groove from 1979 into the late '80s, and Paul Nelson rode shotgun from 2010-2014.

    Johnny Winter Biography
    •  
  • Randy Jo Hobbs – Bassist

    A left-field groove machine from small-town Indiana, he played bass like he was wiring the band directly into the wall socket.

    Randy Jo Hobbs was a talented, innovative American bass player born 22 March 1948 in Winchester, Indiana, and he never played like a background hire. From 1965–1969 he held down The McCoys in the "Hang On Sloopy" years, tight and punchy but always pushing at the edges. Then came the Winters: 1970–1976 with Johnny Winter and Edgar Winter, locking in that lean, high-voltage rock-blues engine on stage and in the studio. A wild footnote sits in 1968: live sessions with Jimi Hendrix (later issued as "Bleeding Heart"). In 1976 he jumped into Montrose for "Jump On It" and also played on "Glass Derringer." Died 5 August 1993 in Dayton, Ohio.

    Randy Jo Hobbs and Johnny Winter
    •  
  • Richard Hughes – Drummer

    Mid-70s Johnny Winter drummer: tight, tough, and oddly under-credited.

    Richard Hughes - the no-nonsense drummer who kept Johnny Winter’s mid-70s band on a short leash - never played polite. 1973-1976: he’s the engine under the power-trio shove on "Still Alive and Well" and the harder turns of "Saints & Sinners" and "John Dawson Winter III", locking in with Randy Jo Hobbs like the two of them shared one pulse. Live, he’s right there on "Captured Live!" (cuts from Sept 1975) and on "Together" (1976) when Johnny and Edgar crash stages in San Diego and San Bernardino. Side-stage memory sticks: hi-hat tightened, shoulders loose, eyes on Winter’s right hand - not the crowd - like the next bar might bite. Hearing him, the backbeat feels less like timekeeping and more like a warning shot.

    Richard Hughes Biography
Guest Musicians:
  • Edgar Winter – Multi-Instrumentalist, Singer, Songwriter, Producer

    Texas-born whirlwind on keys and sax, he fused rock, blues, and jazz into something bright, muscular, and impossible to ignore.

    Edgar Winter is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and producer who came charging out of Texas in the late 1960s, first recording with his brother Johnny Winter before cutting his own path. Between 1970 and 1972 he led Edgar Winter’s White Trash, a brass-driven rock-soul machine that felt like a freight train with manners. In 1972 he pivoted to The Edgar Winter Group (1972–1976), trading horns for synthesizers and delivering the instrumental juggernaut "Frankenstein" and the radio staple "Free Ride." Those records had muscle and precision—tight arrangements, bold Moog lines, and a stage presence that turned arenas electric. Through the late 1970s and beyond he produced, collaborated, and kept touring, forever the restless architect of high-energy American rock.

    Edgar Winter with Johnny Winter
  • Kenny Asche – Piano

    Piano that behaves like a rhythm instrument first, decoration second.

    Kenny Asche, credited here on piano, plays the kind of supportive part that makes a band sound more expensive without sounding “studio.” On this album his keys add body behind Winter’s vocal and guitar bite, keeping the songs moving and giving the choruses a bit more lift—subtle muscle, not cocktail-bar gloss.

  • Rick Derringer – Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter, Producer

    From teenage hitmaker to hard-road guitar slinger, he moved through rock history with a sharp tone and sharper instincts.

    Rick Derringer is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer who first lit the fuse in 1965 with The McCoys and their No.1 hit "Hang On Sloopy." Those were garage-rock days, all nerve and radio static. By 1969–1973 he was riding alongside Johnny Winter, producing and playing on "Johnny Winter And" and later stepping into Edgar Winter’s White Trash (1970–1972) and The Edgar Winter Group (1972–1974), carving out that lean, high-voltage guitar sound. His 1973 solo cut "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" became a permanent encore. Through the late 1970s and 1980s he produced artists from Weird Al Yankovic to hard rock acts, always chasing clarity, attack, and that flash of danger that makes a speaker cone tremble.

    Rick Derringer on Johnny Winter
  • Paul Prestopino – Banjo, Dobro, Lap Steel

    String colors that nudge the album toward rootsy grit without changing the engine.

    Paul Prestopino, credited on banjo, dobro and lap steel, brings the kind of Americana seasoning that sits perfectly beside Winter’s electric attack. On this album those instruments don’t “go country,” they add grain and twang around the edges—little flashes of slide shimmer and woody snap that make the arrangements feel bigger without getting busy.

  • Randy Brecker – Trumpet

    Brass that hits like a spotlight: quick, bright, and impossible to ignore.

    Randy Brecker, credited on trumpet, is part of the horn muscle that gives this record its extra shove. On "John Dawson Winter III" the brass lines cut through the guitars with clean attack, adding punchy accents and a touch of swaggering drama—more “big-city arrangement” than bar-band blare, and it keeps the grooves snapping.

  • Bob Millikan – Trumpet

    Another trumpet voice in the section, helping the punches land together.

    Bob Millikan, credited on trumpet, works as part of the tight brass stack that’s woven into this album’s bigger moments. On "John Dawson Winter III" his job is section strength: keeping the harmonies fat, the stabs unified, and the tone consistent so the horns feel like one instrument—sharp punctuation that never drifts into noise.

  • Lou Soloff – Trumpet

    A trumpet chair that adds bite and brass-glare right where the mix needs it.

    Lou Soloff, credited here on trumpet, helps give the horn parts weight and authority instead of just sparkle. On this album the trumpet work is used like emphasis marks—tight stabs, bright lifts, and clean blends—supporting Winter’s rock-blues drive while keeping the arrangements from feeling like “guitar only” for eleven tracks straight.

  • Mick Brecker – Tenor Saxophone

    Tenor sax: the voice that can snarl, sing, and slice through guitars in one breath.

    Mick Brecker, credited on tenor saxophone, adds that human reed edge that brass alone can’t fake. On "John Dawson Winter III" the tenor helps round out the horn color—warm when it needs to sit inside the chord, sharp when it needs to jab—so the arranged parts feel lively and breathing, not like a sterile “section” pasted on top.

Guest Musicians:
  • Tasha Thomas – Background Vocals

    Background vocals that turn a chorus into a room full of people instead of one guy shouting.

    Tasha Thomas, credited on background vocals, brings that confident studio-singer presence that makes a track feel finished without sounding “polished.” On this album her voice helps widen the refrains and adds a smoother counter-shape to Winter’s raw lead—lift, blend, and a hint of gospel warmth tucked behind the guitars.

  • Carl Hall – Background Vocals

    One of the voices in the stack, keeping the choruses thick and punchy.

    Carl Hall, credited on background vocals, does the unglamorous work that makes a rock record hit harder: blend and timing. On "John Dawson Winter III" those backing parts give the hooks extra shoulders—tight responses, fuller choruses, and more “band” around Winter’s lead—without ever turning the album into a choir showcase.

  • Monica Burruss – Background Vocals

    A backing-vocal layer that softens the edges just enough to make the bite feel bigger.

    Monica Burruss, credited here on background vocals, adds sheen and lift without sanding down the grit. On this album her parts help shape the choruses into something you can sing back—clean harmonies tucked behind Winter’s lead, a little extra brightness on the top line, and that “record sounds finished” feel without losing the room.

  • Jackdaw – Background Vocals

    A credited backing voice that helps turn simple hooks into earworms.

    Jackdaw, credited on background vocals, is part of the support crew making the album’s refrains land clean. On "John Dawson Winter III" those stacked parts add body and rhythm—answers to the lead line, extra harmony weight, and a touch more “radio-ready” snap—while staying politely behind Winter where they belong.

  • Dennis Ferrante – Background Vocals, Buried Highpart

    The little high voice tucked in the blend that makes a chorus sparkle when you listen close.

    Dennis Ferrante, credited on background vocals and a “buried highpart,” supplies the subtle glue that casual listeners miss and collectors grin at. On this album that high layer sits just under the surface, brightening the harmony stack and giving choruses a slight shimmer—small detail, big payoff—while the lead stays raw and front-and-center.

  • Dave Taylor – Trombone

    Trombone: the brass weight that makes the punches feel like punches.

    Dave Taylor, credited on trombone, brings the low brass heft that stops the horn parts from sounding thin. On "John Dawson Winter III" the trombone underpins the stabs and swells, giving the arrangements a thicker chest and a deeper push. That extra weight helps the horns sit confidently beside loud guitars instead of hiding behind them.

  • Lew Del Gatto – Baritone Saxophone

    Baritone sax: the rumble underneath that makes the whole horn section feel grounded.

    Lew Del Gatto, credited on baritone saxophone, supplies the low-end growl that gives the horn arrangements authority. On this album the bari sax works like a foundation beam: it thickens the section, adds a darker shadow under the bright trumpets, and helps the arranged parts feel muscular and anchored—so Winter’s guitar can bite without the mix turning skinny.

Complete Track-listing:

Tracklisting Side A:
  1. Rock & Roll People (2:44) Cover
    Written by John Lennon.
  2. Golden Olden Days of Rock & Roll (3:02) Cover
    Written by Vic Thomas.
  3. Self-Destructive Blues (3:27)
  4. Raised on Rock (4:42) Cover
    Written by Mark James.
  5. Stranger (3:54)
Tracklisting Side B:
  1. Mind Over Matter (4:14) Cover
    Written by Allen Toussaint.
  2. Roll with Me (3:04) Cover
    Written by Rick Derringer.
  3. Love Song to Me (2:05)
  4. Pick Up on My Mojo (3:21)
  5. Lay Down Your Sorrows (4:09) Cover
    Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
  6. Sweet Papa John (3:07)
Video: Sweet Papa John (Live in California - September 1975)

Disclaimer: Track durations shown are approximate and may vary slightly between different country editions or reissues. Variations can result from alternate masterings, pressing plant differences, or regional production adjustments.

Album Front Cover Photo
Studio portrait of Johnny Winter seated sideways on a wooden chair, wearing a black tuxedo with satin lapels and oversized bow tie, white dress shirt, platinum-blond hair swept back, gazing left against a warm brown textured backdrop with the album title John Dawson Winter III in white serif lettering in the upper right corner.

Bird’s-eye glance over a formal studio scene: Johnny Winter sits angled on a simple wooden chair, tuxedo sharp as a razor crease, platinum hair lit like a flare against a smoky brown backdrop. The title John Dawson Winter III floats in pale lettering to his right.

The mood is controlled, almost aristocratic. Winter wears a deep black tuxedo with satin lapels that catch the light in soft ribbons, a crisp white shirt buttoned high, and an exaggerated bow tie spreading wide across his collar like dark wings. He sits sideways on a wooden chair, one leg extended, posture relaxed yet deliberate, as if pausing between movements rather than posing.

His platinum-blond hair is combed straight back, fine strands lifting slightly as though caught by a faint studio draft. The pale tones of his face and hair glow against the warm, mottled brown background — a textured wash that feels like aged canvas or tobacco-stained velvet. The lighting is gentle but directional, sculpting his cheekbones and jawline while leaving soft shadows along the tuxedo’s folds.

He looks off-frame to the left, not at the viewer. The expression is distant, thoughtful, almost reserved — a striking contrast to the high-voltage blues guitarist known for stage fire and molten slide runs. In the upper right corner, the album title appears in elegant white serif letters: JOHN DAWSON WINTER III, spaced with formal restraint, reinforcing the dignified, almost classical tone of the image.

The overall impression is transformation. No guitar, no amplifiers, no sweat-drenched spotlight — just a blues-rock force contained in black tie, poised between refinement and raw voltage. It feels like a declaration: the same white lightning, now dressed for the long night ahead.

Album Back Cover Photo
Back cover photo of Johnny Winter smiling broadly between two bandmates, Randy Jo Hobbs on the left and Richard Hughes on the right. All three stand close together with arms around each other’s shoulders. Winter wears a dark jacket and a long silver necklace. Hobbs wears a patterned cap, layered necklaces and a pink scarf. Hughes wears a dark jacket with a leopard-print scarf. Track listings and production credits appear at the top, with the Blue Sky Records logo in the upper right.

Three band-members pressed shoulder to shoulder, grinning like the encore just landed right. Johnny Winter stands in the center, laughing wide and unguarded, flanked by Randy Jo Hobbs on the left and Richard Hughes on the right, their arms slung across each other in a tight, road-tested embrace beneath the printed track list of “John Dawson Winter III.”

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Winter’s face is lit with a full, open smile—teeth visible, eyes half-squinted in genuine joy. His long, pale hair falls straight down past his shoulders, almost glowing against the darker jackets around him. He wears a deep black shirt and over it a heavy, striking silver necklace that runs down his chest in a bold vertical line, the pendant shaped like a polished slide or sculpted piece of metal, catching the light like a clean high note held just long enough to sting.

To the left, Randy Jo Hobbs leans in close, cheek nearly touching Winter’s. Hobbs sports a patterned cap in soft earth tones—cream, brown, hints of muted red—tilted low over his dark hair. His sideburns frame his smile, and around his neck hang layered necklaces, beads and chains stacked with the casual chaos of a backstage dressing room. A soft pink scarf drapes loosely over his shoulder, adding a splash of color that cuts through the denim and darker fabrics. Rings flash on his fingers as his arm hooks firmly around Winter’s shoulder, the gesture easy and familiar.

On the right, Richard Hughes beams directly at the camera, teeth bright, eyes engaged. His hair is swept back, thick and slightly wind-tossed, giving him that restless, highway-ready look. Around his neck is a leopard-print scarf—bold, almost defiant—knotted loosely over a dark jacket and light shirt. His hand rests across Winter’s shoulder, fingers relaxed but secure, a ring visible that catches a faint studio glint.

The background is simple and pale, allowing the trio to dominate the frame. Across the top left and center, the album’s track titles are printed in clean black text: songs like “Rock & Roll People,” “Golden Olden Days Of Rock & Roll,” “Self-Destructive Blues,” and “Sweet Papa John.” In the upper right corner, production credits read Produced by Shelly Yakus with Organic Advisor: Steve Paul, and the Blue Sky Records logo floats nearby in soft blue script.

The mood is pure camaraderie—no stage lights, no guitars in frame, just three road warriors caught in a moment of shared laughter. It feels like the clink of longnecks after a hot Austin set, like amps cooling down backstage while the shuffle still hums in the bones. There’s clarity here, not distortion—sharp smiles, honest joy, and the quiet authority of a band that has sweated it out together and come back grinning.

First Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve
Blue-tinted live performance photo of Johnny Winter printed on the custom inner sleeve of 'John Dawson Winter III.' Two overlapping stage images show him singing and playing a white electric guitar under dark concert lighting. His long light hair hangs straight as he leans into the microphone, wearing a shimmering sleeveless top. The scene is grainy, high-contrast, and atmospheric.

A deep electric-blue haze washes over this full-page inner sleeve photograph, capturing Johnny Winter mid-performance in a double-exposed stage moment—two overlapping images of him singing and playing, frozen in that split second where sound turns into light.

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On the left side of the image, Winter stands angled toward a tall microphone stand, mouth open wide in full-throated vocal release. His long, pale hair falls straight past his shoulders, glowing ghostlike against the dark background. A sleeveless, shimmering top clings to his frame, catching tiny sparks of reflected stage light that flicker like distant stars.

To the right, a second overlapping exposure shows him gripping a white electric guitar, body turned slightly forward, face intense and focused. His mouth is again open—either singing or shouting into the night—while his picking hand blurs with motion. The guitar’s bright body slices through the darkness, its contours sharp against the inky black of the stage behind him.

The photograph carries a raw, almost grainy texture. It feels humid and loud. The blue tint saturates everything, flattening color into mood—no warm tones, no distractions—just cool electric atmosphere. Light pools around his arms and shoulders, reflecting off sequined or metallic fabric, creating a constellation of highlights that shimmer across his torso.

The background is nearly swallowed by shadow, suggesting curtains or stage drapes, barely visible beyond the halo of illumination surrounding him. There is no audience in sight, but the energy hums through the frame. You can almost hear the amplifier pushed hard, the notes bending with vibrato, the clarity sharp enough to cut through smoke.

As an inner sleeve image for the CBS PZ33292 USA edition, this photograph doesn’t aim for polish. It captures movement, sweat, electricity. It’s the sound of a wide-open amp under blue stage lights, the shuffle rolling forward, the guitar biting clean and bright. A Texas bluesman in full flight—no tuxedo, no restraint—just the fire.

All images on this site are photographed directly from the original vinyl LP covers and record labels in my collection. Earlier blank sleeves were not archived due to past storage limits, and Side Two labels are often omitted when they contain no collector-relevant details. Photo quality varies because the images were taken over several decades with different cameras. You may use these images for personal or non-commercial purposes if you include a link to this site; commercial use requires my permission. Text on covers and labels has been transcribed using a free online OCR service.

Reviews of the Album "John Dawson III"

John Dawson Winter III (CBS 80 586)
Johnny Winter Delivers Raw Blues-Rock Energy with a Stellar Line-Up and Electrifying Tracks

Blues guitarist Johnny Winter and his companions Randy Jo Hobbs (bass) and Richard Hughes (drums) present eleven new LP tracks – including five Winter compositions, John Lennon’s "Rock & Roll People," and "Roll With Me" by former Winter band member Rick Derringer. Alongside Rick, Johnny’s brother Edgar was also part of the recording session in the studio.

Once again, a white Winter blues emerged in the force field between rock rhythms and emotionally charged lyrics. Johnny Winter creates an exciting blues-rock sound without elaborate arrangements or complicated technical effects. Eleven tracks with dynamic interplay between guitar, vocals, and bass, mostly in a brisk rhythm. Toward the end of the first side of the LP, Johnny’s passion becomes apparent in three consecutive tracks: long, lively guitar riffs of great intensity.

Read the original article

JOHN DAWSON WINTER III - Johnny Winter (CBS)
A Bold Return to Form: Johnny Winter Balances Raw Rock Energy with Unexpected Twists on "John Dawson Winter III"

Rrrrock’n’Rooooll!!! Johnny-Boy, the indestructible guitar albino, has struck again, and not too badly, with this album. Aside from the goosebumps his guitar solos still manage to produce, it’s primarily Johnny’s ferocious voice that is largely responsible for the characteristic Winter sound.

Otherwise, this LP offers almost nothing beyond good old rock. Good old rock , that is—just to be clear!

We already mentioned in the previous issue of ME that John Lennon wrote the song “Rock’n’Roll People.” And if Mr. Winter thinks this is his most successful album so far, I honestly can’t disagree with him.

However, what I don’t quite understand is why such an album would include a Country & Western song, “Love Song To Me.” In America, that might be a gag... but for Europe—I'm not sure.

(lutz)

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Billboard full-page advertisement to promot John Dawson III
Billboard full-page advertisement to promot John Dawson III
Billboard full-page advertisement to promot John Dawson III
JOHN DAWSON WINTER 11 (Blue Sky Sky 80586)
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Well the man's back again with another album – the only time we really get to hear him apart from the old gig and his annual appearance on OGWT. You should know the format by now – hits it straight at you does our Johnny, no back door subtlety here. The second track, Golden Days of Rock and Roll sums up Johnny's attitude exactly, and sums up the album come to that. Johnny couldn't woo a bulldog with that grinding voice of his, but perhaps he isn't trying to, just to get it excited would be enough.

M. T.

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"John Dawson Winter III" (CBS - Blue Sky Import)
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Once again, the king of riffs turns up his amp and lets rip with volumes of violent, speedy guitar phrases, fronted by blues vocals akin to scraping a hairbrush across your tonsils. The pace is frenetic, the sound weighs tons, and there’s a small gap on the 492nd groove where you can actually stop to breathe.

Comparing the many Winter albums is pointless—each is a further demonstration of fiery finger ability, rather than an attempt to create rock ’n’ roll classics. He is a rock ’n’ roll classic.

Included here is the usual popular clan, featuring Edgar Winter, Randy Jo Hobbs, Richard Hughes, and, of course, organic adviser (and manager) Steve Paul. Songs are by Winter, Lennon, Toussaint, and Barry Mann.

Extremely white lightning.

LG

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John Dawson Winter III Johnny Winter Blue Sky PZ 33292
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by Charley Walters

Johnny Winter, his brother Edgar and Rick Derringer form an American rock triumvirate that knows little competition.. John Dawson Winter III further refines the oldest's progression from an overanxious white bluesman with a strained voice into a tasteful and raunchy rocker. Winter the guitarist is a constant powerhouse who leaves few spaces in his frequent solos. Delivering cluster after cluster of rapidly picked notes or soaring chords, he has developed a discernible, if not virtuoso, style to replace the awkward pastiches of Chuck Berry and B.B. King that flawed his early work.

Interestingly, Winter opts for less use of distortion than do most guitarists of this like. He composes smartly. Knowing that even the simplest change can revitalize an otherwise staid 12-bar blues, Winter inserts a time-tested ascending chord sequence into the ninth and tenth bars of "Pick Up on My Mojo." Yet he can also succeed with a humorous country/western aside, and the haunting, gently sung "Stranger, a pop piece reminiscent of Edgar. But it's never a one-man show. Randy Hobbs's bass combines treble tones with the mandatory bottom sound, and muscular drum rolls from Richard Hughes ;propel the meatier tracks which dominate the album. Wisely, Winter continues to borrow from other writers: Derringer, John Lennon and Allen Tousraim are all well represented

John Dawson Winter III is not without flaws his vocal on "Sweet,Papa John," a blues patterned after the earliest Muddy Waters sides, returns to the thin huskiness he has mostly mastered, and the horns on two cuts would have been best omitted. Still, Winter displays an unmistakenly maturity that few rock artists reach.

Johnny Winter on John Lennon’s "Rock and Roll People": A Gift from a Longtime Inspiration
In an interview with Allan Jones, Johnny Winter shares the story behind how he finally secured a John Lennon song for his latest album, after years of admiration and persistence.

Johnny Winter in an interview with Allan Jones: So what about the new album, which you've recently completed and which includes a new John Lennon song: "Rock and Roll people"?

I was really glad to get that song, because John's been one of my favourite people for a long time. And I've been hustling for a song from him for three or four albums. When I did the "Still Alive and well" album we called him up and asked if he had any extra rock 'n' roll songs. And he said that if he did have any, he was keeping them for himself because he was just as short of material. Then he was recording at the same studio as us and my producer talked to him and mentioned that I was recording there, and asked again if he had any songs we could use.

"Rock 'n' roll people" he'd written for himself, and had done it. But it hadn't come together right, and he didn't like it for himself, so he gave me the tape and it was just perfect for me.

Johnny Winter Prepares for Europe: A New Chapter in Rock & Blues
Behind the scenes with Johnny Winter as he readies for London, reflects on his evolving sound, and navigates fame's challenges.

Synopsis: As Johnny Winter gears up for his long-awaited European tour, he shares insights on rehearsing with his new band, crafting his upcoming album John Dawson Winter III, and the unique pressures of performing live. Reflecting on the changes in his music, Winter reveals his desire to transcend genre labels, balancing between rock, blues, and unexpected new directions. Despite fame’s difficulties, from fan encounters to the chaos of concert culture, Johnny remains focused on delivering music that resonates across generations.

Full Article:

JOHNNY WINTER was in a very good mood. He'd been rehearsing with his new band for the European trip, the new album was about to be mastered and, aside from the fact that he wasn't yet sure what he would wear onstage in England, everything was going smoothly.

Everything, that is, except this interview. One day the reporter was ill, another day the snarling New York traffic prevented our date with destiny — finally after several attempts, Johnny Winter and your reporter managed to converse.

Anyway, he was pretty excited about the trip to London. "I was supposed to have gone there twice before but both times something came up. I think this trip is going to be real nice. I was kinda worried at first because it was said over there that we were strange over there because the audiences were quieter and more subdued, but I didn't find it that way at all. They are exactly the same as American audiences if you do a good job and play good rock and roll, and if you played quiet music they would sit there and listen."

They don't toss as many firecrackers.

"No... that would be nice," he laughed. "You know, that never really happened at all until last year or so. It seems as though every concert that I've done, or every concert I've gone to, and it's not all the kids — it's just the beer and bottle-throwing crowd. After the first beer's thrown and the first bottle is broken nobody really gives a damn what goes on. If you aren't drunk you don't care. But all that fire-throwing and bottle-throwing stuff seems to happen when something really gets you worse and worse. At first it's a good thing, then they get all fired up because I was talking about — but my road manager told me if I change my act up, I could die or something. I'm not scared of anything that happens in life with that stuff.

"Like, when I throw it, I'll have to throw it back at you. But I'm afraid of that. Because it's really scary, you could get hurt real bad.

"We had a bottle thrown at the drums once and it put a dent in the drum set — you can imagine what would happen if that hit someone in the head."

"And when the spotlights are on you you can't see anybody. I don't think they really want to hurt you, they just want to show themselves. Maybe they are bored and sick of scratching and not to let into concerts with firecrackers. ... it's not the kids, it's the energy music that brings them back into the early 1950's when they all used to pan rock and roll because it had more energetic parts — good rock and roll."

"Like, we just want people to have a good time. Like a party and want to do anything when they get all keyed up, which makes people do things they don't want to do normally. I just consider it good-time music."

AS FAR as the new album is concerned, it's interesting. Johnny Winter has recorded other more songs for this reason album. Five of them. Three are pretty blues based, he says, some of them are blues/rock and some of them are blues the way he used to do it a long time ago.

"This album is really strange because it's got some of the really old Johnny Winter stuff that I haven't done in a long time and it's got some very different things that people are not going to expect at all. It's some of the songs I wrote: one of them is a country tune and western tune about myself called 'Love Song to Me' — just about how screwed my life is and write another really pretty ballad. And some of the tunes have really funky grooves which are more complicated things with horn arrangements and some real basic three-piece tunes. It's the whole extreme from the old Johnny Winter to the new. I don't know if you would call it the new Johnny Winter, but it's sure different.

"But I'm trying to get to the point of being beyond categorization, you know. People are always saying, well, what are you, what are you? Are you a rock and roll player or a blues player? And you're really — what you want to do? What direction do you want to go in? I want to go in every direction that I am capable of. I don't want to quit doing what I've been doing, like the show, and I don't want to feel confined. Whether if I do a song one day, a ballad, or a country song, or use a hundred piece orchestra or even weird disco boogie or you could think — 'Well, Johnny Winter is like that, that's not so much' but if you don't limit yourself to a form or direction. I just want to be able to please people in some way and have people accept the things that I do well."

THE ACTUAL recording part didn't take too long — but Johnny said he'd been working on the record for the last four months, writing three songs first, and then recording them — then doing some more songs and coming back into the Record Plant and recording them. "Usually our albums take us about two weeks to do," Johnny laughed, "because I hadn't been writing that many songs, we had been doing older things — like old rock and roll standards. It took a lot more time to try and be more creative this time."

The title will be "John Dawson Winter III," taking his real name. "I'm using that because we had fun. It's the picture of the country, the design sounds like a John Dawson Winter to the third."

How I feel about music, Winter continued, "because if you do a good record and give people a good time they will have a good record anyway because you get a good review and then you get a good hit and on to sell 100,000 copies. It's like your best five years if you're on top. It gets kind of scary when you can't create another hit after five years. But I'm lucky so I work on creating them, and I have to tell what they like right then. And you know when they're turned on, and that turns me on. It's harder in the studio, it doesn't build back the same.

"I like to listen to my albums again and again. ... but not my old ones; I might not listen to some of them for years and years, but I have to go home and listen to my albums all the time ..."

What he does listen to, he says, is a lot of old stuff; even from the thirties and the forties. ... "even the fifties and sixties. The last few years have been kind of barren musically as far as I'm concerned," he said. "I don't buy that much new stuff and don't listen to the radio much."

One of the songs on "John Dawson" will have a special John Lennon contribution. "I didn't ask John, really for anything. I think we said that he would play, he did it much. ... he will say — he had always been one of my favorites when he came up to Record Plant, and he was working on that and we said, yeah we do a demo of the song and I liked it so we did." It's called "Rock & Roll People" and it's kind of a cool studio.

Rick Derringer also wrote a song for this album with Winter, the last couple of days that we were in the studio. And they recorded it called "Slide Over Matter". We approached him for people for songs and management people listened to the songs. He was the selected song.

I asked him if there was anything that he hadn't done. Winter says he didn't have a secret fantasy about that. "Well, there are a lot of things that I'd like to do and one of them is to put out a record in the next two years.

"I'd like to record when I'm in the mood for it I'd like to go back and do an album of nothing but blues. I wouldn't like to do either of them right now, but sometimes to figure I'd like to do two of those things."

With Johnny on his European tour will be Randy Jo Hobbs on bass, Richard Hughes on drums, and Floyd Radford on rhythm guitar. (Floyd previously played with Tin House and White Trash ... it's all sort of in the Blue Sky/Silver Paul/Winter family). Winter said that was the way he was situating the player in the new group player, but actually we kept everything the same because I hadn't been doing what we couldn't do with the band. I hadn't seen him before and wasn't sure how they would mix. Radford is a different kind of style than Derringer and practised it and it just worked out very well. Plus Floyd is just a very tightly involved writer, which I do get involved in, and I feel he might roll out a songwriter eventually."

For guitar aficionados, Johnny takes two instruments with him when he travels, and they’re both the same kind — Gibson Firebirds. “I take one that I play all the time, and the other in case anything happens.

If it gets stolen, or a string breaks during the show I can just change it without wasting time. Once I get used to one guitar it’s really hard for me to play another one. I’ve been with this one for four years — probably won’t ever change.”

Do his fans get close to him at all? Lately he’s been out a lot in New York City at a variety of clubs and concerts. “It depends on where you go. Most clubs aren’t too bad, people are older, and they’ll come over and say ‘Hi, I like your music,’ and stuff like that. I just don’t go to places like teenage hangouts where the kids are fifteen and sixteen ... forget it. Or go to a concert and sit in the audience.

You really can’t talk to anybody because you get pencils shoved in your face or kids saying ‘can I have some hair? How about a finger?’ or ‘Is this the hand you play guitar with? I’ll take that.’ So I just don’t do that anymore. I try and stay away from places like that because you can’t really get close to the fans in that kind of a situation, or be friends with them.

“It’s too bad, I used to really try — you know, people would ask me ‘Do you think being big is going to change your head?’ and I was determined that I wouldn’t change, and I would go out and be the same as I was. But it’s just impossible. You can’t do that, and it’s too bad.

“But things aren’t the same. Things that were fun — just aren’t anymore. If you go to a concert and try to listen — you know, somebody you really want to hear — there’s people shoving pencils and papers at you from the time you come in until the time that you leave. Well, you don’t get to hear the band, so what’s the use of going? You really have to change your lifestyle and just not do some of the things that you used to like. That really bothered me at first, and I finally had to accept it.”

AS FAR as his image is concerned — the blues/freak/superstar discovered by Steve Paul in Texas and then all that bit with Kicking the Heroin Habit — Johnny would rather that, when he returns to England, people talk to him about Now. “I’m so tired of talking about all of that. I guess people over there will ask me about some of it, but I never tried to hide anything that was happening to me, any of the things I was going through. So I’m pretty sure that everyone over there knows what was going on. I guess I’d talk about it some, but I’d really rather talk about what’s going on now than things that are past. It’s hard to talk about something with any feeling after you’ve said it a thousand times.”

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Lack of dynamics
“John Dawson Winter III” (Blue Sky, Import)

AT LEAST it’s better than “Saints And Sinners.”

Come to that, 35 minutes of belching and farting would have been better than “Saints And Sinners,” but the replacement of Rick Derringer by Shelly Yakus as co-producer has wrought some significant, if minor, improvements.

Most noticeable to these is the ditching of the cluttered, overproduced feel of the last opus in favour of a simpler and more open feel, though the dull, undynamic sound isn’t overly appealing.

Since most of you are dead anxious to hear about the album’s new Lennon song, “Rock’n Roll People,” and since Winter and Yakus stuck it right up front where we can all get at it, let us do so.

Actually, it’s dreadful, and it’s quite obvious why Lennon was not particularly anxious to record it himself. The “my father was a fishmonger/my mother was a whore” text seems even worse than it seemed when Lennon first sang it, but Winter’s friends seem particularly thrilled with it.

Things have come to a sorry pass when John Lennon gives his best songs to Ringo Starr.

The magic invocation of “Rock’n Roll People” zooms in again on the period known as “The Golden Olden Days Of Rock and Roll,” when people knocked out three-chord wonders one after another — two of which these are back-to-when-men-were-men-and-girls-were-fit-for-heroes type efforts. It’d be okay on a 45, but box it’s devoid of any other lustre.

Winter’s guitar playing is pretty sluggish throughout, actually. On “Self-Destructive Blues” (great title, though) he runs through one of those patented medium 12-bar shuffles he’s been knocking out ever since they first allowed him into a studio, but that blazing edge seems to have dulled and he just sounds like any other fast-fingered white blues guitarist.

Only four tracks have anything real to commend them.

“Stranger” is a rather nondescript ballad, but Winter uses a very tasty soft rippling rhythm guitar against a Leslie speaker lead guitar sound, similar to the treatment of “No Time To Live” on the “Johnny Winter And” album.

“Love Song To Me” is a sloppy piece of country hokum with mindless love lyrics about how anybody would be proud to be the friend of his fans, and there’s great interplay with another aged “Roll With Me”.

My own personal fave is “Sweet Papa John,” a kind of country blues thing with good phrasing and some legitimate solitary bass guitar. Pete Frerske says he likes “Get Back Home”.

I can’t get too enthusiastic about “John Dawson Winter III.” There’s nothing really wrong with it, but it just kind of lies there, ticking over on the tastemometer at inoffensively. Basically, Winter hasn’t made a really fine album since “Still Alive And Well” and his commercial career was only just beginning to show signs of downward curve.

This album improves on the two before it, but except for those folks who automatically love every song that John Lennon ever wrote.

Charles Shaar Murray

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Johnny Winter: The Unseen Depths of a Guitar Legend
A Four-Month Odyssey of Blues, Rock, and Self-Discovery – Featuring a Rare Collaboration with John Lennon

Jan reflects on the creation of John Dawson III:

It took 4 months to complete this LP. There were tons of tapes, acetate demo recordings and sheet music left from this assignment. Van Morrison submitted 15 songs. Everyone wanted to send Johnny their music. Not everyone receives such a response getting material. Fortunately for us Johnny wrote more songs on this album than he had on any previous records. The five song included 3 blues songs, a ballad, and a country western song (a C&W sound that was a completely new sound from him), a country song with a touch of self mockery.

John Lennon wrote the song that appears on this album. He wrote it for himself but didn't like the way he did it that much. Johnny's producer, Shelly Yakus, was working on the sessions for John's Walls and Bridges LP and told John Johnny was doing a record downstairs and asked if he had anything to contribute. He said, "Year , I do," and gave them a demo of the song. Johnny liked it so it was included. John has always been one of Johnny's favorite people and he was very glad to do the song - "Rock and Roll People," sort of a fast shuffle. Johnny recognized that the song had crazy lyrics.

At the time of John's murder much sadness was felt worldwide, after the initial shock my thoughts turned to this song and I wondered how the news hit Johnny. I am sure he is very honored and proud to have one of John's songs on his album.

Johnny gives us a good example of his past experiences in this album. Songs range from basic three piece tunes to the orchestration pieces. This LP showed the old Johnny Winter we know so well to the Johnny Winter we were unfamiliar with. It is way beyond categorization. It seems he goes in every direction he was capable of. He will always keep doing what he has done in the past but keeps himself free to experiment and broaden. All he has ever wanted musically is to broaden what he has been doing and have people accept the things he does well. Seems a most humble request. I try to keep this in mind.

IMHO I have always felt Johnny's greatest demon has been that struggle of the blues playing the blues he lives for and the rock and roll that is inside him too. For his whole career he has been struggling to please his fans and at the same time satisfy himself. It feels the result we witness today may be because of this internal struggle. We are fortunate he has the strength and courage to keep fighting and winning no matter what physical and mental challenges he has to endure each day, no matter what it takes to do what he was born to do - sing and play guitar - in a way that will never be repeated again, and with this comes that crossroad few are either fortunate or prepared to find.

Rolling Stone Magazines review: 'Johnny Winter plays his guitar in a virtuoso style that few if any have mastered'
Charley Walters:

John Dawson Winter III further refines the oldest's progression from an overanxious white bluesman with a strained voice into a raunchy rocker.

Winter the guitarist is a constant powerhouse who leaves fews spaces in his frequent solos. Delivering cluster after cluster of rapidly picked notes or soaring chords, he has developed a discernible, if not virtuoso style to replace the awkward pastices of Chuck Berry and BB King that flawed his early work. Interestingly Winter opts for less use of distortion than do most guitarists of this ilk.

Johnny Winter, his brother Edgar and Rick Derringer form an American rock triumvirate that knows little competition. John Dawson Winter III further refines the oldest's progression from an overanxious white bluesman with a restrained voice into a tasteful and raunch rocker.

Winter the guitarist is a constant powerhouse who leaves few spaces in his frequent solos. Delivering cluster after cluster of rapidly picked notes or soaring chords, he has developed a discernible, if not virtuoso, style to replace the awkward pastiches of Chuck Berry and B.B. King that flawed his early work. Interestingly, Winter opts for less use of distortion than do most guitarists of this ilk.

He composes smartly. Knowing that even the simplest change can revitalize an otherwise staid 12-bar blues, Winter inserts a time-tested ascending chord sequence into the ninth and tenth bars of "Pick Up on My Mojo." Yet he can also succeed with a haunting, gently sung "Stranger," a pop piece reminiscent of Edgar.

But it's never a one-man show. Randy Jo Hobbs's bass combines treble tones with the mandatory bottom sound, and muscular drum rolls from Richard Hughes propel the meatier tracks which dominate the album. Wisely, Winter continues to borrow from other writers: Derringer, John Lennon and Allen Toussaint are all well represented. Shelly Yackus's crisp production shows the proper measure of control.

John Dawson Winter III is not without flaws -- his vocal on "Sweet Papa John," a blues patterned after the earliest Muddy Waters sides, returns to the thin huskiness he has mostly mastered, and the horns on two cuts would have been best omitted. Still, Winter displays an unmistakable maturity that few rock artists achieve.

Johnny Winter: The Return of a Blues Legend and His Electrifying Journey
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 12 November 1974 review of John Dawson Winter III

Johnny Winter is back, and that is something to be happy about. The now thirty-year-old Texan first attracted worldwide attention in 1969—not initially for his music, but for the record deal offered to the newcomer, praised by the trade magazine Rolling Stone: $300,000 for an unknown artist. Such a gamble on an entirely uncertain future had never been seen before.

Aside from how he sang and played, Johnny Winter brought a lot to the sensation-hungry pop business: a spindly albino with flowing strands of hair had never graced the rock stage—especially not with such stiff, crazy movements. The fact that, in private, he was a shy, sweet boy without any star-like airs didn’t get around. His success with records and performances at concerts and festivals (including Woodstock) was interrupted when he became addicted to drugs.

Winter now sees the alienation that almost inevitably occurred during the (manager-driven) chase for publicity as the reason for this. (“I couldn’t be friends with anyone anymore.”) He spent two years in rehab facilities, and in 1973 he recorded another album. Now, for the first time since his recovery, he has reintroduced himself to the public in Germany with two (sold-out) concerts.

However, Johnny Winter does not come with the tragic image of someone like James Taylor, who has “seen fire and rain.” Instead, he presents himself as a joyous, exuberantly vital rock and blues musician at the height of his craft. Winter performs rock music with infectious cheerfulness and an especially effective use of his voice’s rough texture, which can musicalize screams like only the best Black singers can. In slow blues pieces, his singing is not quite as convincing, with his voice occasionally sounding a bit brittle when holding long notes. Still, the blues is his true strength—particularly as a guitarist. The way he builds his improvisations on the unshakable 12-bar blues structure, and the technique he employs, is unique. Every run through the 12-bar harmony sequence (chorus) is a small, self-contained masterpiece, where faster movements are used as a refined means of building intensity.

Even his improvisation over the course of an entire piece is crafted with structural development in mind, creating a great sense of progression. On top of that, he has Floyd Radford as a second guitarist in the band, who is in no way inferior to him. When the two play duos with equal voices at the end of a song, abandoning the division between melody and chord guitar after long solos, an electrifying spontaneity emerges that makes one forget all blues jam sessions by the likes of Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, and Eric Clapton.

Johnny Winter’s guitar artistry can be described as a blend of B.B. King’s “feeling” and Jimi Hendrix’s electro-intense technique (he has played with both). His connection to the blues did not come through intellectual reflection but through a youth that was far from sunny. Though he never faced financial struggles—his father was a cotton plantation owner—he was always the target of ridicule and teasing because of his eye condition and outsider appearance.

He couldn’t participate in sports, was called by feminine nicknames, and had to sit isolated in class at a short distance from the blackboard to compensate for his near-blindness (a common side effect of albinism). Music as a form of compensation—Johnny Winter himself knows this psychological framework applies to him. Identifying with the socially underprivileged Black creators of the blues was not difficult for him.

One critic expressed it this way: “Perhaps the alienation resulting from being doubly white caused him to grow up Black.”

— Ulrich Olshausen

Johnny Winter III: A Blues-Rock Legend Returns with a Bold New Sound
From Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival to Cheeky Country Tunes, Johnny Winter’s Latest Album Showcases His Raw Guitar Skills and Unapologetic Attitude

Johnny Winter
JOHN DAWSON WINTER III
CBS 80 586
By Jogi

It’s forty degrees below zero, the snow is piled up as high as the window cross. In the distance, a wolf howls eerily, the sled dogs bark anxiously and tug at their leashes. Grandma is sitting in front of the big tile stove, making sure the baked apples don’t burn. — So, it’s winter, but something is missing.

Then the doorbell rings, and our old mailman, half-frozen, leans at the door and hands me a record package with trembling fingers. — Woohoo, Winter! John Dawson Winter, to be exact. The Third, mind you. And as if that weren’t enough, to celebrate the album cover, he’s donned a tuxedo and is cheekily peeking over a velvet bowtie. Johnny, how you’ve changed!

But once you put the record on, despite all the disguise, he’s still the same old rock ‘n’ roll/blues beast, capable of screaming so beautifully in anguish and torturing the guitar at ear-splitting volume. This time, he seems to be especially into rock ‘n’ roll: the LP kicks off with John Lennon’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll People.” Johnny, or rather, John Dawson III, rasps out his “Sweet, sweet rock ‘n’ roll,” launches into a marathon solo, and suddenly we’re back in the “Golden Olden Days of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” A clean number that you have to play loud so the backing vocals and brass (including the Brecker Brothers) can really shine.

As for the next track, “Self-Destructive Blues,” I don’t have much to say. And when I say “Blues a la Winter,” I think everyone knows what it sounds like. “Raised on Rock” is more interesting. Over an old Deep Purple riff, Johnny thunders about how great it is to grow up with rock ‘n’ roll. Well, after all, he earns his money with music—and not badly at that. (Jealous, Jogi? You bet!)

With “Stranger,” old Johnny’s got the blues again. But this one sounds more interesting, as he seems to be playing his guitar through a Leslie speaker. It whirls and swirls nicely, and the string accompaniment gives it the final touch.

Now on to side two. It kicks off with “Mind Over Matter,” a funky track by Allen Toussaint. Then comes “Roll With Me,” a simple but peppy rock piece by Johnny’s sidekick Rick Derringer. My favorite is Johnny’s next track, “Love Song to Me.” No one has ever dared something so bold. To a lively country tune (Rick Derringer on pedal steel), Johnny unabashedly sings: “Keep on rockin’ and a rollin’ don’t you never settle down Keep my records playin’ all the time Spend your money on my concerts every time I come to town And baby, you can be a friend of mine.” Well baby, that’s how it is—so cheeky, so true, so honest, and so deceitful…

Let’s wrap it up: “Pick Up on My Mojo,” a blues à la Winter. See above. Then, “Lay Down Your Sorrows,” a ballad with his brother Edgar on the organ, brass sections, and the obligatory backing vocals. The finale is “Sweet Papa John,” an excursion into slide guitar technique.

When Johnny refers to himself as Sweet Papa John and sings, “They call me sweet papa ’cause my candy is so strong. Eat it!” then I guess all the ladies, should they meet Johnny, will know exactly what they’re in for, right? Otherwise, happy wintering with Winter!

Johnny Winter’s John Dawson Winter III: A Fusion of Blues and Rock Power
With a dynamic trio and guest appearances from Rick Derringer and Edgar Winter, this LP delivers a raw, emotionally charged blues-rock experience that blends soulful lyrics with energetic rhythms.

JOHNNY WINTER «John Dawson Winter III» (CBS 80 586)

Blues-Gitarrist Johnny Winter und seine Begleiter Randy Jo Hobbs (Bass) und Richard Hughes (Schlagzeug) steilen elf neue LP-Tracks vor - darunter fünf Winter-Kompositio- nen, John Lennons «Rock & Roll People» und «Roll With Me» von Ex-Winter-Bandmitglied Rick Derringer.

Neben Rick war auch Johnnys Bruder Edgar bei den Plattenaufnahmen mit von der Studio-Partie. Dabei entstand wieder ein weisser Winter-Blues im Kraftfeld zwischen Rock-Rhythmus und gefühlsbetonten Texten. Johnny Winter entwickelt einen mitreissenden Blues-Rock - ganz ohne grossangelegte Arrangements oder komplizierte technische Effekte.

Elf Stücke mit dynamischem Zusammen-spiel von Gitarre, Gesang und Bass in meist zügigem Rhythmus. Gegen Ende der ersten LP-Seite kommt Johnnys Leidenschaft gleich bei drei aufeinanderfolgenden Stücken zum Ausdruck: Lange, schwungvolle Gitarrenfiguren von starker Intensität.

JOHNNY WINTER - Complete Vinyl and CD Discography and Album Cover Gallery

JOHNNY WINTER's Official Vinyl Albums (by release date)

Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER - Progressive Blues - France album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - The Progressive Blues Experiment

"The Progressive Blues Experiment" by Johnny Winter is a legendary 12" vinyl LP album that showcases the extraordinary talent and unique style of the American blues guitarist and singer. Recorded live at the Vulcan Gas Company, an iconic music venue in Austin, Texas,

The Progressive Blues Experiment 12" Vinyl LP
JOHNNY WINTER - S/T Self-Titled Black Album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - S/T Self-Titled Black Album

On the self-titled debut album Johnny Winter played the blues pure and simple,. Whether it was the stinging raucous Delta music as played acoustically on "Dallas", or his savage electric attack, on "Mean Mistreater", "Be Careful With a Fool", or on Good Mornin' Little Schoolgirl'

JOHNNY WINTER aka Black Album 12" Vinyl LP
Johnny Winter - Second Winter album front cover
JOHNNY WINTEr - Second Winter

"Johnny Winter's 'Second Winter' is a classic 12" vinyl album released in 1969 on the CBS Record label. The influential blues-rock musician's second studio album showcases his virtuosic guitar skills and soulful vocals. Featuring a mix of original compositions and covers, the record captivates listeners with its raw energy and timeless blues-rock sound, solidifying Johnny Winter's status as a music icon."

Second Winter 12" Vinyl LP
Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER AND - S/T Self-Titled album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER AND - S/T Self-Titled

The Johnny Winter AND album is a masterclass in raw energy and virtuosic guitar playing, with Winter's and Derringer's fiery solos and soulful vocals captivating listeners. It's a timeless testament to the power and passion of blues rock music,

JOHNNY WINTER AND 12" Vinyl LP
Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER - And Live album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER AND - Live

"And Live" by "Johnny Winter And" is a gatefold 12" LP vinyl album that showcases the legendary blues musician's electrifying live performances. Released during his peak in the 1970s, this album captures Winter's virtuosic guitar skills and soulful vocals, delivering a high-energy experience for blues enthusiasts. With a diverse tracklist and excellent sound quality, this vinyl release remains a must-have for collectors and fans of authentic live blues music.

Live 12" Vinyl LP
JOHNNY Winter - Still Alive and Well album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Still Alive and Well

Johnny Winter's 1973 comeback album, "Still Alive and Well," showcases the blues-rock legend's electrifying guitar work and soulful vocals. With defiant tracks like the title song and an impassioned rendition of The Rolling Stones' "Let It Bleed," this LP reached #22 on the US Billboard Charts, leaving an enduring legacy in the world of rock music.

Still Alive and Well 12" Vinyl LP
Updated JOHNNY WINTER - Saints and Sinners album front cover vinyl LP album https://vinyl-records.nl

The 1974 Johnny Winter LP That Hit Like a Lit Match in a Dark Room

JOHNNY WINTER - Saints and Sinners

Late-night record, no question. That blue-black cover already looks cold, then Johnny lights it up from the first seconds—hard riffing, sharp turns, and that raspy shout that feels like it’s been on the road for months. “Hurtin’ So Bad” slows the room down, then “Riot in Cell Block #9” and “Boney Moronie” shove it right back into the red. Edgar Winter drops in and it all gets meaner, funkier, nastier in the best way.

Updated JOHNNY WINTER - John Dawson Winter III album front cover vinyl LP album https://vinyl-records.nl

Full-name dare, Blue Sky bite — 1974 Johnny Winter with the gloves off

JOHNNY WINTER - John Dawson Winter III

"John Dawson Winter III" hits like a clean shot of gasoline in 1974 clothes—Blue Sky label, power-trio shove: Randy Jo Hobbs driving the low end, Richard Hughes cracking the backbeat, and Rick Derringer lurking in the credits when extra teeth are needed. Less “heritage blues,” more hot amp and hard road.

Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER - Captured Live album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Captured Live

"Johnny Winter's 'Captured Live' 12" LP delivers an authentic blues experience. Recorded during his peak in 1976, the album showcases his raw talent with scintillating guitar work and soulful vocals. The dynamic tracklist features crowd favorites like 'Boney Moronie' and 'Sweet Papa John'.

Captured Live 12" Vinyl LP
Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER - Captured Live Promo Copy album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Captured Live Promo Copy

The promotional copy of Johnny Winter's "Captured Live" 12" vinyl LP album featuring Floyd Radford on rhythm guitar is a rare and coveted treasure for vinyl collectors and blues enthusiasts. This unique edition offers a glimpse into the blues legend's live performances during his prime in the 1970s.

Captured Live Promo Copy 12" Vinyl LP
JOHNNY WINTER - Together (with Edgar Winter) album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Together (with Edgar Winter)

Experience the electrifying energy of legendary musicians Johnny Winter and Edgar Winter with this thrilling 12" vinyl LP album, "Together". Explore this web-page featuring several captivating photos of the Winter brothers in their element, delivering unforgettable performances on stage.

Together (with Edgar Winter) 12" Vinyl LP
JOHNNY WINTER - Nothin' but the Blues album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Nothin' but the Blues

“Nothin’ but the Blues” drips with the kind of heat only found in the cigarette-smoke haze of The Schoolhouse studio. Released in 1977, Johnny Winter tears through these tracks with slide-guitar fire, whiskey breath, and juke-joint soul. It’s pure after-hours blues—raw, sweaty, and unfiltered. Winter doesn’t just play the blues here—he exhales it in smoke rings that still hang in the rafters.

JOHNNY WINTER - White Hot and Blue album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - White Hot and Blue
JOHNNY WINTER - White Hot and Blue

"Johnny Winter's 'White Hot And Blue' 12" vinyl LP is a blues-rock gem featuring his soulful vocals and mesmerizing guitar skills. With a powerhouse lineup, including Edgar Winter's multi-instrumental brilliance, Pat Ramsey's haunting harmonica, and Tom Brock's captivating mandolin

White Hot and Blue 12" Vinyl LP
Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER - Raisin Cain album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Raisin Cain

"Raisin' Cain" is the title of a 1980 album by American blues musician Johnny Winter. The album features a mix of original songs and covers of classic blues songs, such as "Sweet Little Angel" and "It's My Own Fault". The album received positive reviews from critics and was well received by Winter's fans. It features a mix of rock, blues and country music.

Raisin Cain 12" Vinyl LP
JOHNNY WINTER - Guitar Slinger album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Guitar Slinger

Johnny Winter's "Guitar Slinger" on 12" vinyl LP is not just an album; it is a masterpiece that encapsulates the brilliance of one of the greatest guitarists in the history of blues rock. The Japanese release of this iconic album further solidified its status as a musical treasure, appreciated by fans across the world.

Guitar Slinger 12" Vinyl LP
JOHNNY WINTER - Serious Business album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Serious Business

Johnny Winter's "Serious Business" remains a timeless blues masterpiece that encapsulates the raw essence of the genre. With searing guitar work, powerful vocals, and an unwavering dedication to the blues, Winter and his talented band created an album that continues to resonate with blues enthusiasts and music lovers alike.

Serious Business 12" Vinyl LP
JOHNNY WINTER - Third Degree album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Third Degree CD

"Johnny Winter's 'Third Degree' (1986) captivates with blues-rock brilliance. The iconic guitarist's studio album exudes raw energy and soulful vocals, showcasing his virtuosity. Featuring electrifying tracks like 'Mojo Boogie' and 'Tin Pan Alley,' it remains a timeless testament to Winter's legendary talent and continues to resonate with music enthusiasts worldwide.

Third Degree CD
JOHNNY WINTER - Winter of '88 album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Winter of '88 CD

"Winter of '88" is a blues-rock gem by Johnny Winter, released in 1988. With electrifying guitar work and soulful vocals, Winter returns to his musical roots, delivering an authentic and powerful experience. This album showcases Winter's enduring talent and influence

Winter of '88 CD
JOHNNY WINTER - Let Me In album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Let Me In CD

"Let Me In," Johnny Winter's 1991 album, marks a dynamic shift from MCA to Pointblank Records. With scorching guitar riffs and soulful vocals, Winter delivers an electrifying blues-rock masterpiece. Supported by skilled musicians like Billy Branch's harmonica and Dr. John's piano, the album blends emotional depth and musical diversity, cementing Winter's status as a blues legend.

Let Me In CD
JOHNNY WINTER - Hey Where's Your Brother? album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Hey Where's Your Brother? CD

"Johnny Winter's 1992 album 'Hey Where's Your Brother?' delivers electrifying blues rock, showcasing his signature guitar prowess and soulful vocals. With a mix of original tracks and inspired covers, the album captures Winter's dynamic energy and musical finesse, a testament to his influential legacy in the blues genre.

Hey Where's Your Brother? CD
JOHNNY WINTER - Live in NYC 1997 album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Live in NYC 1997

Johnny Winter's 'Live in NYC 1997' album pulses with electrifying blues and rock fusion. With searing guitar solos and soulful vocals, Winter's raw energy ignites the stage, capturing a mesmerizing night at the Bottom Line. From haunting renditions of classics to the immersive chemistry

Live in NYC 1997
JOHNNY WINTER - I'm a Bluesman album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - I'm a Bluesman CD

"I'm a Bluesman" is not just an album; it's a celebration of the blues, a tribute to tradition, and a testament to the enduring power of music. Johnny Winter and Mike Welch's collaboration on this record showcases their profound understanding of the blues genre and their ability to keep its flame burning brightly. With its rich blend of original compositions and classic covers, the album is a timeless masterpiece that stands as a true reflection of the bluesman spirit.

I'm a Bluesman CD
JOHNNY WINTER - Roots album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Roots CD

Johnny Winter's 2011 album 'ROOTS' takes listeners on a captivating musical journey, showcasing his mastery of blues, rock, and roots genres. With soulful vocals and electrifying guitar solos, Winter pays homage to his musical influences while adding his own unique flair. This CD release is a timeless collection of tracks that capture the essence of his legendary career and demonstrate his unwavering passion for authentic, heartfelt music".

Roots CD
Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER - Step Back (Red Vinyl) album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Step Back

"Step Back" is the final album by blues guitarist and singer Johnny Winter. It features performances by a number of guest musicians, including Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, Joe Perry from Aerosmith, Leslie West from Mountain, and Brian Setzer from the Stray Cats. It was released by Megaforce Records on 2 September 2014.

Step Back (Red Vinyl) 12" Vinyl LP

JOHNNY WINTER Un-Official Vinyl Albums (by album-name)

Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER - About Blues album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - About Blues

"About Blues" is a compilation album of tracks recorded with Johnny Winter on Guitar. These recordings were made before JW became famous and when he worked as a free-lance guitarist and studio guitarist. The music on this album is representative for the popular music during the early 1960s.

About Blues 12" Vinyl LP
Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER AND & AND Live album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER AND - "AND & AND Live"

"Johnny Winter And" and "Johnny Winter And Live" is a 2LP vinyl album set that contains the first two albums "The Johnny Winter And" band released. The first album is a studio recording while the second album is a live recording. Both records were originally released as two separate albums.

"AND & AND Live" 12" Vinyl LP
Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER - Best of Johnny Winter ( Japan ) album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Best of Johnny Winter ( Japan )

The "Best of Johnny Winter (Japan)" is a 12" vinyl LP that compiles the finest works of the renowned blues musician. This release showcases Winter's exceptional guitar skills and powerful vocals, highlighting his contributions to the genre. With carefully selected tracks, this album offers a comprehensive overview of Winter's career,

Best of Johnny Winter ( Japan ) 12" Vinyl LP
Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER - The First Album (Blue Sky Records) album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - The First Album (Blue Sky Records)

Johnny Winter’s The First Album roars with the raw power of late-1960s blues rock. Originally released in 1969 and later reissued on Blue Sky Records, it captures Winter’s blistering guitar work and soulful vocals at full throttle. Tracks like “Be Careful with a Fool” and “Leland Mississippi Blues” showcase a master redefining electric blues for a new generation.

Thumbnail of JOHNNY WINTER - Progressive Blues Experiment Sunset Liberty album front cover
JOHNNY WINTER - Progressive Blues Experiment (Sunset Liberty)

Johnny Winter's "Progressive Blues Experiment" is a 12" LP vinyl album released on Sunset Liberty Records with the catalog numbers Sunset Records SLS 50264, Liberty LBS 83 240 1, and LP 12 431. This album showcases Winter's innovative approach to blues music, blending traditional elements with progressive influences.

Progressive Blues Experiment (Sunset Liberty) 12" Vinyl LP