The Johnny Winter Story

Production Notes:

Production information related to this record.

LP: Blue Sky Sky 82141 (1977)

Billboard charting

Blue Sky

Produced By Johnny Winter
Sound by Dave Still
Organic advisor: Steve Paul
Recorded and Mixed at The Schoolhouse
Recording Assistance: Grant Barlow
Mastered at Strerling Sound, N.Y.C. by Greg Calbi
All songs by Johnny except Walking thru the park by Muddy

Johnny quotes on back on album: "I'd like to dedicate this album to all the people who enjoy my kind of blues and especially to Muddy Waters for giving me the inspiration to do it and for giving the world a lifetime of great blues."

Promotional Ad for Johnny Wintr's Nothin' But The Blues

Personnel/Band Members:

This "Band Member" section lists all the musicians which participated in the recording of this album

• Johnny Winter - Guitar, Vocals
• Muddy Waters - vocals
• James Cotton - harp
• "Pine" Top Perkins -piano
• Bob Margolin - electric guitar
• Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - drums
• Charles Calmese - bass

Tracks:

This section lists all the trackinformation of this album

1. TIRED OF TRYIN' - 3:40
2. TV MAMA - 3:11
3. SWEET LOVE AND EVIL WOMEN - 2:50
4. EVERYBODY'S BLUES - 5:03
5. DRINKIN' BLUES - 5:03
6. MAD BLUES - 4:17
7. IT WAS RAININ' - 5:53
8. BLADIE MAE - 3:30
9. WALKING THRU THE PARK - 4:07

Comments and Reviews:

ROLLING STONE ALBUM GUIDE: ***1/2
Producing the triumphant 'Hard Again' for Muddy Waters in 1977 must've stimulated Winter's own deep-seated feel for the blues; 'Nothin' but the Blues' is a gratifying return to early form.

ALL MUSIC GUIDE: ****
After a long period making rock records, Winter fronts the Muddy Waters band (with Waters singing) on this Chicago blues workout. He sounds happier than ever before.

Circus Magazine 15 Sep 1977

Stereo November 1977 (Germany)

This album came out in 1977, the same year as Muddy Waters' excellent comeback-album "Hard Again", which Johnny Winter produced and played on. And here on "Nothin' But The Blues", Winter fronts the mighty Muddy Waters band, leading them through a very well-arranged set of his own compositions, and a powerful rendition of Muddy's "Walkin' Thru The Park".

Johnny Winter handles the lead vocals himself (except on "Walkin' Thru The Park"), and his throaty vocals suit these purposely traditional blues compositions pretty well. Winter plays guitar as well, of course, and a little bit of bass and drums, too, and his acoustic steel guitar playing in particular is pure bluesy pleasure.

Highlights include...well, almost every song, actually. The acoustic slide guitar workout "TV Mama" (not the Big Joe Turner song) is sublime, as is the swaggering, harp-driven "Tired Of Tryin'", the thumping, groovy "Bladie May", and the fine "Sweet Love And Evil Women", a showcase for "Steady Rollin'" Bob Margolin, whose shimmering lead guitar lines wind their way all around Winter's gruff vocals.

Johnny Winter fans seem to be somewhat divided...some prefer his bluesier albums, while others go for his (*cough*genericandpredictable*cough*) rock n' roll records. This is definitely one for the blues crowd, a really fine collection of original songs, and one of Johnny Winter's best albums. Highly recommended.

Johnny Winter's Discography