Johnny to appear at Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010!

He's back for more: After earning kudos for his 2007 performance at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival, Johnny will return to the scene of the original crime this June. Details are still being sorted out, but this much we can tell you now: Johnny will appear, and he'll be sitting in with the Allman Brothers Band. For details on the event, click here.

New record label! Paul Nelson, Johnny's guitarist, says Johnny is joining Megaforce Records, a label whose roster includes -- among many other great artists -- the Black Crowes. Keep an eye out for a long-awaited studio release from Johnny, his first album since 2004's I'm a Bluesman.

Winters on the water! Johnny and brother Edgar will be a part of the incredible lineup for this October's Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. Be sure to get all the details on this remarkable event, which will feature some of the biggest names in blues and roots music.

'Raisin' Cain: The Wild and Raucous Story of Johnny Winter' due in May from Backbeat Books...

The book on Johnny: May 1 will see the release of Raisin' Cain: The Wild and Raucous Story of Johnny Winter -- a book nearly seven years in the making, and written with the cooperation of the artist himself. Author Mary Lou Sullivan spent hundreds of hours interviewing Johnny, and this book covers it all -- from his earliest days in Texas, to his fabled Woodstock performance, to his battle with addiction and beyond.

Click here for an interview with the author at LiveBluesWorld.com. More information on Raisin' Cain can be found at this link. And the book can be pre-ordered right here.

On the road: Johnny will play Higher Ground in South Burlington, Vermont on Friday (2/12), followed by a gig at Mill Street Brews in Southbridge, Massachusetts on Saturday (2/13). For a complete list of all Johnny's current tour dates, click here.

The 'Live Bootleg' train rolls on...

Volume 6 arrives: The acclaimed Live Bootleg Series from Friday Music -- featuring quintessential live cuts selected by Johnny himself -- continues with the release of Volume 6. The latest offering finds the guitar hero putting his unmistakable stamp on some of his favorite tunes: Ray Charles' "Blackjack" (still a staple of Johnny's current live repertoire); Freddie King's "Sen-Sa-Shun"; and an epic, nearly 15-minute reading of B.B. King's "It's My Own Fault." For a complete track listing, and to learn more about the previous installments in this series, click here.

On the Web: Follow this link for an interview with Johnny's guitarist and bandleader, Paul Nelson. And fans of Johnny will most certainly enjoy this interview by Tim Mattox.

On the road: Johnny will tune it up tonight for a sold-out audience at the Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry, New Hampshire. He'll then be off the road until next weekend, when he plays Higher Ground in South Burlington, Vermont (Friday, Feb. 12) and Mill Street Brews in Southbridge, Massachusetts (Saturday, Feb. 13). Other gigs this month include the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel in Niagara Falls, New York (Feb. 19) and the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut (Feb. 20). (Johnny will be appearing in Stamford with the Debbie Davies Band.) These shows will be Johnny's last U.S. performances until April; he'll spend the entire month of March on a 17-date swing through Europe. For a complete list of Johnny's confirmed tour dates, click here.

Lennie Jones and Folk Art Blues...

Tejas Firebird: Lennie Jones is a musician and folk artist whose blues run deep. Witness the many remarkable, evocative paintings that wonderfully capture the essence and passion of the music. Lennie, who is based in Naples, Florida, is responsible for dozens of creations featuring some of the blues' biggest legends, and he was kind enough to share a scan of his "Tejas Firebird" with readers of JohnnyWinter.net. Thanks, Lennie!