UPDATE: Johnny sells out 'The Blob'

On the road: After a fun weekend swing with shows in Pennsylvania -- where Johnny played to a capacity crowd at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville (made famous by Steve McQueen in the 1958 film classic "The Blob") -- and northern Virginia, Johnny will play Toad's Place of Richmond this Thursday night (3/27) before tuning it up Friday (3/28) at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe, Pa., followed by a Saturday show at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield, Conn. (3/29). (Click here for more on the Ridgefield gig.) Johnny will then enjoy some time off before he shares a bill with Robben Ford at the Space Coast Convention Center in Cocoa, Florida. For a complete list of Johnny's current tour dates, click here.

What's that guitar? Johnny's long-standing association with the Gibson Firebird is well known (keep an eye out for a signature model later this year), but one of the most frequent questions he gets on the road is about his other axe -- the he uses for the lion's share of each night's show. It's an Erlewine Lazer, and Johnny calls it "The closest thing I've found to sounding like a Strat and feeling like a Gibson." Click here to learn more.

Around the Web: A fan weighs in some great memories from "The Original Texas Guitar Hero," and Edgar Winter says he's not retiring anytime soon... The Black Crowes are including a great cover of Johnny's "Mean Town Blues" on the band's current sold-out run of theaters. And check out this review of Johnny's gig from earlier this month at the Oriental Theater in Denver. Writes the Denver Post's Jason Blevins: "And when Johnny Winter played the blues, church was in session."

A big thank you to Mark Simon...

One special axe: Johnny Winter would like to extend his heartfelt thanks to Mark Simon and the Terraplane Resonator Guitar Company for the spectacular custom-made guitar that Mark presented to Johnny on Jan. 23 at B.B. King's in Times Square. The Terraplane Johnny Winter Zydeco Custom is truly a sight to behold, and you've gotta see it to believe it. The new guitar is featured in the March issue of 20th Century Guitar. You can see additional photos and learn more about the guitar and how Mark builds them on his Web site.

Mark is based in Bridgewater, New Jersey, and has been restoring guitars for 35 years. In addition to the Terraplane link above, you can learn more about Mark at marksimonguitars.com. Thanks again for your amazing work, Mark.

UPDATE: Latest 'Bootleg' hits the streets...

Kudos for new release: Live Bootleg Series, Vol. II, the latest installment in Johnny's series of planned archived releases on Friday Music, hit the streets a few days ago -- and the buzz is building. The new CD has made its debut on the Billboard Blues Chart and earned a great review from All Music Guide's Thom Jurek.

On the road: Johnny, who has spent the last few weeks out on the West Coast (and celebrated his 64th birthday on Feb. 23), will be ripping it up tonight at Mill Street Brews in Southbridge, Massachusetts. He'll then enjoy a few days off before swinging through Pennsylvania and Virginia next weekend. Next Friday (3/21) he'll play the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pa.; and on Saturday (3/22)he'll be at the State Theatre in Falls Church, Va. For all of Johnny's current tour dates, click here.

Sweet home Chicago: One of the most exciting gigs of 2008 will most certainly take place on Thursday, June 5, when Johnny and James Cotton headline the first night of the Chicago Blues Festival. The four-day lineup is filling out, and it promises to be a lot of fun. Other headliners include Koko Taylor and Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater (Friday, June 6); Buckwheat Zydeco (Saturday, June 7); and the one and only B.B. King (Sunday, June 8).