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!

'Live Bootleg Series' continues!

More classic Johnny: Johnny's acclaimed Live Bootleg Series rolls on with Volumes 4 and 5, the latest installments in the artist-approved series from Friday Music.

Volume 4 finds Johnny tackling classics like "Okie Dokie Stomp" and delivering an acoustic reading of "Rollin' and Tumblin'." Volume 5 continues the celebration of Johnny's fretboard mastery and features "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo."

Johnny on tour: Click here to see the latest concert schedule.

January is Winter time in New York City!

Johnny in residency: Johnny will make B.B. King's Blues Club & Grill in Times Square his home away from home in the month of January. He'll play the Times Square venue on three consecutive Monday nights as 2010 kicks off: January 4, January 11, and January 18. All tickets are $30 in advance and $35 the day of the show. (Popa Chubby will open the Jan. 4 show.)

On the road: Johnny has two dates left in 2009: He'll play the Tupelo Music Hall in Salisbury, Mass. on Friday, Dec. 18. And he'll appear at the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River (with Joe Moss opening) the next night, Saturday, Dec. 19. January dates include The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, N.J. (Friday, Jan. 8); Toad's Place in New Haven, Conn. (Saturday, Jan. 9); Showcase Live in Foxboro, Mass. (Thursday, Jan. 14); Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Mass. (Friday, Jan. 15); and Merrill Auditorium at City Hall in Portland, Maine (Saturday, Jan. 16). For a complete list of all of Johnny's current tour dates, click here.

Johnny on JamBase.com: If you missed the site's fantastic interview with Johnny from November, you can check it out right here.

Johnny and Taj Mahal to headline Canton Blues Festival...

Johnny headlines first night: A great festival is happening in Ohio on Friday and Saturday, June 19-20. The best part? It's free. Read all about it right here.

On the road: Johnny is winding down his European swing with dates in Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway. His next U.S. show will be a sold-out performance on Wednesday, June 17, at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan, followed by a gig at Durty Nellie's in Palatine, Illinois, on Thursday, June 18. Other upcoming shows include the Lexington Music Theatre Company in Lexington, Michigan (Saturday, 6/20); The ArtsCenter in Carrboro, North Carolina (Friday, 6/26); and the Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte, North Carolina (Saturday, 6/27). Johnny will also appear at Virginia Beach Sandstock in Virginia Beach, Virginia (Sunday, 6/28); the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon (Friday, July 3); and the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Sunday, July 5).

For a complete list of Johnny's current tour dates, click here.

New! 'The Johnny Winter Anthology'

Johnny through the years: On Tuesday (5/26), Shout! Factory will release The Johnny Winter Anthology, a two-disc, 35-track collection that spans Johnny's entire career and includes tunes like "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo," "Still Alive and Well" and "Silver Train."

Click here to view the complete track listing.

From Shout! Factory:

Take a few minutes to imagine a 130-pound, cross-eyed albino bluesman with long fleecy hair playing some of the gutsiest blues guitar you have ever heard, effused a Rolling Stone cover story in December 1968, in an overview of Texas music focused on Austin, where RS had run across 24-year-old blues dynamo Johnny Winter and his trio ripping up a local club. Johnny’s first taste of national publicity ran to just three short paragraphs, but they would nonetheless alter the then-struggling electric blues flash’s life forever.

In fact, within a year Johnny would be one of the top concert draws in America. But while the lanky albino blues rocker from Beaumont seemed like an overnight sensation to throngs of newfound fans on both sides of the Atlantic, Winter had already toiled the better part of a decade to get there.

This anthology’s opening track, “Rollin’ And Tumblin’” displays the blues ferocity RS had run across in Austin. Backed by drummer John “Red” Turner and bassist Tommy Shannon (who’d play the same role in Stevie Ray Vaughan’s own Texas trio a decade later), Winter’s snarling voice and aggressive, wildly expressive playing rebuffed the British Invasion’s claim on American blues with a vengeance. Recorded at the (apparently empty) Vulcan Gas Company club for indie Sonophone, The Progressive Blues Experiment established the template for subsequent Winter triumphs that carried him far beyond his humble Southern origins.

Finally! Johnny's Woodstock set due June 30...

Woodstock revisited: June 30 will mark the release of a special (and long overdue) piece of music history -- Johnny's complete Woodstock performance. Johnny Winter: The Woodstock Experience is finally seeing the light of day thanks to Legacy Recordings and Woodstock Ventures (www.woodstock.com), which will also release sets from the fabled 1969 festival by Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Santana and Sly & the Family Stone.

Johnny's release will be a double-disc offering that features the original Johnny Winter album, along with a second disc with his complete Woodstock performance (and seven previously unreleased cuts)! The eco-friendly, all-paper package will be an individually-numbered collector's edition featuring a 16 x 20” poster of Johnny captured in performance.

Johnny in Europe: Tonight he'll play a show in Switzerland, then he'll be off until Thursday (5/21), when he begins a run of nine performances in the U.K. before hitting Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway. For a complete list of Johnny's current tour dates, click here.

40 Years of Johnny: Click here for a great recap of Johnny's life and times by Jerry McCulley of Gibson.com.

Next stop: New Orleans

Johnny at JazzFest: This weekend, all roads lead to the Big Easy. Johnny will play the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Saturday, and the performance will mark his last scheduled U.S. appearance until June.

Johnny and Muddy, together again: April 21 marks the Shout! Factory release of Muddy Waters: Live at ChicagoFest, an electrifying 1981 performance at Chicago's top outdoor music festival. One of the legendary bluesman's last great performances, this 56-minute DVD features 12 performances, including Waters classics like "Mannish Boy," "Baby Please Don't Go," "Trouble No More" and "Got My Mojo Working." Johnny also gets into the act, handling vocal duties on "Going Down Slow" and "You've Got to Love Her With a Feeling."

Johnny and the Allmans: If you enjoyed Johnny's guest spot with the Allman Brothers band on March 10, be advised that you can take it home with you. That performance -- along with all the other star-studded gigs from the ABB's 2009 stand -- are now available on CD. Click here for more information.

On the road: After JazzFest, Johnny will be off until mid-May, when he'll embark on a three-week tour of Europe that includes scheduled stops in Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway.

For a complete list of Johnny's current tour dates, click here.

'Live Through the '70s' review on About.com...

DVD reviewed: Check out this comprehensive About.com review of Johnny's 'Live Through the '70s.'

On the road: Johnny will return to the stage this Thursday (3/26) at The Klein in Bridgeport, Connecticut. On Friday (3/27), he'll play Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, followed by shows Saturday (3/28) at The Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown, New Jersey, and Sunday (3/29) at The Capital One Bank Theatre in Westbury, New York. Johnny will share the bill with the Edgar Winter Band for all four shows!

In early April, Johnny will do a midwest swing, including gigs at Harrah's St. Louis Casino in Maryland Heights, Missouri (Thursday, 4/2); Harrah's North in Kansas City, Missouri (Friday, 4/3); and the Horshoe Casino/Whiskey Roadhouse in Council Bluffs, Iowa (Saturday, 4/4).

For a complete list of Johnny's tour dates, click here.

UPDATE: Johnny sits in with the Allman Brothers...

The latest: March has been a great month for Johnny, with a lot of news to share. First and foremost, the Illustrated Man -- for the second straight year -- took part in the Allman Brothers Band's annual spring residency at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. Johnny sat in during its March 10 performance, ripping through "Red House" and "You Don't Love Me" before concluding with his slide guitar tour-de-force, "Highway 61 Revisited." Said Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks: "Johnny Winter doesn't know the word 'subtlety.' But it works, it works. It's just the blues wide open."

Johnny thanks the Allman Brothers for again making him a part of the band's annual Beacon stand.

Flying high: Johnny's March 6 gig at the Fillmore in New York City wasn't just special because he shared the bill with brother Edgar Winter. Johnny also was presented with a 2009 Doobie Award for Lifetime Achievement in music from the venerable HIGH TIMES magazine. Be sure to check out this unforgettable video, which shows Johnny receiving his award from HIGH TIMES associate publisher Rick Cusick and senior editor Bobby Black. (And thanks, HIGH TIMES!)

Woodstock, revisited: On June 9, Warner Bros. will release a 40th anniversary edition of Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace Music. And for the first time ever, Johnny ("Mean Town Blues") appears in the film. Other performers appearing for the first time include Creedence Clearwater Revival, Paul Butterfield, the Grateful Dead and Mountain. Read more about the four-hour director's cut right here.

Johnny in the Keystone State: Johnny returns to the road on Friday (3/20) with a gig at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, followed by a show Saturday (3/21) at the Rex Theatre in Pittsburgh. For a complete list of Johnny's tour dates, click here.

Johnny speaks! Living Legends Music conducted a video interview with Johnny late last year. As many of you know, JW isn't known for being chatty. Nonetheless, this interview has some good moments. To view all five clips, click here. And while you're at it, be sure to join the Johnny Winter forum on LiveBluesWorld.com.

Yours to be had: Don't forget that all four volumes of Johnny's acclaimed Live Bootleg Series are available from Friday Music. Volume 4 was released last month and -- just like its predecessors -- has cracked the Billboard Blues Chart. And Johnny's remarkable Live Through the '70s DVD remains available from MVD.

Around the Web: Click here to read an excellent post on Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy" -- the version he cut with Johnny on 1977's Hard Again album... Johnny is a big fan of Derek Trucks, who is interviewed extensively by Alan Bryson of All About Jazz... Johnny was interviewed for this article in advance of his show in Rochester, New York, earlier this month... And one artist's interpretation of Johnny can be viewed here.

The latest on Johnny...

You can get a complete update, including details on upcoming performances, by clicking here and visiting our friends at LiveBluesWorld.com.

UPDATE: Johnny to play Jazzfest 2009...

On the road: Mark your calendars: Johnny will hit the Big Easy next spring for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival -- and the 2009 lineup is simply killer. For specifics about the event, as well as details and ticket information on Johnny's upcoming tour dates, stop by LiveBluesWorld.com for the latest.

Venue changed for Jan. 3 Asbury Park show...

On the road: We have word from Johnny's booking agency, Piedmont Talent, that his first 2009 performance has been moved. The Jan. 3 show originally booked for the Stone Pony in Asbury Park will now take place at the Wonder Bar, located at Fifth and Ocean -- just one block north of the Stone Pony, which is undergoing construction. Previously purchased tickets will be honored at the new venue. And if you haven't bought your tickets yet, you can buy them right here.

Johnny in New Hampshire tonight!

On the road: Johnny plays the second of two shows tonight at the Tupelo Music Hall in Londonberry, New Hampshire, with a Massachusetts date slated for Saturday. Visit our friends at LiveBluesWorld.com to get Johnny's latest gig schedule, as well as a quick recap of his performance at the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam last weekend in Asheville, North Carolina. And while you're at it, stop by Johnny's personal page to say hello, and join the Johnny Winter discussion group!

(Above photo of Johnny and Warren Haynes courtesy of Dino Perrucci.)

UPDATE: Pat Ramsey remembered...

The latest: Johnny and Co. would like to send out their best wishes to the friends and family of the late harp master Pat Ramsey, who died November 17 at the age of 55 after a long illness. Pat made some remarkable contributions to Johnny's 1978 release White Hot & Blue.

For a complete roundup of all things Johnny Winter, including his current tour dates and the details of his upcoming appearance at the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam in Asheville, North Carolina, visit our friends at LiveBluesWorld.com.

UPDATE: Johnny storms Europe...

The latest: Johnny is currently on tour across the pond, and he'll be back later this month. In the meantime, get the latest update on his travels and happenings via our friends at LiveBluesWorld.com. We'll even give you an explanation of the above photo!

And while you're over there, check out the brand-spankin'-new discussion board, where you can discuss all things Johnny with fellow fans.

The latest on Johnny...

... can be found over at LiveBluesWorld.com. And while you're at it, be sure to visit Johnny's personal artist page, where you can listen to tracks from Johnny's acclaimed Live Bootleg Series. You can also drop Johnny a line!

And don't forget! The Live Through the '70s DVD is scheduled for release on October 28. You can read all about it right here.

'Johnny Winter: Live Through the '70s' DVD...

DVD set for October 28 release: Mark your calendars, folks. On the heels of the success of the first three installments of the Live Bootleg CD series, Johnny has decided to open his video vaults as well. And this upcoming release is a remarkable official collection of performance footage from around the globe.

This DVD offers an array of footage from the '70s, including performances from Danish TV "Gladsaxe Teen Club" (Denmark 1970); the Royal Albert Hall in London (1970); the Beat Club in Bremen, Germany (1970); Don Kirshner's Rock Concert - Palace Theater in Waterbury, Connecticut (1973); Soundstage - Blues Summit in Chicago (1974); Musikladen in Bremen, Germany (1974); and Rockpalast in Germany (1979). Intermixed with the live content is interview footage at Detroit Tubeworks in Detroit (1970). This is indeed the definitive document of Johnny's career in the '70s!

To see a complete track listing of this upcoming release, visit our friends at LiveBluesWorld.com. And you can read an about.com preview of the DVD right here.