Johnny Winter discography

Johnny Winter (1944–2014) was an American rock and blues musician. From 1959 to 1967, he recorded several singles for mostly small record companies in his native Texas.^[1] In 1968, Winter completed his first album, The Progressive Blues Experiment, and in 1969, he was signed to Columbia Records.^[2] With the label, Winter had his greatest success on the American record chart; Johnny Winter (1969), Second Winter (1969), Live Johnny Winter And (1971), and Still Alive and Well (1973) all reached the top forty on the Billboard 200 album chart.^[3] In 1974, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified Live Johnny Winter And gold, his only record to receive an award from the organization.^[4]

Johnny Winter discography
In concert 1990
Studio albums	19
Live albums	9
Live Bootleg Series	15
Compilation	15
Singles	25
Albums as producer and/or guitarist	9
Concert videos	2
Documentary films	1

Beginning in 1973, Winter's music was issued by Blue Sky Records, a Columbia custom label. At Blue Sky, Winter also became a producer and was responsible for releases by Chicago blues pioneer Muddy Waters.^[2] He produced Hard Again (1977), which earned Waters a Grammy Award and helped re-establish his popularity. In the years after 1984, Winter changed record companies several times, never remaining with any one for more than three albums. These included Alligator Records, MCA Records' Voyager subsidiary, Point Blank Records, Virgin Records, and Megaforce Records.^[2] In 2007, he began producing a number of albums from his personal recordings, designated the "Live Bootleg Series".^[5] Winter's last studio album, Step Back, released shortly after his death in 2014, was his most successful in the record charts since his Columbia period.^[3] Several live albums and compilations have appeared on Billboard's "Blues Albums" specialty chart.^[6]

Throughout his career, Winter's recording catalogue was plagued by bootleg albums and unauthorized re-releases of singles from his early pre-Columbia Records days.^[2][7] These records competed with his official releases and some were doctored with later overdubs by other musicians.^[8] Royalties were not Winter's primary concern: "I just don't want that bullshit out ... It's just bad music."^[9]

Albums

Studio albums

List of studio albums with year, title, details, chart peak, and reference(s)

Year	Title	Details	Chart peak Billboard 200[3]	Ref(s)
1968	The Progressive Blues Experiment	Released: Fall 1968 Label: Sonobeat (R-s1002) Format: LP record, reel-to-reel audio tape, 8-track audio cartridge Note: Reissued with new album cover by Imperial in March 1969	40	[2][10]
1969	Johnny Winter	Released: April 15, 1969 Label: Columbia (CS 9826) Format: LP, 8-track, reel-to-reel, audio cassette	24[a]	[2][20]
	Second Winter	Released: November 1969 Label: Columbia (KCS 9947) Format: Double LP Note: Only 3 sides used (4th is blank)	55[a][b]	[2][22]
1970	Johnny Winter And	Released: September 1970 Label: Columbia (C 30221) Format: LP, 8-track	154[b]	[2][23]
1973	Still Alive and Well	Released: March 1973 Label: Columbia (KC 32188) Format: LP, 8-track, cassette	22[a][c]	[2][25]
1974	Saints & Sinners	Released: February 1974 Label: Columbia (PC 32715) Format: LP, 8-track, cassette	42[a][c]	[26]
	John Dawson Winter III	Released: November 1974 Label: Blue Sky (PZ 33292) Format: LP, 8-track, cassette	78[a]	[2][27]
1977	Nothin' but the Blues	Released: July 1977 Label: Blue Sky (PZ 34813) Format: LP, 8-track, cassette	146	[2][28]
1978	White, Hot and Blue	Released: July 1978 Label: Blue Sky (JZ 35475) Format: LP, cassette	141	[2][29]
1980	Raisin' Cain	Released: March 1980 Label: Blue Sky (JZ 36343) Format: LP, cassette	—	[2][30]
1984	Guitar Slinger	Released: May 1984 Label: Alligator (AL 4735) Format: LP, compact audio disc (CD), cassette	183[a]	[2][31]
1985	Serious Business	Released: September 1985 Label: Alligator (AL 4742) Format: LP, CD, cassette	156	[2][32]
1986	Third Degree	Released: November 1986 Label: Alligator (AL 4748) Format: LP, CD, cassette	—	[2][33]
1988	The Winter of '88	Released: October 1988 Label: MCA/Voyager (MCA-42241) Format: LP, CD, cassette	—	[2][34]
1991	Let Me In	Released: July 1, 1991 Label: Point Blank (91744-2) Format: LP, CD	—	[2][35]
1992	Hey, Where's Your Brother?	Released: November 2, 1992 Label: Point Blank (V2-86512) Format: CD	—	[2][36]
2004	I'm a Bluesman	Released: June 15, 2004 Label: Virgin (724359008127) Format: CD	—[d]	[2][37]
2011	Roots	Released: September 2011 Label: Megaforce (20286 16038) Format: LP, CD	163	[2][38]
2014	Step Back	Released: August 2014 Label: Megaforce (20286 21696) Format: LP, CD	17[b]	[2][39]
"—" denotes a release that did not chart

Live albums

List of live albums with year, title, details, chart peak, and reference(s)

Year	Title	Details	Chart peak Billboard 200[3]	Ref(s)
1971	Live Johnny Winter And	Recorded: Late 1970 Venue: Fillmore East, New York City; Pirates World, Dania Beach, Florida Released: March 1971 Label: Columbia (C 30475) Format: LP record, 8-track audio cartridge Note: Certified gold by RIAA in 1974	40[a][b]	[2][4][40]
1976	Captured Live!	Recorded: September 1975 Venue: 3 concert halls in California Released: March 1976 Label: Blue Sky (PZ 33944) Format: LP, 8-track, audio cassette	93	[2][41]
	Together	Venue: Swing Auditorium, San Bernardino, California; San Diego Sports Arena, California Released: June 1976 Label: Blue Sky (PZ 34033) Format: LP, 8-track, cassette Note: Listed as "Johnny and Edgar Winter"	86	[2][42]
1998	Live in NYC '97	Recorded: March 10, 1997 Venue: The Bottom Line, New York City Released: March 1998 Label: Virgin (45527) Format: Compact audio disc (CD)	—[d]	[2][43]
2009	The Woodstock Experience	Recorded: August 17, 1969 Venue: Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Bethel, New York Released: 2009 Label: Columbia/Legacy (88697 48244 2) Format: Double CD Note: CD 2 contains Winter's live performance; CD 1 is his 1969 Columbia debut album.	—[d]	[2][44]
2010	Live at the Fillmore East 10/3/70	Recorded: October 3, 1970 Venue: Fillmore East, New York City Released: 2010 Label: Collectors' Choice (6000) Format: CD	—[d]	[2]
2011	Rockpalast: Blues Rock Legends Vol. 3	Recorded: April 21, 1979 Venue: Grugahalle, Essen, Germany Released: 2011 Label: MIG (90362 CD) Format: Double CD Note: 6 tracks were released on a single LP, titled Live at Rockpalast (MVD Audio, 2011).	—	[45]
2015	Live from Japan	Recorded: April 15, 2011 Venue: Zepp, Tokyo Released: April 2015 Label: MVD Audio (6664A) Format: CD, double LP	—	[46]
2018	The King of Slide	Released: April 21, 2018 Label: Friday Music Format: LP Note: Limited edition (1,000) for Record Store Day in 2018	—[d]	[47][48]
"—" denotes a release that did not chart

Live Bootleg Series albums

The "Live Bootleg Series" are authorized, official releases produced by Winter for the Friday Music label. The CDs and LPs include the notice: "All master recordings are owned and controlled by Johnny Winter and are compiled from the authorized Johnny Winter archives". The recordings were not state-of-the-art for the time and many similar recordings had previously circulated as actual bootleg albums. The peak chart positions refer to Billboard's "Blues Albums" chart (none appeared on the broader Billboard 200 album chart).

List of "Live Bootleg Series" albums with year, title, details, chart peak, and reference(s)

Year	Title	Details Catalogue no. & number of tracks	Chart peak Blues Albums[6]	Ref(s)
2007	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 1	FRM 1064 – 12 tracks	15	[2][5]
2008	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 2	FRM 1083 – 6 tracks	7	[2][49]
	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 3	FRM 1085 – 7 tracks	—	[2][50]
2009	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 4	FRM 1100 – 10 tracks	9	[2][51]
2009	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 5	FRM 1143 – 8 tracks	8	[2][52]
2010	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 6	FRM 1156 – 7 tracks	5	[2][53]
2011	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 7	FRM 1160 – 7 tracks	15	[54]
2012	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 8	FRM 1162 – 7 tracks	—	[55]
2013	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 9	FRM 1163 – 7 tracks	—	[56]
	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 10	FRM 1164 – 7 tracks	—	[57]
2014	Live Bootleg Special Edition	FRM 41914 (LP only) – 6 tracks	9	[58]
	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 11	FRM 1165 – 7 tracks	15	[59]
2016	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 12	FRM 1167 – 7 tracks	10	[60]
	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 13	FRM 1169 – 7 tracks	—	[61]
2018	Live Bootleg Series Vol. 14: It's Johnny's Birthday	FRM 22344 – 9 tracks	—	[62]
"—" denotes a release that did not chart

Compilation albums

After Winter signed to Columbia Records in 1969, his former associates began licensing albums consisting of Winter's early singles and demos for various labels.^[2] These 40 or so songs continue to be re-packaged and re-released by numerous small record companies.^[2] In several interviews, Winter asserts that these were unauthorized and that some have been overdubbed with other musicians.^[7] For completeness, two of the more noteworthy compilations of pre-1968 recordings are included. The rest of those listed below contain songs that were recorded from 1968 on.

List of compilation albums with year, title, details, chart peak, and reference(s)

Year	Title	Details	Chart peak Billboard 200[3]	Ref(s)
1969	The Johnny Winter Story	Recorded: c. 1961–1964 for various single labels Released: August 1969 Label: GRT (GRT-10010) Format: LP record, 8-track audio cartridge Note: Repackaged with different titles & cover art by many labels	111	[2][8]
1992	Scorchin' Blues	Recorded: 1968–1978 for Columbia & Blue Sky Label: Legacy (ZK 52466) Format: Compact audio disc (CD), audio cassette	—	[63]
1994	A Rock n' Roll Collection	Recorded: 1969–1979 for Columbia & Blue Sky Label: Legacy (C2K 46985) Format: Double CD	—	[64]
1996	The Return of Johnny Guitar (The Best of Johnny Winter 1984–86)	Recorded: 1984–1986 for Alligator Label: Music Club (MCCD 270) Format: CD	—	[65]
1997	White Hot Blues	Recorded: 1969–1980 for Columbia & Blue Sky Label: Legacy (CK 65213) Format: CD	—	[66]
2001	Deluxe Edition	Recorded: 1984–1986 for Alligator Label: Alligator Format: CD	—	[67]
2002	The Best of Johnny Winter	Recorded: 1969–1979 for Columbia & Blue Sky Label: Legacy (CK 85926) Format: CD	—[d]	[68]
2003	Winter Essentials 1960–1967	Recorded: Prior to 1968 for various single labels Label: Fuel 2000 (302 061 309 2) Format: Double CD Note: Contains nearly all of Winter's pre-1968 singles, plus additional demos from the same period; re-released as Beginnings: 1960–1967 (2010)	—	[69]
2009	The Johnny Winter Anthology	Recorded: 1968–1997 for various labels Label: Shout! Factory (82663-11328) Format: Double CD	—[d]	[70]
2011	Playlist: The Very Best of Johnny Winter Live	Recorded: 1969–1977 for Columbia & Blue Sky Label: Legacy (88697 86946 2) Format: CD Note: Released in Europe with some different tracks as Setlist: The Very Best of Johnny Winter (2011, Legacy)	—	[71]
2014	The Essential Johnny Winter	Recorded: 1969–1980 for Columbia & Blue Sky Label: Legacy (88883704942) Format: Double CD	—	[72]
2014	True to the Blues: The Johnny Winter Story	Recorded: 1968–2011 for various labels Label: Legacy (88883740852) Format: CD box set	—[d]	[2][73]
2015	Remembrance Vol. 1	Recorded: Live recordings released as part of "Live Bootleg Series" Label: Friday Music Format: 3 CDs	—[d]	[74]
	It's My Life, Baby	Released: April 18, 2015 Label: Alligator Format: LP Note: Initially released on Record Store Day in 2015	—	[75]
2017	Remembrance Volume 2	Recorded: Live recordings released as part of "Live Bootleg Series" Label: Friday Music (FRM 11777) Format: 3 CDs	—	[76]
"—" denotes a release that did not chart

Singles

List of singles with year, title, details, chart peak, and reference(s)

Year	Title A-side / B-side	Details	Chart peak Hot 100[77]	Ref(s)
1959	"School Day Blues" / "You Know I Love You"	Label: Dart (131) Note: The Winter brothers are listed on the single as "Johnny and the Jammers"	—	[78]
1960	"Creepy" / "Oh My Darling"	Label: KRCo (106)	—	[79]
	"Hey, Hey, Hey" / "One Night of Love"	Label: KRCo (107) Note: As "Johnny Winter and the Crystaliers"	—	[79]
1961	"Shed So Many Tears" / "That's What Love Does"	Label: Frolic (45-501)	—	[79]
1962	"Voodoo Twist" / "Ease My Pain"	Label: Frolic (45-503)	—	[80]
1963	"Crying in My Heart" / "Broke and Lonely"	Label: Diamond Jim (204)[e] Note: As "Texas Guitar Slim"	—	[81]
	"Road Runner" / "The Guy You Left Behind"	Label: Todd (45-1084)	—	[81]
	"Gangster of Love" / "Eternally"	Label: Frolic (509)	—	[82]
1964	"Eternally" / "You'll Be the Death of Me"	Label: Atlantic (45-2248)	—	[83]
	"Gone For Bad" / "I Won´t Believe It"	Label: MGM (K 13380) Note: Also released by Frolic (512)	—	[84]
1966	"Please Come Home for Christmas" / "Out of Sight"	Label: Cascade (364) Note: The Winter brothers are listed as "the Insight"	—	[84]
1967	"Birds Can't Row Boats" / "Leavin' Blues"	Recorded: 1966 Label: Pacemaker (PM-243)	—	[85]
	"Tramp" / "Parchman Farm"	Label: Universal (U-30496) Note: As "the Traits" (with Roy Head's backup band)[f]	—	[87]
1968	"Rollin' and Tumblin'" / "Mean Town Blues"	Label: Sonobeat (R-S107) Album: The Progressive Blues Experiment Note: First single with Tommy Shannon (bass guitar) and Uncle John "Red" Turner (drums)	—	[88]
1969	"Rollin' and Tumblin'" / "Forty Four"	Label: Imperial (66376) Album: The Progressive Blues Experiment	—[g]	[90]
	"I'm Yours and I'm Hers" / "I'll Drown in My Tears"	Label: Columbia (4-44900) Album: Johnny Winter	—	[91]
	"Johnny B. Goode" / " I'm Not Sure"	Label: Columbia (4-45058) Album: Second Winter	92	[92]
1970	"Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" / "21st Century Man"	Recorded: B-side Sept. 20, 1970 Label: Columbia (4-45260) Album: Johnny Winter And (B-side is non-album track)	—[a]	[93]
1971	"Jumpin' Jack Flash" / "Good Morning Little School Girl"	Label: Columbia (4-45368) Album: Live Johnny Winter And	89	[94]
1973	"Silver Train" / "Rock and Roll"	Label: Columbia (4-45860) Album: Still Alive and Well	—[h]	[96]
	"Can't You Feel It" / "Rock & Roll"	Label: Columbia (4-45899) Album: Still Alive and Well	—	[97]
1974	"Stone County" / "Bad Luck Situation"	Label: Columbia (4-46006) Album: Saints & Sinners	—[h]	[98]
	"Boney Moroney" / "Hurtin' So Bad"	Label: Columbia (4-46036) Album: Saints & Sinners	—[a][h]	[99]
	"Raised on Rock" / "Pick Up on My Mojo"	Label: Blue Sky (ZS4 2754) Album: John Dawson Winter III	—	[100]
	"Golden Olden Days of Rock & Roll" / "Stranger"	Label: Blue Sky (ZS8 2756) Album: John Dawson Winter III	—	[101]
1976	"Let the Good Times Roll" / "Soul Man"	Label: Blue Sky (ZS8 2764) Album: Together Note: Listed as "Johnny Winter & Edgar Winter"	—	[102]
"—" denotes a release that did not chart

Albums as producer and/or guitarist

List of albums by other artists with year, title, details, chart peak, and reference(s)

Year	Title	Details	Chart peak Billboard 200	Ref(s)
1975	Temple of Birth	Artist: Jeremy Steig Released: 1975 Label: Columbia (KC 33297) Format: LP record Note: Johnny Winter plays guitar on several tracks.	—	[103]
1977	Hard Again	Artist: Muddy Waters Released: January 10, 1977 Label: Blue Sky (PZ 34449) Format: LP, audio cassette Note: Winter produced the album and plays guitar; won Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording.	143	[2][104] [105][106]
1978	I'm Ready	Artist: Muddy Waters Released: February 1978 Label: Blue Sky (JZ 34928) Format: LP, cassette, 8-track audio cartridge Note: Winter produced the album and plays guitar, and sings on one track; won Grammy for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording.	157	[2][104] [106][107]
1979	Muddy "Mississippi" Waters – Live	Artist: Muddy Waters Released: January 1979 Recorded live: March 18, 1977 – August 26, 1978 Label: Blue Sky (JZ 35712) Format: LP, cassette, 8-track Note: Winter produced the album, plays guitar on several tracks, and sings backing vocals on one track; won Grammy for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording.	—	[106][108]
	Blast	Artist: Blast (with Ula Hedwig and Jaroslav Jakubovič) Released: 1979 Label: Columbia (JC 36012) Format: LP Note: Winter plays guitar.	—	[109]
1981	King Bee	Artist: Muddy Waters Released: 1981 Label: Blue Sky (PZ 37064) Format: LP, cassette, 8-track Note: Winter produced the album and plays guitar.	192	[104][110]
1984	Whoopin'	Artist: Sonny Terry Released: 1984 Label: Alligator (AL 4734) Format: LP, cassette, compact audio disc (CD) Note: Winter produced the album and plays guitar and piano.	—	[111]
2007	Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down	Artist: Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, James Cotton Released: 2007 Recorded: March 1977 (live) Label: Epic (88697 07283 2) Format: CD Note: Winter plays guitar and sings on some tracks.	—[d]	[112]
2018	Both Sides of the Sky	Artist: Jimi Hendrix Released: 2018 Recorded: May 7, 1969 Label: Legacy (19075814192) Format: CD Note: Winter plays guitar on "Things I Used to Do" (demo).	8	[113][114] [i]
"—" denotes a release that did not chart

Concert videos

List of concert videos with year, title, details, chart peak, and reference(s)

Year	Title	Details	Chart peak	Ref(s)
2012	Live from Japan	Released: 2012 Recorded: April 15, 2011 Label: MVD Visual (MVD5421D) Format: DVD	—	[46]
2016	Live in Sweden 1987	Artist: Johnny Winter with Dr. John Released: April 22, 2016 Recorded: 1987 Label: MVD Visual (MVD8127D) Format: DVD	—	[116]
"—" denotes a release that did not chart

Documentary film

Johnny Winter: Down & Dirty is a documentary film about the life and music career of Johnny Winter. It was directed by Greg Olliver and is 104 minutes long. The movie premiered on March 12, 2014, at the South by Southwest Film Festival.^[117][118] It was released on DVD on March 4, 2016.^[119]

Footnotes

1. On the RPM charts in Canada, Johnny Winter reached No. 23;^[11] Second Winter No. 60;^[12] Still Alive and Well No. 7;^[13] Saints & Sinners No. 40;^[14]John Dawson Winter III No. 77;^[15] Guitar Slinger No. 73;^[16] Johnny Winter And Live No. 48;^[17] "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" No. 79;^[18] and "Boney Moroney" No. 97.^[19]
2. On the UK Albums chart, Second Winter reached No. 59; Johnny Winter And No. 29; Step Back No. 41; and Johnny Winter And Live No. 20.^[21]
3. On the Australian album chart, Still Alive and Well reached No. 48; and Saints & Sinners No. 78.^[24]
4. On Billboard's Blues Albums chart, I'm a Bluesman reached No. 7; Live in NYC '97 No. 7; The Woodstock Experience No. 1; Live at the Fillmore East 10/3/70 No. 1; The King of Slide No. 6; The Best of Johnny Winter No. 11; The Johnny Winter Anthology No. 11; True to the Blues: The Johnny Winter Story No. 2; Remembrance Vol. 1 No. 8; and Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down No. 3.^[6]
5. "Crying in My Heart" with "Broke and Lonely" was re-released by Jin Records (174).
6. Although Winter's AllMusic biography states that he also recorded a version of "Harlem Shuffle" with the Traits,^[2] Sullivan's more comprehensive book about Winter does not mention the 1966 single: "In 1967, Johnny also performed briefly with the Traits, a Houston-based band, and played on 'Tramp'/'Parchman Farm,' ... He joined the band after vocalist Roy Head left, which was shortly after the release of the band's hit single 'Treat Her Right'."^[86]
7. On Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, "Rollin' and Tumblin'" (Imperial) reached No. 129.^[89]
8. On the Cash Box Looking Ahead chart, "Silver Train" reached No. 112, "Stone County" No. 106, and "Boney Moroney" No. 103.^[95]
9. Although he is often listed as the second guitarist on Woke Up This Morning and Found Myself Dead, the infamous live Jimi Hendrix jam bootleg with Jim Morrison, Winter claims "I didn't play with him [Morrison]; I never even met Jim Morrison. It really worried me that they had that record out and said I was on it when I wasn't."^[115]