Steve winwood autobiography

English musician and songwriter (born )

Musical artist

Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May ) is an English musician and songwriter whose genres include blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock.

Though primarily a guitarist, keyboard player, and vocalist prominent for his distinctive soulful high tenor voice, Winwood plays other instruments proficiently, including drums, mandolin, bass, and saxophone.

Winwood achieved fame during the s and s as an integral member of three major bands: the Spencer Davis Group (–), Traffic (– and –), and Blind Faith ().

During the s, his solo career flourished and he had a number of hit singles, including "While You See a Chance" () from the album Arc of a Diver and "Valerie" () from Talking Back to the Night ("Valerie" became a strike when it was re-released with a remix from Winwood's compilation album Chronicles).

His album Back in the High Life marked his career zenith, with knock singles including "Back in the High Life Again", "The Finer Things", and the US Billboard Hot number one hit "Higher Love". He found the uppermost of the Hot again with "Roll with It" () from the album Roll with It, with "Don't You Know What the Night Can Do?" and "Holding On" also charting highly the same year.

Although his hit singles ceased after the s, he continued to launch new albums up to , when Nine Lives, his latest album, was released.

In , Winwood was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic.

He has won two Grammy Awards and an Ivor Novello Award, and has been honored as a BMI Representative. In , Rolling Stone ranked Winwood number 33 on its list of Greatest Singers of All Time.

Early life

Winwood was born on 12 May ^[1] in Handsworth, Birmingham.^[2][3] His father Lawrence, a foundryman by trade, was a semi-professional musician, playing mainly the saxophone and clarinet.

Steve Winwood began playing piano at the age of four while interested in swing and Dixieland jazz, and soon started playing drums and guitar. He was also a choirboy at St. John's Church of England, Perry Barr. The family moved from Handsworth to Atlantic Route, Kingstanding Birmingham,^[4] where Winwood attended the Great Barr School, one of the first comprehensive schools.

He also attended the Birmingham and Midland Institute of Harmony to develop his skills as a pianist, but did not complete his course.^{[5][page&#;needed]} During this time, he befriended future Fleetwood Mac member Christine McVie.^{[6][better&#;source&#;needed]}

At eight years of age, Winwood first performed with his father and elder brother Muff in the Ron Atkinson band.^[7] Muff Winwood later recalled that when Steve began playing regularly with him and his father in licensed pubs and clubs, the piano had to be turned with its back to the audience to try to hide him because he was so obviously underage.^[8]

Career

Early years

While still a pupil at Great Barr School, Winwood was a part of the Birmingham blues rock scene, playing the Hammond C-3 organ and guitar, backing blues and rock legends such as Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, B.

B. King, Chuck Berry, and Bo Diddley on their United Kingdom tours,^{[citation needed]} the custom at that time organism for US singers to commute solo and be backed by pick-up bands. At this moment, Winwood was living on Atlantic Road in Great Barr, cover to the Birmingham music halls where he played.

Winwood modelled his singing after Ray Charles.^[4]

The Spencer Davis Group

Main article: The Spencer Davis Group

At age 14, Winwood (then known as "Stevie" Winwood) became singer and keyboardist of the Spencer Davis Group,^[9] with his older brother Muff Winwood on bass, Spencer Davis on guitar, and Pete York on drums.

Davis had been impressed by the Winwood brothers after he saw them acting as the Muffy Wood Jazz Band at the Golden Eagle in Birmingham.^[10] The Spencer Davis Group made their debut at the Eagle and subsequently had a Monday-night residency there.^[11] Winwood's distinctive high tenor singing voice and vocal style drew comparisons to Ray Charles.^[12]

In , the Spencer Davis Group signed their first recording contract with Island Records.

Producer and founder Chris Blackwell later said of Winwood, "He was really the cornerstone of Island Records. He's a musical genius and because he was with Island all the other talent really wanted to be with Island."^[13] The group's first single "Dimples" was released 10 days after Winwood's 16th birthday.^[14] The group had two UK No.

1 singles in late and early with "Keep on Running" and "Somebody Assist Me";^[15] the money from this success allowed Winwood to procure his own Hammond organ.^[4] Winwood co-wrote the band's breakthrough hits in America, "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm a Man", both of which went Top 10 in the US and UK in late and early ^[16][17][18] Winwood left the Spencer Davis Group in April

Traffic and Blind Faith

Main articles: Traffic (band) and Blind Faith

Winwood met drummer Jim Capaldi, guitarist Dave Mason, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood when they jammed together at The Elbow Room, a club in Aston, Birmingham.^[19][20] After Winwood left the Spencer Davis Group in April , the quartet formed Traffic.^[21] Soon thereafter, they rented a cottage near the rural village of Aston Tirrold, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire), to write and rehearse new music.^[19][20][22] This allowed them to escape the capital and develop their music.^[23][22]

Early in Traffic's formation, Winwood and Capaldi formed a songwriting partnership, with Winwood writing music to correspond Capaldi's lyrics.

This partnership was the source of most of Traffic's material, including popular songs such as "Paper Sun", "No Face, No Name, No Number", "Dear Mr. Fantasy", and "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys", and outlived the band, producing several songs for Winwood's and Capaldi's solo albums.

Over the band's history, Winwood performed the majority of their lead vocals, keyboard instruments, and guitars (the latter more so after Mason's departure in ). Traffic disbanded in early after two albums, Mr. Fantasy () and Traffic (), with a third album, Last Exit, being issued later that year.

Following Traffic's split, Winwood formed the supergroupBlind Faith, along with former Cream members Eric Clapton (guitar) and Ginger Baker (drums), and former Family member Ric Grech (bass).^[24] The band produced only one album, which reached No.

1 in both the UK and US, and included "Can't Find My Way Home". The band was short-lived owing to Clapton's greater interest in Blind Faith's opening act on tour, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends; Clapton left the band at the tour's completion, bringing Blind Faith to an end.

In , Winwood went into the studio to begin work on a solo album, tentatively titled Mad Shadows. However, Winwood ended up calling in his former Traffic bandmates Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood to help, with the recording resulting in a Traffic reunion album John Barleycorn Must Die.^[25] Traffic would continue for another five albums, Welcome to the Canteen (), The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (), Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory (), On the Road () and When the Eagle Flies ().

Weariness with the grind of touring and recording prompted Winwood to break up Traffic in and retire to session work for several years.^[26][22]

Other s and s work

In , three years before Blind Faith, Winwood guested with Eric Clapton as part of the temporary group Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse.

Three tracks were recorded and released on the various artists compilation album, What's Shakin'.^[27] In , Winwood was recruited by Jimi Hendrix to participate organ for "Voodoo Chile" on the Electric Ladyland album.^[28][29]

Following the end of Blind Faith, Winwood and Ric Grech continued functional with Ginger Baker, as part of Ginger Baker's Air Strength, who also featured Winwood's Traffic bandmate Chris Wood.^[25] Winwood played on their self-titled first album, released in

In , Winwood recorded the part of Captain Walker in the highly achieving orchestral version of the Who's Tommy.

He recorded a album with Remi Kabaka and Abdul Lasisi Amao, as Third Earth, Aiye-Keta. Later, after the unrelated reggae group Third World had formed, the album was re-released and identified by the band members' names.

In , Winwood provided vocals and keyboards on Go, a concept album by Japanese composer Stomu Yamashta.^[30] That same year, Winwood also played guitar on the Fania All Stars' Delicate and Jumpy tape and performed as a guest with the band in their only UK appearance, a sold-out concert at the Lyceum Theatre, London.^[31][32]

Under pressure from Island Records, Winwood released his self-titled first solo album in In he played keyboards on the Marianne Faithfull album Broken English, including synthesizer on the tracks "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" and "Broken English" which were taken as singles from the album.^[33]

Solo career success

In , Winwood released his second solo album Arc of a Diver, which included his first solo hit, "While You See a Chance".

This was followed by Talking Assist to the Night in ,^[34] which featured the song "Valerie", which would eventually become a hit single upon re-release in Both Arc of a Diver and Talking Back to the Night were recorded at his home in Gloucestershire with Winwood playing all instruments.

In , Winwood travelled to New York City for his next album project. There, he enlisted the help of a coterie of stars to record Back in the High Life. The album went triple platinum in the US, with its first unattached "Higher Love" reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot and earning Winwood Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Production.

He embarked on an extensive tour of North America in support of the album,^[35] and at the end of the tour, he divorced Nicole Weir in England then settled in the Nashville area with his new American wife, Eugenia Crafton.^[36]

With the exception of 's Blind Faith, Winwood had been with Island Records since the Spencer Davis Group's first single in However, at the peak of his commercial success, Winwood moved to Virgin Records and released the albums Roll with It () and Refugees of the Heart ().^[37]Roll with It and its title track hit No.

1 on the US album and singles charts in the summer of

Traffic reunion and subsequent work

In , Winwood and Jim Capaldi reformed as Traffic for the album Far from Home. Despite lacking a significant hit, it broke the uppermost 40 in both the UK and US.^[38][39] The band toured that year, which included a performance at the Woodstock '94 Festival.

That same year, Winwood appeared on the A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield CD, recording Mayfield's "It's All Right".^[40]

In , Winwood released "Reach for the Light" for the animated filmBalto. Winwood's final Virgin album, Junction Seven, was released in , reaching the UK top ^[41] Later that year, he toured the US, and sang with Chaka Khan at the VH-1 Honors.^{[42][better&#;source&#;needed]}

In , Winwood joined Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, Ed Calle, and other musicians to establish the band "Latin Crossings" for a European tour, after which they split without making any recordings.

Winwood also appeared in the film Blues Brothers , as a member of the Louisiana Gator Boys, appearing on stage with Isaac Hayes, Eric Clapton, and KoKo Taylor at the battle of the bands competition.^{[43][page&#;needed]}

In , Winwood released a new studio album, About Time, on his new record label, Wincraft Music.

In , Eric Prydzsampled Winwood's song "Valerie" for the song "Call on Me". After hearing an early version, Winwood not only gave permission to use his song, he re-recorded the samples for Prydz to use. The remix spent five weeks at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart.^[44]

In , Winwood's Soundstage Performances DVD was released.

That same year, he appeared on Grammy Award winner Ashley Cleveland's album Men and Angels Say, a mix of rock, blues, and state arrangements of well-known hymns, including "I Need Thee Every Hour", which featured a vocal duet and organ performance.

On her record Back to Basics, Christina Aguilera featured Winwood (using the piano and organ instrumentation from the John Barleycorn Must Die track "Glad") on her tune "Makes Me Wanna Pray".^[45]

In May , Winwood performed in help of the Countryside Alliance, an organisation opposed to the Searching for Act , in a concert at Highclere Castle, joining fellow rock artists Eric Clapton, Bryan Ferry, Steve Harley, and Kenney Jones.^[46] In July , Winwood performed with Clapton in the latter's Crossroads Guitar Festival.

Among the songs they played were "Presence of the Lord" and "Can't Find My Way Home" from their Blind Faith days, with Winwood playing several guitar leads during a six-song establish . The two continued their collaboration with three sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden in Fresh York City in February ^[47]

Winwood's next studio album Nine Lives was released in ^{[48][49][better&#;source&#;needed]}Nine Lives opened at No.

12 on the Billboard album chart,^[50] his highest US debut ever.^{[citation needed]} On 19 February , Winwood and Clapton released a collaborative EP through iTunes titled Dirty City.

Clapton and Winwood released a CD and DVD of their Madison Square Garden shows and then toured together in the summer of ^[51] On 19 February , Winwood and Clapton released a collaborative EP through iTunes titled Dirty City. Clapton and Winwood released an album and DVD of their Madison Square Garden shows and then toured together in the summer of ^[51]

In , Winwood was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music to add to his honorary degree from Aston University, Birmingham.^{[citation needed]}

Recent activity

On 28 March , Winwood was one of Roger Daltrey's special guest stars for "An Evening with Roger Daltrey and Friends" gig, in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall.^[52]

In , Winwood toured North America with Rod Stewart as part of the "Live the Life" tour.^{[citation needed]} In , Winwood toured North America with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.^[53]

On 17 February , Winwood participated in "A Tribute to Ginger Baker", which took place at Eventim Apollo Hammersmith in London.

Other participants were Ron Wood, Roger Waters, and Eric Clapton. The concert was held in honour of Ginger Baker, his former band member in Blind Faith, who had died the previous year.^[54]

On 7 May , Winwood performed as part of the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle, where he sang "Higher Love" backed by virtual choirs from the Commonwealth realms.^{[55][better&#;source&#;needed][56][better&#;source&#;needed]}

In Winwood toured North America with the Doobie Brothers.^[57]

Song writing

Winwood has spoken very little, publicly, about the origin or meaning of the songs he has written.

He has said that "when I write a song, I don't like to have to explain it afterwards. To me, it's like telling a joke, then having to explain it. The explanation doesn't add to the song at all." ^[58]

Legacy

Winwood was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic in ^[59][60] In , Winwood was honoured as a BMI Icon at the annual BMI London Awards for his "enduring influence on generations of tune makers."^[61][62] In , Rolling Stone ranked Winwood No.

33 on its list of Greatest Singers of All Time.^[63] Winwood has won two Grammy Awards.^[64][65][66] He was nominated twice for a Brit Award for Best British Male Artist: and ^{[citation needed]} In , he received the Ivor Novello Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for Outstanding Lyric Collection.^[67][68]

Personal life

Between and , Winwood was married to Nicole Weir (d.

), who had contributed background vocals to some of his early solo work. The two married at Cheltenham Register Office.^[69]

Winwood's primary residence is a year-old manor house in the Cotswolds, England, where he also has a recording studio.

Winwood also has a home in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Eugenia Crafton, a Trenton, Tennessee native whom he married in They have four children.^[70][71][72]

In , one of Winwood's daughters, Mary Clare, married businessman Ben Elliot, later Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party between July and September ^[73] The couple have two sons.^[74] Another daughter, Lilly, is a singer; she was featured with Winwood performing a duet of his song "Higher Love" in a Hershey commercial.^[75] She was the opening act and was backing singer for her father's Greatest Hits Live tour.^[76]

Discography

Solo

Main article: Steve Winwood discography

Spencer Davis Group

Traffic

Blind Faith

Eric Clapton/Steve Winwood

Ginger Baker's Air Force

Third World

Go

Session work

• The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Electric Ladyland,
• Joe Cocker – "With a Little Help from My Friends",
• B.

  B. King – B.B. King in London,

• McDonald and Giles – McDonald and Giles, – organ, and piano solo on "Turnham Green"
• Jimi Hendrix – The Cry of Love,
• Howlin' Wolf – The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions, – organ and piano
• Reg King – Reg King, – Piano on "Down The Drain", credited as Mystery Man
• Shawn Phillips – Faces, – Organ on Parisien Plight II
• London Symphony Orchestra – Tommy – As Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Chamber Choir,
• Jim Capaldi – Oh How We Danced,
• Eddie Harris – E.H.

  in the U.K. (Atlantic), With Chris Squire, Alan White and Tony Kaye

• Lou Reed – Berlin,
• John Martyn – Inside Out,
• Alvin Lee & Mylon LeFevre – On The Road To Freedom,
• Jim Capaldi – Whale Meat Again,
• Robert Palmer – Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley,
• Vivian Stanshall – Men Opening Umbrellas Ahead,
• Jim Capaldi – Short Cut Draw Blood,
• Jade Warrior – Waves,
• Toots & the Maytals – Reggae Got Soul,
• Sandy Denny – Rendezvous,
• John Martyn – One World,
• Pierre Moerlen's Gong – Downwind,
• Vivian Stanshall – Sir Henry at Rawlinson End,
• Jim Capaldi – Daughter of the Night,
• George Harrison – George Harrison,
• Marianne Faithfull – Broken English,
• Jim Capaldi – The Kind Smell of Success,
• Jim Capaldi – Let the Thunder Cry,
• Marianne Faithfull – Dangerous Acquaintances,
• Jim Capaldi – Fierce Heart,
• David Gilmour – About Face, ^[77]
• Christine McVie – Christine McVie,
• Billy Joel – The Bridge,
• Dave Mason – Two Hearts,
• Talk Talk – The Colour of Spring,
• Jim Capaldi – Some Come Running,
• Jimmy Buffett – "My Barracuda",
• Phil Collins – But Seriously,
• Soulsister – Heat,
• Davy Spillane – A Place Among the Stones,
• Paul Weller – Stanley Road,
• Kathy Troccoli – Corner of Eden,
• Eric Clapton – Back Home,
• Eric Clapton – Clapton,
• Slash – Hey JoeRock N' Roll Hall of Fame,
• Miranda Lambert – Four the Record,
• Eric Clapton – Old Sock,
• Gov't Mule – Shout!,
• Bettye LaVette – LaVette!,

References