Johnny Winter Interview: The Art of Slide Guitar

A 1984 Masterclass in How to Play Slide

Johnny Winter with Lazer guitar (Courtesy MCA Records)

Johnny Winter emerged to national prominence in 1968, after a journalist for Rolling Stone magazine wrote, “If you can imagine a hundred and thirty pound cross-eyed albino with long fleecy hair playing some of the gutsiest fluid blues guitar you have ever heard, then enter Johnny Winter.”

Winter’s scorching playing more than lived up to the hype. He signed a huge deal with Columbia Records and rapidly became the first American blues-rock guitar hero to headline stadiums. In concert and on record, Johnny proved himself extraordinarily adept with old-time country blues and high-energy blues-rock played bare-fingered or with a slide.

During the ensuing half-century Winter remained true to his roots in the blues, classic rock and roll, and the songs of Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. He had many ups and downs, including long periods of inactivity and intense bouts with drug addiction. He also enjoyed many successes; his favorite among these was playing a vital role in resurrecting the career of his idol Muddy Waters during the 1970s and ’80s.

Through it all, Johnny Winter remained intensely devoted to the guitar. “I really love playing guitar,” he said near the end of his life. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever really been great at!” This type of understatement was typical of Johnny, who, like his fellow Texan Stevie Ray Vaughan, was always quick to praise and credit the musicians who’d inspired him. In truth, Winter excelled at producing, arranging, and performing, and he was exceptionally knowledgeable on the history of Texas and Mississippi blues music and early rock and roll.

In conversations, Johnny came across as unpretentious, upbeat, and accommodating. At the time of this May 2, 1984, interview, Johnny had just released 3rd Degree, the best of his albums on Alligator Records. We agreed to focus our talk on the art of slide guitar.

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Would you be willing to discuss the art of slide guitar?

Sure! It’s kind of hard to explain it, you know, but I’ll be glad to try.