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Edgar Winter

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Edgar Winter
Edgar Winter in 1974.
Edgar Winter in 1974.
Background information
Birth nameEdgar Holland Winter
GenresHard rock, jazz fusion, blues-rock, blue-eyed soul
Occupation(s)Musician, Songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano, keyboards, saxophone, marimba, timbales, clavinet, synthesizer, guitar
Years active1969–present
LabelsEpic Records
Airline Records
WebsiteOfficial Website

Edgar Holland Winter (born December 28, 1946), is an American musician. He is famous for being a multi-instrumentalist. He is a highly skilled keyboardist, saxophonist and percussionist. He often plays an instrument while singing. He was most successful in the 1970s with his band, The Edgar Winter Group. He has albinism.

History

Edgar Holland Winter was born to John Winter II and Edith Winter on December 28, 1946 in Beaumont, TX. Both he and his brother Johnny are albino, and both were required to take special education classes in high school. Edgar states, "In school I had a lot of friends. I wore a lot of white shirts to, like, blend in I guess. No one really gave me a hard time about being albino or taking special education classes. Then again, I wasn't really popular." After recording with his brother, Johnny Winter, Edgar was signed to his own Epic Records contract in 1970 and recorded two R&B flavored albums, Entrance and Edgar Winter's White Trash.

In 1972 he formed The Edgar Winter Group, which included Dan Hartman, former Sawbuck members Ronnie Montrose and Chuck Ruff and later included the band's producer Rick Derringer in place of Montrose. It was with this band that Winter had his biggest success: the album They Only Come Out at Night (1972) featuring the #1 hit instrumental "Frankenstein", which used the synthesizer as a lead instrument. (During performances, Winter performed on keyboards, synthesizer, saxophone, and drums, all within the confines of the single song on stage.) Frankenstein reached number one in the U.S. in May 1973. Both They Only Come Out at Night and "Frankenstein" each sold over one million copies, and were awarded gold discs by the R.I.A.A. in 1973. "Frankenstein Live" was recorded at the San Diego Sports Arena in late 1974 and sold well over one million copies, more than the original recording.[1] The band also had a sizable hit with "Free Ride", taken from the same album with vocals performed by bass player Danny Hartman, who also wrote the song.

Relationship with the Church of Scientology

Winter is a Scientologist. He has appeared in at least seven issues of the Church of Scientology magazine Celebrity between 1995 and 2005, which list the Scientology courses that he has completed.[2]

Winter also produced, arranged, and performed on the album Mission Earth (1986). This album's words and music were written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard is said to have left detailed instructions and audio tapes for the musicians and producers to follow when making the album.[3] Edgar described Mission Earth as "both a return to rock’s primal roots and yet highly experimental." Winter wrote, "Ron's technical insight of the recording process was outstanding." Winter also described Hubbard's delineation of counter-rhythm in rock as something "which was nothing short of phenomenal, particularly in as much as it had then been entirely unexplored and only later heard in the African-based rhythms of Paul Simon's work, some five years after Ron’s analysis."[4]

Personal life

Edgar has been married to Monique since 1979. Winter says that he enjoys fishing, but does not hunt due to his poor eyesight, an effect of his albinism. He can't drive a car, and must have someone with him when travelling.

Discography

Winter performing in 2006

Soundtracks

Edgar Winter's songs have been featured in the soundtracks of these films:

References

  1. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 322. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  2. ^ Celebrity Magazine -- issues number 286, 301, 349, 353, 357, 365, and 367
  3. ^ RonTheMusicMaker.org Mission Earth Lyrics and Music by L. Ron Hubbard (last accessed 15 Sept 2006)
  4. ^ RonTheMusicMaker.org Mission Earth - L. Ron Hubbard (last accessed by 15 Sept 2006)

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