The Silver Train thread got me thinking. I have always wondered about the connection between Johnny Winter and the Stones:

I seem to remember that Silver Train was originally written for Johnny Winter before the Stones recorded it for GHS.

One of the most importnat gigs in the history of the band was Hyde Park 1969. They opened the show with a cover of I'm Yours and I'm Hers by Johnny Winter.

Johnny Winter has recorded other Stones songs like Jumpin' Jack Flash.

There obviously was a mutual admiration between the Stones and JW in the late 60's and early '70's when Johnny Winter was a very fashionable rock star. However, I do not recall ever seeing pictures of them together, hearing about JW opening for the Stones, reading stories about Keith hanging out with him, etc. What gives? This is a very minor mystery but one I think about.

Also, to go off topic in my own post: I'm Yours and I'm Hers is probably my favorite Johnny Winter Song and the Stones version from Hyde Park (although a very, very interesting choice to open with) is not so good. This song was Mick Taylor's live debut with the band! I have always wondered if there is a high quality studio version or rehearsal tape of this song locked away in the vaults from 1969. That would be a crown jewel on a true rarities release.

Wasnt Johnny Winter's name tossed around as a possible guest on Rock ands Roll Circus at one point ?

From Woodstock Mean Town Blues

A bearded Winter hammers out JJF 1974...

To add more connections: On his album AND (1970) he covered Jumpin' Jack Flash and Johnny B. Goode, on LIVE (1971) Prodigal Son. On the STILL ALIVE AND WELL (1973) album that has Silver Train there is also a version of Let It Bleed. Under "Our deepest aprreciation to:" the first name mentioned is Marshall Chess - maybe that explains something.

JJHMick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To add more connections: On his album AND (1970)
> he covered Jumpin' Jack Flash and Johnny B. Goode,
> on LIVE (1971) Prodigal Son. On the STILL ALIVE
> AND WELL (1973) album that has Silver Train there
> is also a version of Let It Bleed. Under "Our
> deepest aprreciation to:" the first name mentioned
> is Marshall Chess - maybe that explains something.


It just blows my mind that the Hyde Park show in which they are rolling out Rolling Stones MARK II- A hard rock / blues rock band featuring Mick Taylor replacing the iconic Brian Jones (Satanic Majesties had just been out the previous year) begins with a Johnny Winter cover. Never to be played again. There's a story there that's never been told.

Must be something connecting Johnny Winter to Mick Taylor, perhaps through John Mayall? The explicit Johnny-Stones connections all occurred during the Taylor years (from Hyde Park to Silver Train on GHS and Johnny's album). Just speculating.

In the book "Rolling Stones and the making of Let It Bleed", written by Sean Egan, it says on page 147: "They also kicked their set off with "I'm Yours and I'm Hers", an obscure Johnny Winter number that would have caused nothing but blank looks in the crowd but which had been chosen because it had been Jones's current favorite song"

It's the only place I've ever seen this information and he does not reveal his source - but maybe the bit that misses in the puzzle? ;-)

Musically, the link appears to be Muddy Waters.

Yeah, I'd heard that "I'm Yours and I'm Hers" (which is called something else on Hyde Park) was a song Brian liked -- don't know if it's true.

mofur Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In the book "Rolling Stones and the making of Let
> It Bleed", written by Sean Egan, it says on page
> 147: "They also kicked their set off with "I'm
> Yours and I'm Hers", an obscure Johnny Winter
> number that would have caused nothing but blank
> looks in the crowd but which had been chosen
> because it had been Jones's current favorite
> song"
>
> It's the only place I've ever seen this
> information and he does not reveal his source -
> but maybe the bit that misses in the puzzle? ;-)

Very interesting! So it was an inside nod to Brian and part of the tribute to him.

Thank you.

An easier way to find out answers to all these questions might be to contact Johnny Winter himself..his website/message board would be a good place to start..I've been a huge fan of JW since 68...if you ever got the chance to see him between 68-72, you would know what all the fuss was about...I met him a couple of times after shows and he loved to chat about anything and held back nothing..when Dylan performed in NYC for his tribute show, JW blew everyone away with his vesion of Highway 61...you can see jaws dropping from the stellar band that backed him up on stage that night...the "live" footage of him at Woodstock was deleated for some reason which I can't recall...I would have to believe that Mick Taylor was involved in more than we know concerning the Hyde Park show...just guessing though....peter

Hi Peter (neat name )... Yeah, strange that Woodstock delete-thing...
I wanna repeat thou my link to a snippet from Woodstock

This "youtube" site is addictive...wish JW would have released all these videos on his own DVD...thanx BB for the Woodstock tip !...a couple of notes from my archival projects...one of his earlier gigs at the "Laurel Pop Festival" which took place on July 12,69 which got him a rave review in the Washington Post by a guy named Bob Woodward !....yes, that Bob Woodward...less than 3 weeks later, I waited in the pit with my camera at the "Atlantic City Pop Festival" for Johnny to take the stage...he never got on stage because his equiptment never showed up..I was bummed...2 weeks later he would play Woodstock only to have his performance deleted from the film...bummed once again....peter

Addictive is only the middle name... Me, I'm lucky to have
been witnessin'Winters short performance at Roskilde in
the 80s (some @#$%& threw bottles); Winter left the stage
on the spot, I would have done the same.

I remember seeing Johnny @ University of Waterloo in 1969, loudest show I'd ever seen up to that point.

You're all missing the obvious connection folks. They both use(used) Gibson Firebird guitars. What do I win?

I think there must be something regarding Marshall Chess, the Chairman of Rolling Stones Records. I am sure the Stones were actively looking for artists to sign and Johnny Winter would have been a perfect choice. Was Winter - by chosing Stones (related) songs on any of his albums of that period - teasing them to sign him?
The original idea of RS Records was certainly to sign other artists but only occasional albums were realized like Jajouka, Jamming With Edward or the Howlin Wolf all-stars-session. The Stones were rather caucious with not making the same mistakes as the Beatles with Apple (mismanagement plus signing Mary Hopkin and the like) but the idea wasn't gone until they thought to have made the right choice with Peter Tosh. By then, Johnny Winter certainly was no artist to consider anymore.
By 1973, as far as I know, Winter had gone through drug problems (no release in 1972 and an album by the title Still Alive and Well followed!!!). He wasn't the guitar God anymore he became in the wake of Hendrix's death. So maybe that was his intention to attract the Stones again. To give away Silver Train beforehand was nothing unusual I think. Don't forget that Mick and Keith gave away another original song (High Roller) to Leslie West who aslo recorded Honky Tink Women in that period of time.

I have alwayas read that I'm your and i'm hers (always thought it was "I'm yours and she's mine" :-)) is one of Brian Jones favorite numbers and they opened with it as a tribute to him. Would make a lot of sence, but you never know for sure.

Although the version of hyde park is pretty rough, as is the whole show, i always liked it ver much! Great tune!

Cheers,
Wuudy

Baboon Bro Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Addictive is only the middle name... Me, I'm lucky
> to have
> been witnessin'Winters short performance at
> Roskilde in
> the 80s (some @#$%& threw bottles); Winter left
> the stage
> on the spot, I would have done the same.

I was at the same concert back in the 80' - I was a huge Winter fan at the time. He had released two or three superior albums ("Guitarslinger" as far as I recall??) in a row and was really on a roll.

I think Lou Reed was on the same bill and he demanded a fence being put up - a fence that became part of the set up for many years after, causing further distance between the public and the star - sad when you think about it. All it takes is one stupid jerk and a beer bottle. Oh, yeah....and afterwards you couldn't get your beers in bottles put had to have them poured into a plastic glass....

I think it was more than one bottle actually and as I recall the incident he gave out a warning before leaving the stage?? But we were all pissed as farts *lol*

I never forgave that stupid sucker (the bottle thrower, that is)

.....but again, if you think of the things being thrown at the The Stones in their early years - a chair hitting Mick Jagger in the eye in Paris seems to come to mind ;-)

now you really got me interested...? for vox12string..."Both used Gibson Firebirds"...meaning JW & BJ ?...that was the connection ?...JW did perform in Canada in 69..would like to know if you have a approximate date you saw this show as it is missing from the "gig history" of JW....there is so much history missing in the JW archives...although I'm not a musician and can't play a lick on the guitar, I have plenty of photos of guitarists playing "gibson firebirds"...Martin Turner of "Wishbone Ash" etc...I would love to know the connection between JW & ?....archivist @ work....peter

Johnny Winter - Key To The Highway
VIDEO: [www.youtube.com]


Johnny Winter - It's All Over Now
[www.youtube.com]

"The most terrifying electric blues player ever. His catalog of blues riffs and
phrasing is matched by absolutely no one. NOBODY knew more blues licks than this man.?" - fillmorenyc1







Johnny Winter - Stray Cat Blues?
[www.youtube.com]

"As a permanent Stones fanatic I must say this version kicks major sleazy, debauched ass. As a female, I definitely would want to walk up the stairs to the feast of Mick and Keef. This guy? Terrifying!"

"Just the fricken guitar alone makes this a masterpiece...even without the
haunting arrangement and the sleazy, smarmy mood created by the vocal styling
and lyrics ("I can see you're only 15 yrs old but I don't want your ID"?!?!
Are you sure, Mick??)." - hyjyljyj

"RIP Johnny. 7/17/14. Nobody rocked the blues like you. And nobody ever will.?" - C Parks




Johnny Winter (R) with brother Edgar Winter



B.B. King, Johnny Winter & Muddy Waters, New York City, 1979 - Bob Gruen






Johnny Winter - I'm Yours And I'm Hers
VIDEO: [www.youtube.com]


More on Johnny Winter
[ultimateclassicrock.com]

   Jimi Hendrix on bass with Johnny Winter at the Scene 1968 NYC

Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2019-01-19 23:31 by exilestones.

Re: Hyde Park ‘69 version of Johnny Winter’s “I’m Yours And I’m Hers”. The Stones must have realized that covering this song in a respectful manner was a huge undertaking. So, given that the original is in A, the band artfully seizes upon the nearest key,G, which Keith can manage quite well in open tuning. They begin with Johnny’s signature lick; the intro is now the instrumental “b-part”, and away they go.

If you like Johnny you have to read "Raisin' Cain" a book about Johnny's life written by Mary Lou Sullivan. Excellent read. Johnny was great and a monster, in an awesome way, of a musician and artist; very cool but very demanding. His rock and roll period early 70's is gold. Then he got that weird guitar which changed his sound. Fortunately he kept the Firebird V to play slide. I miss Johnny Winter.

Rock and roll,
Mops

Quote
rollmops
If you like Johnny you have to read "Raisin' Cain" a book about Johnny's life written by Mary Lou Sullivan. Excellent read. Johnny was great and a monster, in an awesome way, of a musician and artist; very cool but very demanding. His rock and roll period early 70's is gold. Then he got that weird guitar which changed his sound. Fortunately he kept the Firebird V to play slide. I miss Johnny Winter.

Rock and roll,
Mops

Thanks for the info, Mops! I saw Johnny Winter And at the Fillmore east, Allman Brothers Band (and Elvin Bishop) opening. Last saw him at BB King's and unfortunately, for whatever reason, he buried his licks with a chorus pedal. Very bittersweet sendoff for me.