Cds You Should Own: Johnny Winter SECOND WINTER

Columbia Records has recently offered a fantastic Cd re-release of the great second album by Texas rock-bluesman, Johnny Winter. Originally, SECOND WINTER, which debuted on October 27, 1969 was a three sided double album, where side four was blank, which was a real recording oddity at the time. However, the new Columbia Cd version re-release includes two songs that were unfinished and unreleased at the time, "Early In The Morning" and the instrumental, "Tell The Truth". And the live concert recorded at the Royal Alpert Hall is a also included as the second disc in the Columbia release as well.

The brother of Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter played in his band, so this concert includes the earliest known version of the later top 45rpm single hit of "Frankenstein" on it along with many other great songs including a rip roarin' version of "Johnny B. Goode" and a long bluesy take on "Tobacco Road".

Long before ZZ Top and other Texas blues-rock acts became chart toppers, Johnny Winter was blazing the trail by being one of the best blues acts of them all. And songs like his blues-rock influenced take on Bob Dylan's, "Highway 61 Revisited" really are great songs on this album. Interestingly there is a blues song, "I love Everybody", answered by "I Hate Everybody". And greast versions of Little Richards' "Miss Ann" and Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" are included on the studio album as well.

I loved the three sided lp when it was released in 1969. But this newer Columbia Records re-release has really done great justice to this fantastic second album by one of the greatest blues-rock acts ever. If you love music in the vein of ZZ Top and Stevie Ray Vaughan and others, then you should get a copy of this Cd tribute to the great Johnny Winter.