Joe Perry)ДЎ3.вЂќ Blue MondayвЂќ вЂ“ Dave BartholomewВ (feat. Leslie West)ДЎ2.вЂќMojo HandвЂќ вЂ“ LightninвЂ™ HopkinsВ (feat. Jason Ricci)ДЎ1.вЂќ Long Tall SallyвЂќ вЂ“ Little Richard, Robert Blackwell, Enotris Johnson (feat. Joe Bonamassa)Д©.вЂќ Death LetterвЂќ вЂ“ Son HouseВ (solo Johnny Winter)ДЎ0.вЂќ My BabeвЂќ вЂ“ Willie Dixon (feat. Brian Setzer)Д§.вЂќWhere Can You BeвЂќ вЂ“ original (feat. Paul Nelson)Д¦.вЂќOkie Dokie StompвЂќ вЂ“ Clarence вЂњGatemouthвЂќ BrownВ (feat. Eric Clapton)Д¤.вЂќ Killing FloorвЂќ вЂ“ HowlinвЂ™ WolfВ (feat. Ben Harper)ДЈ.вЂќDonвЂ™t Want No WomanвЂќ вЂ“ Don RobeyВ (feat. Blues Brothers Horns)Дў.вЂќ CanвЂ™t Hold Out (Talk to Me Baby)вЂќ вЂ“ Willie DixonВ (feat. Track Listing, with original composer and guest aritst:ДЎ.вЂќ Unchain My HeartвЂќ вЂ“ Bobby Sharp (feat. Key tracks: Unchain My Heart, Sweet Sixteen, Death Letter Step Back has been nominated for Best Blues AlbumВ for the 2015 Grammy Awards on February 8 and is up against releases byВ Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin, Ruthie Foster, Charlie Musselwhite, and Bobby Rush with Blinddog SmokinвЂ™. Let the notes be your friend and make for a more fulfilling experience listening to Step Back. There is no story or narrative about the songs nor lyrics the notes are simple and to the point laying out precisely which part of the song features the guest artist. While listening to the album it is profitable to have the liner notes on hand to be your guide to each song. It is a gratifying listen to long-time blues and rock aficionados but presents the standards to a younger generation in a vibrant rebirth of those songs hidden in the LP stacks or heard when passing by Stevie Ray VaughnвЂ™s cover of вЂњWho Do You LoveвЂќ on the radio. Not to say the genre has ever faltered or given way, however. WinterвЂ™s take on these blues standards gives a fresh life to them. IвЂ™ve got a pretty good idea though!вЂќ he said toward the end of the interview.

вЂњWell, I donвЂ™t want to tell you what weвЂ™re going to do. When I interviewed Johnny I also asked if he had any sneak peaks at the then unnamed follow-up album he didnвЂ™t want to spoil any surprises. The guest artists also add their own distinct sound when they take their turn at some solos and rhythm fills.

He does this all with staying true to the old blues structure of composing. The songs are re-crafted to be all about JohnnyвЂ™s noted guitar and slide guitar work bolstering howling licks and smooth blues with a big unyielding sound. Johnny and band mate/producer Paul Nelson did something with this record that would make you second-guess if they were actually his songs vs. Some may say that a covers album is a simple way to record and release another album to sell but to say that about Step Back (and Roots as well) would be a mistake. 19, 2012ДЄs a blues standards album, all but one of the songs are covers of songs originally recorded by the iconic names of blues and rock and roll вЂ“ Willy Dixon, Bo Diddley, B.B. Johnny Winter with NYSMusicвЂ™s Steve Malinski and fellow WRPI DJ Mike Buhuski, Oct. John, and also by Leslie West (Mountain), Brian Setzer, Ben Harper, Jason Ricci, the Blues Brothers Horns, and Joe Perry (Aerosmith). Get some of them he did for Step Back.В From that list he is joined by Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Dr. John, Billy Gibbons, a lot of people that just didnвЂ™t have the time to do itвЂ¦ Eric Clapton. I have a lot of respect for all the guys on the record. Paul actually picked most of them and they were people that I liked, people I have known.

HereвЂ™s what he had to share regarding Roots: I asked him how he goes about picking who he wants to collaborate with on the album and who he wanted to get on the album but couldnвЂ™t for whatever reason. At the time, Roots had been out for about a year and the idea for a вЂњRoots IIвЂќ follow-up album had at least been formalized. Though Winter has played the field of rock and roll, his heart had always been in the blues and Step Back brings his recordings full-circle.Д«ack in 2011, Winter released his penultimate album Roots which was a predecessor to Step Back.В Much the same, that album journeys through the early blues recordings with guest talent вЂ“ Jimmy Vivino, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, and his brother Edgar Winter among others.ДЄ day or two prior to JohnnyвЂ™s performance at the Towne Crier CafГ© in October 2012 (currently located in Beacon, NY but located in nearby Pawling, NY at the time) I had the privilege to interview him over the phone live on WRPI Troy. He takes along a plethora of talent to spotlight throughout the album, including Upstate NYвЂ™s own Joe Bonamassa.

Recorded before the untimely passing of Johnny Winter at the age of 70 in July 2014 and released as planned in September, Step BackВ brings us on a 13-song journey through the roots of blues. Take a step back to the roots and let Johnny be your tour guide.

Johnny winter dust my broom