Raisin' Cain: The Wild and Raucous Story of Johnny Winter (Kindle Edition) (54 page)

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Authors: Mary Lou Sullivan

BOOK: Raisin' Cain: The Wild and Raucous Story of Johnny Winter (Kindle Edition)
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Johnny’s guitar collection in New York. Lying down L—R: mid ’60s non-reverse Gibson Firebird, and seven early ’60s Gibson Reverse Firebirds. Standing L—R: early ’60s Gibson Thunderbird bass, two Dobro resonator guitars. (Photo by Susan Winter)
 
 
With his father and namesake, John Dawson Winter Jr. (Photo courtesy of Johnny Winter)
 
 
Johnny and Susan Winter—the early years. (Photo courtesy of Johnny Winter)
 
 
Soaking up the sunshine on his New York City balcony. (Photo by Susan Winter)
 
 
Johnny with the beginning of his extensive cane collection in a shot for
Raisin’ Cain
. (Photo by Susan Winter)
 
 
Standing L—R: Styve Homnick, Johnny, Willie Dixon; seated: Sonny Terry. Cover shot for
Whoopin’.
(Photo by Susan Winter)
 
 
Johnny, wearing an Ikey Sweat tee shirt, shows Styve Homnick exactly how he wants him to play the drums on
Whoopin’.
(Photo courtesy of Styve Homnick)
 
 
Johnny played his 1920s National resonator during the
Third Degree
sessions. (Photo by Paul Natkin)
 
 
Albert Collins and Johnny at the Park West in Chicago in 1984. (Photo by Paul Natkin)
 
 
Johnny’s rendition of “Mojo Boogie” at the Mohegan Sun Casino in 2008. (Photo by Charles Fitzsimmons)
 
 
Johnny proudly displays his “Screamin’ Demon” tattoo and Lazer guitar. (Photo by Paul Natkin)
 
“Betty Ann talked us into quitting the job,” says Johnny. “I thought it was the right thing to do too. We had a really bad bus. The bathroom stunk and there wasn’t a bed for me. I wanted a bed in the back for me but it just had narrow couches you couldn’t sleep on. And we had two long drives from country to country that ended up being twelve hours and fourteen hours. It was really a drag.”
Montgomery, who had fronted his own band since 1970, knew how to save the tour, but neither Slatus nor Johnston would listen to his advice. The entire entourage enjoyed an impromptu European vacation. Johnny’s fondest memories were visits to two hash bars in Amsterdam.
“We went into Amsterdam for four days and I smoked myself silly,” says Johnny with a laugh. “Hash bars, where they smoke grass too. They have all different kinds of grass that they sell in the bars. The hash was good; long and stringy, real gooey. People mix it up with tobacco and smoke it in the bar. It’s legal over there. It’s lovely. Going to Amsterdam was definitely worth not doing the gigs. I loved it. Did it all night. The Bulldog was a lot of tourists but there were other places like the Green House where people from Amsterdam went. It was amazing. The Bulldog was a disco. Smokin’ and watchin’ people in a disco was hilarious.”
Fresh from his European tour/vacation, Johnny returned to the studio in July and September to finish
I’m a Bluesman.
Nominated for a Grammy and finally released on Virgin in June 2004, the CD garnered mixed reviews, many commenting on Johnny’s diminished vocals. Clueless about Johnny’s condition, Slatus told Shurman Johnny should have gotten closer to the microphone.

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