Edgar Winter
Edgar Winter
Edgar Holland Winteris an American rock and blues musician. He is known for being a multi-instrumentalist — keyboardist, guitarist, saxophonist and percussionist — as well as a singer. His success peaked in the 1970s with his band, The Edgar Winter Group, and their popular songs "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride"...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionGuitarist
Date of Birth28 December 1946
CityBeaumont, TX
CountryUnited States of America
There is a real formula to writing music, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge. It's very formulaic. The subject matter that you can address in pop music is somewhat restricted. It just doesn't allow that same emotive quality that you can put into poetry.
When I was first starting out, you'd have to bang an old upright piano and stick a mike in it and it would always feed back and you could never turn it up loud enough to be heard and I would beat my hands black and blue and bloody.
I hadn't realized the number of people that are still interested in listening to what I am doing, people I would never know about if not for being online.
I get really tired of hearing of all these old rockers whine and complain about how hard life on the road can be. Just stop if you don't like it. I don't think of it as work. I love it all.
There's just no telling what I'll do. But I can say for certain I will continue to play, record, and put out music.
I guess that I'm primarily thought of as a rocker, largely because of 'Frankenstein' being such a heavy song - you know, it was really hard rock, almost a precursor of heavy metal and just the image of the synthesizer. I happened to be the first guy to get the idea of putting a strap on the keyboard.
I really had little interest in becoming famous. When I write my book, it will be my guide to avoid becoming a rock star.
I just want to thank all my fans for their loyalty and support-for coming out to the shows and buying the CDs.
When I did 'Frankenstein,' the record company said, 'Now you can do 'Dracula' and 'Wolf Man' and we'll call the whole thing Monster Rock!' and I said, 'No, that's not going to happen, I'm not going to do that.' I kind of enjoy defying categorization. I love music in and of itself. I love the beauty of harmony and rhythm.
I played Woodstock in '69, and it really changed my life. Without a doubt, it was the single event that really changed the way I felt about music. Up to that point, I hadn't really thought of myself as more serious musician, and I didn't really have that much interest in pop music.
We started out when I was 6 years old. We played ukuleles and sang Everly Brothers songs.
The mountain is high, the valley is low, and you're confused on which way to go. So I've come here to give you a hand, and lead you into the promised land. So, come on and take a free ride, come on and sit here by my side, come on and take a free ride!
I'm primarily thought of as a rocker, and certainly 'Frankenstein' had a very dramatic power rock image. It was almost a precursor of heavy metal and fusion. But I also love jazz and classical and if there's one common thread that runs through all my music, it is blues.
The most profound, tangible influence in my life has been my wife, Monique. I don't know that I would even be alive were it not for her, and I certainly would not be the person that I am today.