White Hot Blues

AMG Review of White Hot Blues

Cub Koda
All Music Guide

Slowly over the years, perhaps through sheer survival if nothing else, Johnny Winter finally forged a reputation as a real bluesman rather than a flashy guitar player with a built-in genetic gimmick to sell himself with. That his lues has always been ock & roll and his ock & roll has always been lues is no better highlighted than on this 16-track collection. The raw ock of "Highway 61 Revisited" and the live version of "Johnny B. Goode" sit just fine next to the burner "Be Careful with a Fool," perhaps Winter's finest slow lues performance. The performances span his tenure with Columbia from 1969 to 1980, with the other highlights including "Too Much Seconal," "New York, New York," "Leland Mississippi Blues," and "The Crawl." This may just very well be some of the best lues-rock guitar your money can buy.