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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZWINTER, Edgar(b 28 December 1946, Beaumont TX) Singer, keyboardist, saxophonist, bandleader; brother of Johnny (see below) and like him an albino. They played together in Black Plague, split to go solo; Edgar played on several of Johnny's LPs including the first, which helped gain a solo contract with CBS. His debut album Entrance '70 saw him playing almost all the instruments, but sold poorly; he formed band White Trash with Jerry Lacroix, lead vocals and sax; John Smith on sax, Mike McClellan on vocals and trumpet, George Sheck on bass, Bobby Ramirez on drums, Floyd Radford on guitar; White Trash '71 and live two-disc Road Work '72 did better, the latter a top 25 album, but he disbanded and formed the Edgar Winter Group with Ronnie Montrose, lead guitar; Dan Hartman on bass, drummer Chuck Ruff; the B side to the first single 'Hangin' Around', the moog-led instrumental 'Frankenstein', made no. 1 USA, top 20 UK and boosted They Only Come Out At Night '72 to no. 3; 'Free Ride' was top 15 USA. Producer Rick Derringer had played on two or three LPs and toured with the group that recorded Shock Treatment '74 and With Rick Derringer '75, hard rock LPs interspersed with Winter's jazzy solo Jasmine Nightdreams. Derringer and Hartman struck out solo '76, Winter rejoined Johnny (who'd also played on several Edgar LPs) for live/oldies set Together. He issued The Edgar Winter Album '79, Standing On Rock '81; Recycled '77 was a compilation of White Trash. He sessioned widely, with Bette Midler, Meatloaf, Montrose, etc. There were reissues and compilations on Epic CDs. |