Complete List Of Winger Band Members

From the neon-lit stages of New York City emerged a band that would challenge the boundaries between hard rock and technical virtuosity. Winger formed in New York City in 1987 and gained popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s with two platinum albums, Winger and In the Heart of the Young, along with charting singles “Seventeen,” “Headed for a Heartbreak” and “Miles Away.” In 1990, the band was nominated for an American Music Award for “Best New Heavy Metal Band.” The group has released seven studio albums throughout their career, with their most recent being Seven in 2023.

As the music scene changed in the early to mid-1990s due to the popularity of grunge, their success faded following their third release, 1993’s Pull. Winger disbanded less than a year later in 1994. However, the story did not end there. In 2001, the band reunited and have since conducted several successful tours. In 2006, the band’s 1993 touring lineup reunited to record the band’s first studio album in over 13 years, IV, and toured in support of the album into 2008. Despite multiple lineup changes over the decades, Winger has maintained an active presence in the rock music scene, though the band announced in 2025 that they would be embarking on farewell tours, marking the end of an era for this influential hard rock act.

Throughout their nearly four-decade history, Winger has featured six primary members who have contributed to their distinctive sound and commercial success. The band’s core has remained remarkably stable, with founding members continuing to perform together decades after their initial formation. Each musician brought unique talents and experiences that helped shape the band’s evolution from their explosive debut through their later progressive-influenced works. Understanding the individual contributions of each member provides insight into how Winger managed to create music that appealed to both mainstream rock audiences and more discerning musicians who appreciated their technical prowess.

Kip Winger

Charles Frederick “Kip” Winger was born on June 21, 1961, and is an American singer and bassist who is active as a member of the rock band Winger and as a solo artist. He initially gained recognition in the music industry through his work with Alice Cooper, where he contributed bass to the albums Constrictor in 1986 and Raise Your Fist and Yell in 1987. After making two albums and touring with Cooper, much of the time alongside keyboardist/guitarist Paul Taylor, Winger left in March 1987 to focus on his own band. His musical journey began early, as he started studying classical music at age 16 after being exposed to composers like Debussy, Ravel, and Stravinsky in ballet class.

As the founder and driving force behind Winger, Kip has been with the band throughout its entire history from 1987 to the present day, with breaks only during the band’s hiatus from 1994 to 2001 and briefly from 2003 to 2006. He has appeared on all seven of the band’s studio albums: Winger (1988), In the Heart of the Young (1990), Pull (1993), IV (2006), Karma (2009), Better Days Comin’ (2014), and Seven (2023). His contributions to these albums extend beyond his vocal and bass performances, as he has been the primary songwriter and creative visionary for much of the band’s catalog. His classical training became increasingly evident in later Winger albums, where complex arrangements and sophisticated harmonic structures became more prominent.

Outside of Winger, Kip has achieved remarkable success as a classical composer. He composed a thirty-minute symphonic piece, “Ghosts,” written for strings, piano, and harp for a ballet commission, which had its premiere with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra on November 14–15, 2009. His classical work reached new heights with the album C.F. Kip Winger: Conversations with Nijinsky, which was recorded by the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and reached the top of the Traditional Classical Chart on the Billboard music charts. C.F. Kip Winger: Conversations with Nijinsky was nominated in the Best Classical Contemporary Composition category at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. He has also ventured into musical theater, composing the musical thriller Get Jack with book and lyrics by Damien Gray.

Reb Beach

Richard Earl “Reb” Beach Jr. was born on August 31, 1963, and is an American rock guitarist who is a member of the bands Winger and Whitesnake. His musical education began at Berklee College of Music in the early 1980s, where he developed the technical skills that would later make him one of the most respected guitarists in hard rock. Before joining Winger, Beach established himself as an accomplished studio musician, working with notable artists including Howard Jones, Chaka Khan, The Bee Gees, Twisted Sister, and Roger Daltrey. While working with Fiona, he was introduced to Kip Winger, who was touring with Alice Cooper at the time. Eventually, they formed the band Sahara along with Rod Morgenstein and Paul Taylor, which was later renamed to Winger.

Beach has been with Winger since its formation in 1987 and has appeared on all of the band’s studio albums. His guitar work has been a defining element of the band’s sound, contributing memorable riffs and solos to hits like “Seventeen,” “Headed for a Heartbreak,” and “Miles Away.” Winger recorded and toured in support of three albums, Winger (1988), In the Heart of the Young (1990) and Pull (1993). The band also released a number of hit singles, including “Seventeen”, “Madalaine”, “Headed for a Heartbreak” and “Miles Away”. His playing style incorporates frequent use of whammy bar techniques and tapping, showcasing both technical proficiency and melodic sensibility. During Winger’s most successful period, Beach’s guitar work helped establish the band’s reputation among musicians for their technical capabilities.

Beyond Winger, Beach has maintained an incredibly successful parallel career. Since 2002, he has been a member of David Coverdale’s current incarnation of Whitesnake and has been the longest-serving guitarist/member of the band to this day, excluding Coverdale. He has also worked with numerous other prominent acts, including Dokken, Night Ranger, and Alice Cooper. Beach participated in a supergroup project called The Mob with King’s X frontman Doug Pinnick and Night Ranger drummer Kelly Keagy, which resulted in a self-titled album released in 2005. He has also released solo material, including the album “Masquerade.” According to bandmate Kip Winger, Reb is quite adept at coming up with multiple rock riffs at a time, though he is often unable to remember them later.

Rod Morgenstein

Rod Morgenstein was born on April 19, 1953, and is an American drummer with rock bands Winger and Dixie Dregs. His professional music career began in 1975 while he was still a student at the University of Miami, where he met Steve Morse, Andy West, and Allen Sloan as part of what was then known as Rock Ensemble II of the Studio Music and Jazz curriculum. When the band temporarily disbanded in 1983, Morgenstein joined fellow Dreg Steve Morse to form the Steve Morse Band, with whom the drummer recorded two albums. His reputation as a versatile and technically proficient drummer was already well-established when he joined Winger in 1987.

Morgenstein has been a constant presence in Winger since the band’s formation, appearing on all seven studio albums and participating in all major tours and reunions. Winger’s self-titled 1988 release went platinum in the U.S. and led to an American Music Award nomination for Best New Heavy Metal Band. Follow-up In The Heart Of The Young also went platinum. His drumming style combines elements of progressive rock, jazz fusion, and hard rock, bringing a level of sophistication to Winger’s rhythm section that helped distinguish them from many of their contemporaries. His technical abilities allowed the band to explore more complex musical territories, particularly evident on albums like Pull and later releases where progressive elements became more prominent.

Throughout his career, Morgenstein has received significant recognition for his drumming abilities. He has been awarded Modern Drummer’s “Best Progressive Rock Drummer” five years (1986-’90), “Best All-Around Drummer” (1999) and was inducted into magazine’s Honor Roll. Beyond his performance career, he has made substantial contributions to music education. He worked for twenty years as a professor, teaching percussion at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He has also been involved in numerous side projects, including Platypus, the Steve Morse Band, and Jelly Jam, and has done session work with Jordan Rudess including his ventures with the Rudess/Morgenstein Project. He has authored instructional materials and continues to be a columnist for Modern Drummer magazine.

Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor was born on June 4, 1960, and is an American musician, who is best known as the keyboardist/guitarist for the hard rock band Winger. His early career included work with various notable musicians, and he experienced his first mainstream success in the early 1980s as the touring keyboardist in Canadian musician Aldo Nova’s backing band, appearing in the music video for Nova’s biggest hit, “Fantasy.” Prior to forming Winger, Taylor and Kip Winger were both playing with Alice Cooper’s backing band on the tours for Cooper’s mid-80s albums, Constrictor (1986) and Raise Your Fist and Yell (1987). During this time, the two began composing songs together and, while on break from touring, recorded what would become the first Winger demos.

Taylor was an original member of Winger from its formation in 1987 and played a crucial role in the band’s most commercially successful period. He appeared on the first two platinum-selling albums, Winger (1988) and In the Heart of the Young (1990), contributing keyboards, rhythm guitar, and backing vocals. As a band member for Winger, Paul might be best known for writing one of their number one hits, Miles Away. His keyboard work added melodic layers and harmonic depth to the band’s sound, while his rhythm guitar playing helped fill out their arrangements. Paul Taylor left the band after the tour, citing exhaustion after years of touring. He did not participate in the recording of the band’s third album, Pull, which was recorded as a three-piece.

Following his departure from Winger, Taylor has maintained an active and diverse career in the music industry. Throughout the 1990s, Taylor immersed himself in numerous other projects, perhaps the most prolific of which was recording and touring with Steve Perry for his 1994 solo album. He has worked with a wide range of artists including Tommy Shaw, Cinderella, and Alice Cooper. More recently, Taylor has become involved in composing music for television series programs and has also been pursuing his passion for photography. He has made periodic returns to Winger for various reunion activities, including the 2001 reunion and select tour dates in 2013-2014. Taylor played keyboards, guitars and co-wrote on former Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars’ debut solo album The Other Side of Mars.

John Roth

John Roth is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the rock bands Winger, Black Oak Arkansas, Giant, and Starship. He has been touring and recording with national acts since the mid-1980s. His musical career began at a young age when he got his start at 17 with Medieval Steel on the band’s self-titled debut EP. He was asked by Jim Dandy, lead vocalist of Black Oak Arkansas, to join his band as lead guitarist in 1986. After touring the U.S. and Canada with Black Oak in the mid-1980s, Roth joined forces with Survivor’s lead vocalist Jimi Jamison in 1989 to record Jamison’s first solo release When Love Comes Down. The first single from that album, “Rock Hard,” which Roth co-wrote, was featured on the hit television series Baywatch.

Roth joined Winger in 1993 during a transitional period for the band. After touring with Jamison in the early 1990s, Roth joined Winger in 1993 for a tour of the U.S. and Japan in support of the band’s third record, Pull, as well as appearing in the band’s videos “Down Incognito” and “Who’s The One”. He was brought in to replace Paul Taylor on rhythm guitar for the Pull tour after Taylor had left the band due to exhaustion. Since the 1990s, Roth has continued to tour and record with Winger on a number of projects including The Very Best of Winger, Winger IV, and the Winger Live concert DVD in 2009. He has appeared on four Winger studio albums: IV (2006), Karma (2009), Better Days Comin’ (2014), and Seven (2023), becoming an integral part of the band’s later musical evolution.

Throughout his career with Winger and other bands, Roth has demonstrated remarkable versatility as both a rhythm and lead guitarist. His playing style incorporates influences from blues, funk, and classic rock, bringing a different flavor to Winger’s sound compared to the original lineup. In 2009, Roth joined melodic rock band Giant as lead guitarist to record their fourth studio album Promise Land. He has also maintained ongoing relationships with other prominent acts, including joining Starship featuring Mickey Thomas as their lead guitarist in 2012. His ability to adapt to different musical styles and work effectively with various artists has made him a sought-after session and touring musician throughout his career. Roth’s contributions to Winger’s later albums have helped the band maintain their musical relevance while exploring new creative directions.

Cenk Eroglu

Cenk Eroglu served as keyboardist for Winger during a brief but notable period in the band’s history. Though he was an official band member from 2006 until 2009 and appeared on the 2006 album IV, Eroglu was absent for most live shows during 2007. His time with the band coincided with their reunion period following their hiatus, when they were working to reestablish themselves in the music industry after more than a decade away from recording new studio material.

Eroglu’s contributions to Winger IV helped fill the keyboard role that had been vacant since Paul Taylor’s departure from the band in the early 1990s. His involvement represented the band’s desire to maintain the full sound they had achieved on their earlier albums, particularly the layered arrangements that had characterized their most successful releases. While his tenure with the band was relatively short compared to other members, his work on IV was part of Winger’s successful return to recording and touring.

After his departure from Winger in 2009, Eroglu’s career activities have been less publicly documented compared to the other band members. His brief time with Winger represents one chapter in the band’s ongoing evolution and their efforts to maintain their distinctive sound while adapting to changing lineups and musical landscapes. The band continued without a dedicated keyboardist after his departure, with other members taking on those responsibilities as needed during performances and recordings.