Top 10 Johnny Winter Songs

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Our Top 10 Johnny Winter Songs list looks at a blues guitarist who merged the worlds of rock and roll and the blues almost better than any other musician in classic rock history. As we have written so many times, as well as many other writers and critics, there would be no rock and roll without the blues. Johnny Winter defined the connections on every single record he recorded.

Johnny Winter’s debut album, The Progressive Blues Experiment, was released in 1968 on the independent Sonobeat label. Johnny Winter didn’t stay on an independent label for long, as Columbia Records quickly signed him and released his major-label debut in 1969 entitled Johnny Winter. The soon-to-be legendary blues guitarist continued with Columbia and CBS-affiliated Blue Sky Records through the 1970s. Johnny Winter joined legendary blues label Alligator Records in 1984 and recorded three albums for the label: Guitar Slinger, Serious Business, and Third Degree.

After leaving Alligator Records, Johnny Winter released albums on various labels, including Voyager/MCA, Point Blank/Virgin, and Megaforce. Johnny Winter’s recording career stretched from the late ’60s into the 2010s. Johnny Winter passed away on July 16, 2014, at the age of 70. His final studio album, Step Back, was released posthumously in September 2014 and won the Grammy Award for Best Blues Album in 2015.

Our top 10 Johnny Winter songs list is a subjective list of great material that we feel any classic rock or blues fan should know. It’s not a definite list, just a sampling of great Johnny Winter songs.

# 10 – Illustrated Man

We open our top 10 Johnny Winter songs list with the great song “Illustrated Man.” The song was released on Johnny Winter’s fabulous album Let Me In. The album was released in 1991. It’s one of our favorite Johnny Winter albums. The record sounds so good. “Illustrated Man” features Johnny Winter on guitar and vocals, Tom Compton on drums, and Jeff Ganz on bass. This is a well-recorded album released on Point Blank Records. This one is a must!

# 9 – Please Come Home For Christmas

Well, this one may be a surprise to some fans. However, those fans who have heard this would agree that Johnny Winter’s version of “Please Come Home for Christmas” is smoking. This great track was released on the follow-up album to Let Me In entitled Hey, Where’s Your Brother? It was Johnny Winter’s second album for Point Blank Records. And speaking of Johnny Winter’s brother Edgar Winter, we found him singing with Johnny on this track.

# 8 – Tired of Tryin’

Many argue that if it weren’t for Muddy Waters, there would be no rock and roll. We pretty much agree with that statement. Muddy Waters inspired many rock and roll and blues guitar players, including Johnny Winter. In 1977, Johnny Winter recorded an album entitled Nothin’ but the Blues with Muddy Waters and members of his Fabulous Thunderbirds.

The record defined everything that there was to know about the blues. It showcases some of the most excellent blues musicians of all time, including Muddy Waters, Pinetop Perkins, and James Cotton. To represent this great Johnny Winter album, we have chosen the album’s opening track, “Tired of Tryin’.” You won’t get tired of listening to this one.

# 7 – Rock Me Baby

Johnny Winter’s “Rock Me Baby” version was released on his classic album Still Alive and Well. The song was placed as the album’s opening track. On the record, the songwriting credit for the song “Rock Me Baby” was given to Arthur Crudup and Big Bill Broonzy. However, the song has a long history, with various writers contributing different versions. Check out Johnny Winter’s solo on this one. The wait was worth it for this record.

# 6 – Johnny B. Goode

Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” may be the most covered song in classic rock history. Throw in all the cover bands and garage bands that have played the tune over the past sixty years, and it’s a fair bet to say no other song has been played more. Still, despite the song’s popularity, Johnny Winter’s version is one of the best we have ever heard. This cranking recording featured musicians Johnny Winter on guitar and vocals, Edgar Winter on piano, organ, harpsichord, alto saxophone, and vocals, “Uncle” John Turner on percussion, and Tommy Shannon on bass.

# 5 – Mean Town Blues

For the fifth spot on our Top 10 Johnny Winter Songs list, we go back to the beginning. Johnny Winter’s killer recording of “Mean Town Blues” was released on Johnny Winter’s album The Progressive Blues Experiment. It was Johnny Winter’s debut album. The album was initially released on Sonobeat Records in 1968. Johnny Winter wrote the song. The song featured Tommy Shannon on bass. Shannon would eventually become part of the great Stevie Ray Vaughan band in the 1980s. The song also featured John Turner on drums.

# 4 – Be Careful With A Fool

Johnny Winter’s classic recording of the song “Be Careful With a Fool” was released on the Johnny Winter album. The legendary album, featuring the classic Johnny Winter portrait on the cover, was released in 1969. Joe Josea and B. B. King wrote the song. Six of the album’s nine original tracks were cover songs. The other three were written by Johnny Winter.

# 3 – Good Morning Little School Girl

One of Johnny Winter’s most loved recordings was the excellent track “Good Morning Little School Girl.” It would become one of Johnny Winter’s signature songs. The song appeared on Johnny Winter’s debut album for Columbia Records, entitled Johnny Winter, in 1969. John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson wrote the song. It has long been a blues classic. Some of the most famous versions included recordings by The Grateful Dead, The Yardbirds, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker’s smoking version.

# 2 – Jumpin’ Jack Flash (Live)

The final two songs on this top 10 Johnny Winter songs list are great cover versions of songs from two of the most prominent classic rock artists in history. Johnny Winter’s screaming version of The Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” was released on the Live Johnny Winter And album. The classic live album was released in 1971. Johnny Winter’s band also featured Rick Derringer on guitar at that time. Rick Derringer and Johnny Winter tear it up on this classic version. One of the best moments in Classic Rock History.

# 1 – Highway 61 Revisited

We close out our top 10 Johnny Winter songs list with Johnny Winter’s classic version of Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited.” This may be the best cover version of a Bob Dylan song that anyone has ever done. Johnny Winter’s version of Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” was released on the Johnny Winter Captured Live album. The album was released in 1976.