A representative for the 'Still Alive and Well' singer announces the blues icon passed away in a hotel room in Zurich on Wednesday, July 16.
- Jul 17, 2014
AceShowbiz - Texas blues icon Johnny Winter has passed away. The musician died in a hotel room in Zurich, Switzerland on Wednesday, July 16. He was 70. "His wife, family and bandmates are all saddened by the loss of their loved one and one of the world's finest guitarists," his rep Carla Parisi said.
The cause of his death is still unclear. According to Reuters, there was no indication of third-party involvement, and early indications pointed to a medically related incident.
Winter started performing when he was teen. He was best known for his high-energy albums and live performances. During his heyday in 1970s, he struggled with heroin addiction but managed to recover and make a comeback with the release of hit single "Still Alive and Well".
Throughout his career, he released at least 20 albums. He also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters and collaborated with his own brother, rock musician Edgar Winter, in a 1976 live album called "Together".
In 1988, Winter was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. In 2003, he was ranked 63rd in the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" list compiled by Rolling Stone magazine.
Winter died while he was on tour. His final performance was at the Lovely Days Festival in Wiesen, Austria on Saturday. His new album is due September 2 this year.
