Johnny Winter Fights Back Against His Demons

08/02/2012
. (Classic Rock Revisited) Johnny Winter found a guardian angel in his manager, producer and rhythm guitarist Paul Nelson. In only six years, Nelson has taken a rock icon that had damaged himself with drugs and alcohol, to the brink of death, and rebuilt both the man and his career.

Johnny Winter's triumphant return can be heard on his new CD Roots. "It was very important for Johnny to do great on this album," states Nelson. "Johnny is off the drugs and the drinking, and all of the stuff that he was on for all of those years."

Winter admits he is surprised he was able to change, "Heroin was the hardest thing that I ever had to go through. It was worth it to go through it and get clean. I am not taking any drugs and I am not drinking. I am not smoking cigarettes anymore and I am not doing anything bad. I never thought this would be possible. I never thought I would see the day that I didn't have any vices at all."

Nelson took over as that artist's manager and made immediate changes that made it possible for Winter to begin to recover from decades of abuse. "I had to wait, wait and wait until he was primed and ready. Johnny had just gotten off methadone about a year before. Once he got off that, then his voice got stronger, and his playing got stronger, and it was time to record. The music doesn't lie. That is why this is so important; this album had to be strong." A Lot more here.

Classic Rock Revisited submitted this story.
Copyright Classic Rock Revisited - Excerpted here with permission.

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