BROTHER JOHNNY - GRAMMY THANK YOU
Brother Johnny Grammy Thank You
Hello All,
wow, Wow, WOW! This is so truly AMAZING! It feels very different from anything I ever could have imagined. When I heard my name, my first thought was—can this be real? Is this really happening?
Next came ecstatic excitement and overwhelming gratitude, an intensity of high emotion. Then an immense feeling of relief, peace, and serenity.
After the ceremony I just wanted to go home, share the moment with Monique, have a romantic evening, sit down in front of the TV, and watch the Grammys as though everything were normal. And that’s what we did—except for a little jumping up and down, fist pumping, yelling, screaming, and laughing.
I’ve never thought or cared much about awards in my life—but I have to admit, I really WANTED this one. I knew from the very beginning that if I did this record the way I imagined and dreamed of it that it would be a Grammy worthy album, but I didn’t do it to win a Grammy. I did it for Johnny, the Winter family (Monique, my Mom and Dad), and to soothe and satisfy my soul.
I think it’s the purity of intention behind “Brother Johnny” that makes it special, and ultimately is why it was chosen. I’ve never seen so much Love, honesty, heart, and passion go into any recording I’ve been a part of. I humbly thank the Academy for according the album this honor, and its members for embracing it with their votes.
Here is what makes all this so meaningful to me. Johnny and I started out playing music together as kids when I was only six years old. He Loved the Blues. That was his music, and he dedicated his life to it. When we played Woodstock together, we were playing the Blues.
After that our careers diverged. I became a sort of musical explorer. Blues, Rock, Jazz, and Classical with my first album “Entrance”, and R&B with “White Trash”. I even assaulted the Glam Rock world with “They Only Come Out At Night”, “Free Ride”, and “Frankenstein”. Meanwhile, Johnny remained true to the Blues. He played Rock, but it was always Blues Rock.
And now, after all these years, “Brother Johnny” is back to the Blues. This is Johnny’s music, as faithfully and lovingly as I can render it. It’s the music we grew up on, in the style we played in our first bands as kids. It’s the music we played together at Woodstock that went on to shape our lives. It’s the music that made Johnny the legendary guitarist and iconic blues figure he became. And it’s this deep and profound Love of the Blues that makes “Brother Johnny” what it is.
This album—from start to finish—is an expression of Love! It started with my wife Monique and our Love for Johnny and his music. It was her Love and inspiration that saw us through the hard times of Covid and everything involved in making an album like this.
Engineer, mixer, and producer Ross Hogarth and I made this record together out of Love and respect for Johnny and his music. That was our motivation and inspiration. And the same is true for Bruce Quarto, president of Quarto Valley Records.
Everyone who played on this recording (not only the guest guitarists—but bass and drums, every single musician) did so not only out of respect for Johnny, Ross, or myself, but also that musical fellowship, deep connection, and Love of the Blues. They put their heart and soul into every note, and no one could ask for more.
I wanted to make an album that was not only a personal tribute to my brother Johnny, but a tribute to the Blues as well—the music he loved. I was once doing an interview, and this guy came up with this question—in ten words or less, define the blues.
Well, you can have the blues, you can sing the blues, but the blues defines itself. Trying to talk about music is like trying to describe a color, or explain a scent. I finally came up with this. The blues is transforming suffering into joy. (with three words left over) At least that’s what the blues has done in my life, and what I hope it may do in yours. We hope you will get as much out of listening to this album as we put into the making of it. I hope you’ll say—now THAT’S THE BLUES, transforming suffering into JOY!
With Peace, Love, and Gratitude
Edgar & Monique
