This saxophonist, keyboard player, guitarist, drummer, vocalist, composer, and band leader was born in Leland, Mississippi, but grew up in Beaumont, Texas. He and his brother, Johnny, shared an interest in rhythm and blues, but Edgar preferred jazz, which led to his early interest in the piano. Edgar left Beaumont High School during his senior year to tour with Johnny, and the two played in a local band called Black Plague before Edgar went off to college and Johnny moved on to a career in rock.

Edgar dropped out of college to play jazz professionally, but rejoined his brother when Columbia Records offered Johnny a major contract. Following the release of Johnny’s first two albums, Edgar produced a jazz-fusion solo record, Entrance. When the album failed to attract much popular notice, Edgar formed his own rock band, White Trash, whose members included locals Jerry LaCroix and Bobby Ramirez.

The band’s self-titled first album appeared in 1971, followed in 1972 by Roadwork, a double LP which went gold. The band broke up in ’72, and Winter formed The Edgar Winter Group. Within a week the band was recording They Only Come Out at Night, which was released later that year. The album hit number one on the charts, went gold, and launched the number one singles Frankenstein and Free Ride. When the new replacement for the band’s guitarist quit, Winter asked producer Rick Derringer to sit in. The combination proved excellent, and the result was another gold record in 1974 for Shock Treatment and a large U.S. concert tour. Following that album, Winter worked on a wide range of projects, releasing another solo jazz album, continuing to work with The Edgar Winter Group, reuniting with White Trash to release an album, and recording a live LP with his brother. Edgar and Leon Russell and their band were the only group chosen from the U.S. to perform at the Music Summit in Moscow in 1989. They performed songs including Cry Out from Winter’s album Mission Earth. In 1990, Edgar rejoined Rick Derringer in the White Lightning Tour, recording a live album, and releasing a studio album.

Winter currently lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife, Monika, and is kept very busy recording, touring, and composing soundtracks for films. He wrote Way Down South, the song featured in the film My Cousin Vinny. Winter has also appeared in films, notably in the film Netherworld.

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