Steve Winwood

Steve Winwood

Steve Winwood is an English musician and songwriter from Handsworth, Birmingham, born in 1948. He works across blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, pop, pop rock, jazz and R&B, and is best known as a singer, keyboardist and guitarist. His voice is a high tenor, and he also plays mandolin, electric bass, saxophone, flute, drums and percussion.

Early career

Winwood begins piano at the age of four and later learns drums and guitar. He is a choirboy at St John the Evangelist Church in Perry Barr, studies at Great Barr School and also at the Birmingham and Midland Institute. His father, Lawrence Winwood, is a foundryman and semi-professional musician who plays saxophone and clarinet. As a child, he performs with his father and older brother Muff Winwood in the Ron Atkinson band, and while still at school he becomes part of Birmingham's blues rock scene, supporting touring American blues and rock musicians including Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, B. B. King, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. His singing style is influenced by Ray Charles.

The Spencer Davis Group

In 1963, then known as Stevie Winwood, he joins the Spencer Davis Group as lead vocalist and keyboardist, alongside his brother Muff Winwood, Spencer Davis and Pete York. The group signs with Island Records in 1964 and releases its first single, "Dimples", soon after Winwood turns 16. It reaches UK number one with "Keep on Running" and "Somebody Help Me", and Winwood co-writes "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm a Man", both of which chart in the top 10 in the UK and the United States. He leaves the group in 1967.

Traffic, Blind Faith and other collaborations

After leaving the Spencer Davis Group, Winwood forms Traffic with Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason and Chris Wood. Winwood and Capaldi become the band's main songwriting team, with Winwood writing music for Capaldi's lyrics. Traffic's songs include "Paper Sun", "No Face, No Name, No Number", "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys". Winwood sings most of the lead vocals and plays keyboards and guitar. The band releases Mr. Fantasy in 1967, Traffic in 1968 and Last Exit later after disbanding in 1969.

After Traffic's first breakup, Winwood forms Blind Faith with Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Ric Grech. The group releases one album, Blind Faith, which reaches number one in the United Kingdom and the United States and includes "Can't Find My Way Home". It ends after its 1969 tour.

Winwood also works in several other short-lived or collaborative projects in the 1960s and 1970s. He performs with Eric Clapton in Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse in 1966 and appears on the compilation What's Shakin'. In 1968 he plays organ on Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile" from Electric Ladyland. He appears on Ginger Baker's Air Force in 1970, sings the role of Captain Walker on The Who's orchestral recording of Tommy in 1972, and works with Remi Kabaka and Abdul Lasisi Amao on Aiye-Keta in 1973, first released under the name Third World. In 1976 he contributes to Stomu Yamashta's concept album Go and plays guitar on Fania All Stars' Delicate and Jumpy. He also appears with The Latin Crossings in 1998 and with The Louisiana Gator Boys in Blues Brothers 2000.

Solo career

Winwood starts recording a solo album in 1970, but the sessions become a Traffic reunion and lead to John Barleycorn Must Die, reuniting him with Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood. Traffic continues with Welcome to the Canteen, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory, On the Road and When the Eagle Flies before Winwood leaves in 1974.

His first solo album, Steve Winwood, appears in 1977. He contributes to Marianne Faithfull's Broken English in 1979, then reaches a new level of solo success with Arc of a Diver in 1980, which includes "While You See a Chance", and Talking Back to the Night in 1982. Both albums are recorded at his home in Gloucestershire, with Winwood playing all the instruments.

Back in the High Life follows in 1986 and becomes his most commercially successful album. It is recorded with other musicians in New York City, is certified triple platinum in the United States, and produces "Higher Love", which wins Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, along with "Back in the High Life Again" and "The Finer Things". He later releases Roll with It in 1988 and Refugees of the Heart in 1990 on Virgin Records, after moving from Island Records. Roll with It and its title track both reach number one in the United States. His later albums include Junction Seven in 1997, About Time in 2003 and Nine Lives in 2008.

Later work and recognition

In 1994, Winwood and Jim Capaldi reunite Traffic for Far from Home and tour that year, including Woodstock '94. He records "Reach for the Light" for the animated film Balto in 1995. He later releases Soundstage Performances on DVD in 2005, contributes to Ashley Cleveland's Men and Angels Say and plays piano and organ on Christina Aguilera's "Makes Me Wanna Pray" in 2006. He also performs at a Countryside Alliance concert in 2007 and reunites with Eric Clapton at the Crossroads Guitar Festival and at Madison Square Garden in 2008, the same year that Clapton and Winwood issue the EP Dirty City.

Winwood receives two Grammy Awards, an Ivor Novello Award and the BMI Icon title, and is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 as a member of Traffic. He is also named 33rd on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest singers in 2008. He receives honorary degrees from Berklee College of Music and Aston University, and is appointed MBE in the King's Birthday Honours in 2025.

In later years he continues to perform live, including appearances with Roger Daltrey and Friends for Teenage Cancer Trust in 2012, tours with Rod Stewart in 2013 and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers in 2014, a tribute to Ginger Baker in 2020, the Coronation Concert in 2023 and a North American tour with The Doobie Brothers in 2024. He also appears on the Rolling Stones album Foreign Tongues.