EDGAR WINTER REVEALS THE VISUALIZER FOR “STRANGER” ON ALL-STAR TRIBUTE TO HIS BROTHER JOHNNY WINTER

May 27, 2022 – Today Edgar Winter and Quarto Valley Records released the visualizer for “Stranger”, the 4th single from his current tribute album to the beloved guitar player Johnny Winter, Brother Johnny.

The fourth focus track is Johnny’s tender and revealing “Stranger,” whose emotional resonance is further enhanced by the touchingly beautiful voice of Michael McDonald (vocals), Joe Walsh (lead guitar), and Ringo Starr (drums) who join Edgar (on piano, mellotron, and synth), Tim Pierce (electric and acoustic guitar), Bob Glaub (bass) and Kenny Aronoff (on percussion). “I absolutely love this ballad, partly because it is so uncharacteristic of Johnny’s style and image. It is on the soft side, very melodic, and sensitive, displaying a vulnerability Johnny does not often reveal,” explains Edgar.

As Edgar considered how to create a video component for “Stranger,” he found his inspiration close to home, as he tells it, “at first I couldn’t see any way of doing something meaningful with this song—that is, until I hit upon the idea of making my beautiful wife (Monique) the “pretty stranger”. Then the whole thing just seemed to fall miraculously into place.

I should explain—I’ve always felt a sense of deep personal connection with this song. From the first time I heard the opening line ‘Hello pretty stranger’, something clicked in my mind that made me immediately think of my first meeting with Monique. She was so much the tantalizingly exotic stranger I thought I’d never have the chance to meet. Absolutely gorgeous, sophisticated, mysterious, and unattainable—in short, totally out of my class.

But here’s the main thing. At the end of the song, the lyrics never actually say if these two newly met lovers are saying goodbye forever (making this only a one night affair) or if this might be just the start of something much more. 

This point has always been a great part of the beauty and mystery of the whole song for me. The fact is—that we never know if the next perfect stranger we seemingly just happen to meet is entirely by chance, or rather might end up being that one special person we’re destined to spend the rest of our lives with. The latter is the story I choose to tell.

This has always been my own secret and preferred interpretation. It makes the piece a beautiful love song, and just as possibly Monique’s and my own story as well. It transforms the song into something intimately personal, and so much more meaningful to me, to us both, and I think—for us all. Because it’s Johnny’s song featuring the guitar, and our being family (close as we all were) that makes him the obvious and perfect person to fill the guitar role, becoming the other main character in this visualizer.

It never ceases to amaze me how many things have magically fallen into place during the course of this album and are still continuing to do so. And here is yet another example of that wondrous theme at work. So, sit back, open your heart, take a deep breath, and enjoy the touching and mysterious ‘Stranger’.”

Brother Johnny as a whole is a powerful sonic journey, traveling the course of Johnny’s musical life, impeccably directed, as only his brother Edgar could.

The guitar-driven album celebrates the expansive styles Johnny was known for – the 17 tracks were carefully curated by Edgar and producer Ross Hogarth to represent Johnny’s evolution as an artist, honoring his great legacy while also incorporating a personal tribute from brother to brother, and for which Edgar penned two new songs.

Joining Edgar on the inclusive project is an impressive array of renowned musicians who knew, or were inspired by Johnny, including: Joe Bonamassa, Doyle Bramhall II, Robben Ford, Billy Gibbons, David Grissom, Taylor Hawkins, Warren Haynes, Steve Lukather, Michael McDonald, John McFee, Keb’ Mo’, Doug Rappoport, Bobby Rush, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Ringo Starr, Derek Trucks, Waddy Wachtel, Joe Walsh, Phil X, Bob Glaub and Sean Hurley on Bass, and Gregg Bissonette on Drums.  There were also invaluable musical contributions from Kenny Aronoff, Tim Pierce, Billy Payne, Doc Kupka, and David Campbell. 

Brother Johnny is available on CD and digitally across all platforms and double vinyl will be available in early July 2022.

PREVIOUS SINGLES: The album’s first single, “Johnny B. Goode”, was released on January 7, 2022 and features Edgar, Joe Walsh, David Grissom, Bob Glaub, Gregg Bissonette and Phil X. Listen to it here.

The 2^nd single, “Mean Town Blues,” was released February 18, 2022, just before what would have been Johnny’s 78th birthday, February 23, and features Edgar Winter singing, Joe Bonamassa on slide guitar, Sean Hurley on bass, and Gregg Bissonette on drums. Listen to it here.

The 3rd single was “Lone Star Blues” released on March 18 and features Edgar Winter and Keb’ Mo’, a perfect pairing for this personal and biographical song Edgar penned especially for this tribute. See the visualizer here and listen here.