Winter (Edgar Winter, that is) comes to Poway on Saturday
The Poway Center for the Performing Arts is sure to be rocking this Saturday (Nov. 14) as Edgar Winter and his band take to the stage in the third show of the center’s Professional Performance Series 2009-10 season.
Tickets are still available for the show, which starts at 8 p.m. For more information, go to www.powayarts.org .
The legendary rocker is perhaps best known for “Frankenstein” his blistering instrumental — and a No. 1 single — from the 1973 album “They Only Come Out at Night.” The song is one of the earliest to feature the synthesizer in a prominent role.
The album also included what has become the definitive version of Dan Hartman’s “Free Ride,” which has become a staple of classic rock radio stations, movie soundtracks and video games.
Born in 1946 in Beaumont, Texas, Winter was a child prodigy, a multi-instrumentalist who was familiar with numerous musical styles and genres, from rock to jazz, blues to pop and knew how to mix them up to create innovative sounds.
In 1969 he joined his brother — noted guitarist Johnny Winter — on stage at Woodstock.
His 1970 debut album, “Entrance” is known for his version of “Tobacco Road,” which gave Winter national recognition. Backed by his band, White Trash, Winter followed up with “Edgar Winter’s White Trash” in 1971 and “Roadwork” the next year.
The next year, he created The Edgar Winter Group with Dan Hartman, Ronnie Montrose and Chuck Ruff, with whom he recorded “They Only Come Out at Night,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 200 hits and was certified as double platinum.
Winter has more than 20 albums, the most recent of which, “Rebel Road” was released in 2008.
It features Winter performing with former Guns and Roses guitarist Slash, country singer Clint Black, and his guitarist brother Johnny Winter.
The album explores Winter’s country music roots, and includes country-blues style harp from Clint Black.
According to Winter, nothing can top the exhilaration of performing live before an audience.
“It’s always very inspiring for me, and I am never going to quit because I need to be out there playing,” he said. “So you’ll never hear me saying anything about a farewell tour. I’m in this for life.”
The Poway Center for the Performing Arts is located at 15498 Espola Road.
Tickets are $45 for adults, and youth tickets, for those 18 and under, are $5 with the purchase of an adult ticket. Tickets for seniors, ages 62 and above, are $38. The center also offers packages for multiple shows.
For more information, call 858-748-0505.