Johnny Winter - 'Second Winter'

Second Winter is the third studio album by Texas blues guitarist Johnny Winter, and was released in 1969.

Those of you of a certain age may remember it was released as a three-sided LP, with a blank fourth side on the original vinyl.  Speaking of remembrances, Jerry my husband (then boyfriend), who was very stoned at the time, accidentally played side four, which did wonders for the stylus.

 Johnny starts it all off by showing off his soulful voice on a cover of Percy Mayfield’s "Memory Pain," before he surrenders the spotlight to Edgar’s nimble keys on the self-penned "I’m Not Sure." Johnny strangles the neck of his Gibson Firebird’s neck on Dennis Collins’ "The Good Love."  Parts of the album sound like a ‘50s rock 'n' roll dance party, as Johnny wails his way across classics like "Slippin’ and Slidin"’ and "Miss Ann" (both made famous by Little Richard), and Chuck Berry’s ripping "Johnny B. Goode."  Johnny's strong songwriting is on display here, with the amusingly contradictory "I Love Everybody" that features some tasty slide guitar.  "I Hate Everybody" is a jazz-based departure, while "Fast Life Rider" sounds decidedly experimental and then there's the tongue-in-cheek "Hustled Down in Texas"

But the biggest surprise was saved for last: a reinvention of Bob Dylan’s "Highway 61 Revisited" featuring a slide-guitar tour-de-force that would go down as a career-defining track that became a major component of his set list, for the rest of his life.

Today's freeload is the 2CD Legacy Edition, from 2004.

CD1 is the original album, with two previously unreleased bonus tracks, 'Early In The Morning' and 'Tell The Truth'

CD2 is the previously unreleased 'Live At Royal Albert Hall' from April, 17th, 1970.

Johnny Winter - Guitar, mandolin, vocals
Edgar Winter - Keyboards, alto saxophone, vocals
Uncle John Turner - Percussion
Tommy Shannon - Bass
Dennis Collins - Bass 

To qualify for the freeload, tell us what your favorite season is.