Happy 73rd birthday to the legendary Steve Winwood.
Today’s post will offer a handful of Ted Tocks Covers selections that have featured his incredible ability. Briefly, before I share the links to these posts here is a glimpse into a career that has spanned seven decades.
Consider this; Steve Winwood began playing piano at the age of four and then adapted his ear for music in order to learn the drums and guitar. To further hone his skills, he participated as a choirboy at his local church. By the time he was 8, he was playing on stage in bars with his father, Lawrence, and his elder brother Muff. In order to get around the fact that he was obviously underage the band turned the keyboard backwards so the young prodigy had his back facing the audience.
By the time Steve Winwood was 14 he joined Muff’s band…a little group called the Spencer Davis Group. By 1964, Spencer Davis Group had signed a recording contract with Island Records producer and founder Chris Blackwell and within three years the renowned act had recorded the timeless classics ‘I’m a Man’ and ‘Gimme Some Lovin’’.
Steve Winwood was never one to stay in one place too long. After enjoying success with the Spencer Davis Group he worked with Eric Clapton on a couple of projects including Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse and more famously Blind Faith.
One of Steve Winwood’s finest projects was the infinitely talented and explorative band Traffic. They are included here on a Dave Mason classic.
When Jimi Hendrix considers you the finest keyboard player around, you know you will always have a gig. Here is an amazing collaboration featuring Jack Casady from Jefferson Airplane on bass and the immortal Jimi Hendrix.
‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return)’
By the 1980s, Steve Winwood devoted his time to some high-end solo projects where he worked with the great songwriter Will Jennings. Here are two examples.
In my efforts to share great songs and quality cover versions I find some hidden gems. Here is a post where I feature a U2 classic, and deep within the post you will find the phenomenal vocal talent known as Seal. Lo and behold, there is Steve Winwood on the keyboards.
‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’
Over his remarkable career Steve Winwood has been held in the highest regard. He is a two-time Grammy Award winner. In 2011, he was decorated with the Ivor Novello Award by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for his vast library of songs. Most notably he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with Traffic, in 2004.
Over the years it seems to me that Winwood’s greatest asset is his ability to adapt to virtually any style, in order to play with a veritable who’s who of the music elite. This has made him highly sought after by the greats. The result is an endless array of recordings that have provided many music enthusiasts with a ton of musical enjoyment since 1964.
Here’s to Steve Winwood.
Ted Tocks Covers 
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