George Winston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Winston
George Winston autographing a copy of his album Autumn in 2019
Background information
Born	(1949-12-26)December 26, 1949 Hart, Michigan, U.S.
Died	June 4, 2023(2023-06-04) (aged 73)
Genres	Stride, New Orleans R&B, folk, new age
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Piano, acoustic guitar, harmonica
Years active	1972–2022
Labels	Dancing Cat, RCA, Sony Classical, Windham Hill, Takoma

George Winston (born December 26, 1949 – died June 4, 2023) was an American musician. He was a talented pianist, guitarist, and harmonica player. George Winston was most famous for his solo piano music.

His first album came out in 1972. But he became well-known with his 1980 album, Autumn. After that, he released Winter into Spring and his very popular album December in 1982. He sold over 15 million albums and won a Grammy Award for his 1994 album Forest.

Winston played music in three main ways. One was a gentle, melodic style he called "rural folk piano." Another was stride piano, which is a lively jazz piano style. He learned this from musicians like Thomas "Fats" Waller. His favorite style was New Orleans R&B piano. He was inspired by artists like Professor Longhair. Even though many of his albums were folk piano, he said he mostly played R&B piano. People often called his music "new age," but George Winston did not like that label.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

George Winston was born in Hart, Michigan, in 1949. He grew up mostly in Montana, in cities like Miles City and Billings. He also lived in Mississippi and Florida. When he was young, he loved instrumental music. This included R&B, rock, pop, and jazz.

In 1967, after hearing the band The Doors, he started playing the organ. Later, in 1971, he switched to playing solo piano. He was inspired by stride pianists like Fats Waller and Teddy Wilson.

After high school, Winston went to Stetson University in Florida. He studied sociology there. Even though he didn't finish his degree, the university later gave him an honorary arts degree. This was because of his success in music.

George Winston's Music Career

Solo Piano Albums

George Winston's first album was called Piano Solos. It was later re-released as Ballads and Blues 1972. In 1979, he met William Ackerman, who had a new record label called Windham Hill Records. Winston recorded some piano pieces for Ackerman. These became his album Autumn.

Autumn quickly became a bestseller. His next album, Winter into Spring, also sold over a million copies. His Christmas album, December, was even more popular. It sold over three million copies. He recorded many more solo piano albums. He became one of the most famous musicians playing contemporary instrumental music.

In 1996, George Winston won a Grammy Award for Forest. This was for Best New Age Album. He also created music for the TV show This Is America, Charlie Brown in 1988. He worked with actress Meryl Streep on the album The Velveteen Rabbit in 1984.

Winston loved the music of Vince Guaraldi. Guaraldi wrote music for the Peanuts cartoons. Winston first heard Guaraldi's music in 1965, when A Charlie Brown Christmas came out. He bought the soundtrack album right away. In 1996, Winston released Linus and Lucy: The Music of Vince Guaraldi. This album featured Guaraldi's famous Peanuts themes. Winston said he loved Guaraldi's melodies and chords. He released a second Guaraldi album in 2010 and a third in 2021.

In 2002, Winston released Night Divides the Day – The Music of the Doors. This album had his solo piano versions of songs by the rock band The Doors. The title came from a line in their song "Break on Through (To the Other Side)".

George Winston faced some health challenges. While recovering, he played the piano in a medical center. This led to 21 new pieces of music. In 2014, he released three of these on an EP called Spring Carousel. A full album, Spring Carousel - A Cancer Research Benefit, came out in 2017. Money from this album helps City of Hope Hospital, where he received treatment.

His 15th solo piano album, Restless Wind, was released in 2019. It included his versions of songs by artists like Sam Cooke and The Doors. The album quickly reached #1 on the Billboard New Age Charts. Winston often performed concerts to help good causes.

Other Recordings

Besides piano, George Winston also played solo harmonica. He played traditional American folk tunes. He also played acoustic guitar, focusing on Appalachian and Hawaiian slack-key styles. You can hear his harmonica and guitar playing on his album Remembrance - A Memorial Benefit. This album was released after the September 11 attacks to help those affected.

He also released other benefit albums. These included Gulf Coast Blues & Impressions: A Hurricane Relief Benefit in 2006. Another was Gulf Coast Blues & Impressions 2: A Louisiana Wetlands Benefit in 2012.

Winston also helped produce music for other artists. He had his own record label, Dancing Cat Records. He produced albums for Hawaiian slack-key guitarists. He also worked with American traditional musicians.

Musical Style and Performances

George Winston described many of his melodic piano pieces as "rural folk piano." He developed this style in 1971. His music often made people think of seasons and natural places. He also played lively stride piano and New Orleans R&B piano. He was influenced by musicians like James Booker and Professor Longhair.

Winston dressed simply for his concerts. He often wore a flannel shirt and jeans. He played in his stocking feet. People sometimes thought he was a technician coming to tune the piano. He was known for his unique playing style. He would sometimes reach inside the piano with one hand to mute the strings. With his other hand, he would play the keys. This created special "hollowed" sounds.

Personal Life

George Winston lived in Santa Cruz, California. He faced several health issues during his life. He passed away on June 4, 2023, due to illness.

Discography

Studio Albums

Solo Harmonica Album

• 2012 Harmonica Solos

Benefit EPs, Albums, and Singles

• 2001 Remembrance - A Memorial Benefit (piano, guitar & harmonica solos)
• 2013 "Silent Night - A Benefit Single for Feeding America"
• 2015 Spring Carousel - A Cancer Research Benefit EP

Soundtracks

• 1984 The Velveteen Rabbit (solo piano soundtrack with narration by Meryl Streep)
• 1988 This is America Charlie Brown—The Birth of the Constitution (piano & harpsichord solos)
• 1995 Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes (solo guitar soundtrack with narration by Liv Ullmann)
• 2002 Pumpkin Circle (solo piano, guitar and harmonica soundtrack with narration by Danny Glover)
• 2003 Bread Comes to Life (solo piano, guitar and harmonica soundtrack with narration by Lily Tomlin)

See also

In Spanish: George Winston para niños