Steve Winwood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Winwood MBE
Winwood in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Stephen Lawrence Winwood
Born	(1948-05-12) 12 May 1948 (age 77) Handsworth, Birmingham, England
Genres	Blue-eyed soul R&B rock pop
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter
Instruments	Vocals keyboards guitar mandolin bass
Years active	1961–present
Labels	Island Virgin Wincraft Music Columbia

Stephen Lawrence Winwood (born 12 May 1948) is a talented English musician and songwriter. He is known for his unique soulful voice and for playing many instruments. These include vocals, keyboards, guitar, mandolin, and bass.

Steve Winwood became famous in the 1960s and 1970s. He was a key member of three successful bands: the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, and Blind Faith. In the 1980s, he started a very successful solo career. He had many hit songs like "Higher Love" and "Roll with It".

Even after the 1980s, he kept releasing new music. His most recent album, Nine Lives, came out in 2008. In 2004, he was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic. He has won two Grammy Awards and other important music awards. In 2025, he was honored as a Member of the British Empire (MBE) for his contributions to music.

Early Life and Musical Start

Steve Winwood was born in Handsworth, Birmingham, England, on 12 May 1948. His father, Lawrence, was a musician who played the saxophone and clarinet. Steve started playing the piano when he was just four years old. He loved swing and Dixieland jazz music. Soon, he also learned to play drums and guitar.

He was a choirboy at a church and took piano classes to get even better. When he was eight, Steve started performing with his father and older brother, Muff. They played in the Ron Atkinson band. Muff Winwood remembered that Steve was so young, they had to turn the piano around to hide him from the audience in pubs!

Music Career Highlights

Early Years in Birmingham

While still in school, Steve Winwood was a big part of the blues rock music scene in Birmingham. He played the Hammond organ and guitar. He even backed up famous blues and rock musicians like Muddy Waters and B. B. King when they toured the United Kingdom. These American singers often traveled alone and used local bands to play with them. Steve Winwood looked up to Ray Charles and tried to sing like him.

The Spencer Davis Group

The Spencer Davis Group in 1966, L to R: Muff Winwood, Spencer Davis, Pete York, Steve Winwood

In 1963, Steve Winwood became the singer and keyboard player for the Spencer Davis Group. His older brother Muff played bass, Spencer Davis played guitar, and Pete York played drums. Steve's powerful singing voice reminded people of Ray Charles.

In 1964, the band signed their first record deal with Island Records. The head of Island Records, Chris Blackwell, said that Steve Winwood was very important to the record company. He called Steve a "musical genius." The group had two number-one hit songs in the UK: "Keep on Running" and "Somebody Help Me". These hits helped Steve buy his own Hammond organ. He also helped write their big American hits, "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm a Man". Steve left the Spencer Davis Group in April 1967.

Traffic and Blind Faith

Traffic in 1968, clockwise from top left: Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason, Chris Wood, Winwood

After leaving the Spencer Davis Group, Steve Winwood met drummer Jim Capaldi, guitarist Dave Mason, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood. They started playing music together and formed the band Traffic in April 1967. They rented a cottage in the countryside to write and practice new songs. This helped them create their unique sound.

Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi became a great songwriting team. They wrote many of Traffic's popular songs, including "Paper Sun" and "Dear Mr. Fantasy". Steve usually sang lead vocals and played keyboards and guitar for the band. Traffic released several albums, including Mr. Fantasy and Traffic. The band broke up in early 1969.

Blind Faith in 1969, L to R: Winwood, Ric Grech, Ginger Baker, Eric Clapton

After Traffic split, Steve Winwood joined a "supergroup" called Blind Faith. This band included Eric Clapton (from Cream), Ginger Baker (also from Cream), and Ric Grech (from Family). They only made one album, which became a number-one hit in both the UK and the US. It featured the song "Can't Find My Way Home". Blind Faith didn't last long because Eric Clapton wanted to explore other music.

Winwood on stage with Traffic (1973)

In 1970, Steve Winwood started working on a solo album. But he ended up inviting Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood to help, and it turned into a Traffic reunion album called John Barleycorn Must Die. Traffic continued to make five more albums after that. In 1974, Steve decided to take a break from touring and recording with Traffic.

Other Music Projects in the 1960s and 1970s

Steve Winwood also worked with other famous musicians. In 1968, he played organ for Jimi Hendrix on the song "Voodoo Chile" from the Electric Ladyland album. After Blind Faith, he played with Ginger Baker's Air Force. He also played on albums for artists like B. B. King and Marianne Faithfull.

In 1972, Steve Winwood sang the part of Captain Walker in a special orchestral version of the Who's rock opera Tommy. He also released his first solo album, Steve Winwood, in 1977.

Solo Career Success

In 1980, Steve Winwood released his second solo album, Arc of a Diver. This album had his first solo hit song, "While You See a Chance". His next album, Talking Back to the Night (1982), included the song "Valerie". This song became a big hit when it was re-released in 1987. Steve played all the instruments on both of these albums, recording them at his home.

In 1986, Steve Winwood made the album Back in the High Life. This album was a huge success, selling millions of copies in the US. Its first single, "Higher Love", reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Steve won two Grammy Awards for this song. He then went on a big tour across North America.

Steve Winwood later moved to Virgin Records. He released the albums Roll with It (1988) and Refugees of the Heart (1990). The album Roll with It and its title song both reached number one in the US in 1988.

Traffic Reunion and Later Work

Winwood in Knoxville, Tennessee (2005)

In 1994, Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi brought Traffic back together for the album Far from Home. They also toured that year and performed at the Woodstock '94 Festival. Steve also sang on the soundtrack for the animated movie Balto in 1995.

In 2003, Steve Winwood released a new album called About Time on his own record label. In 2004, a DJ named Eric Prydz used a part of Steve's 1982 song "Valerie" to create a new song called "Call on Me". Steve liked it so much that he re-recorded parts of his song for Prydz to use. This remix was number one on the UK Singles Chart for five weeks.

The Steve Winwood band in 2009 on tour

In 2008, Steve Winwood released his album Nine Lives. This album reached number 12 on the Billboard 200 album chart, which was his highest debut ever in the US. He also toured with Eric Clapton in 2008 and 2009, releasing a CD and DVD of their shows together.

Steve Winwood has received honorary degrees from two universities.

Recent Activities

Winwood at the Hangout Music Festival, May 2012

Steve Winwood continues to perform. In 2012, he was a special guest at a concert for the Teenage Cancer Trust. In 2013, he toured North America with Rod Stewart, and in 2014, he toured with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

In 2020, he took part in a tribute concert for Ginger Baker, his former bandmate from Blind Faith. In May 2023, Steve Winwood performed at the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. He sang "Higher Love" with virtual choirs from around the world. In 2024, he toured North America with the Doobie Brothers.

Songwriting

Steve Winwood doesn't often talk about the meaning behind his songs. He believes that explaining a song is like explaining a joke; it doesn't make the song better.

Awards and Recognition

Steve Winwood was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 as a member of Traffic. In 2005, he was honored as a BMI Icon for his lasting influence on music. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him as the 33rd greatest singer of all time in 2008.

He has won two Grammy Awards and an Ivor Novello Award for his collection of songs. He was also nominated for a Brit Award for Best British Male Artist twice.

Personal Life

Steve Winwood lives in a 300-year-old manor house in England, where he also has a recording studio. He also has a home in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Eugenia Crafton, whom he married in 1987. They have four children.

One of his daughters, Lilly, is also a singer. She has performed duets with her father, including in a commercial, and has opened for his tours. In June 2025, Steve Winwood was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to music.

Discography

Solo Albums

Albums with The Spencer Davis Group

• Their First LP (1965)
• The Second Album (1966)
• Autumn '66 (1966)

Albums with Traffic

Album with Blind Faith

• Blind Faith (1969)

Album with Eric Clapton

• Live from Madison Square Garden (2009)

Album with Ginger Baker's Air Force

• Ginger Baker's Air Force (1970)

Album with Third World

• Aiye-Keta (1973)

Albums with Go

• Go (1976)
• Go Live from Paris (1976)

Other Recordings (Session Work)

Steve Winwood has also played on many other artists' albums, including:

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See also

In Spanish: Steve Winwood para niños