 Steve Winwood Steve Winwood has always thrown plenty of ingredients into his music: his unique, timeless voice, his longtime love of R&B, some contemporary soul grooves, a couple of spiritual ballads. Winwood's influence now extends over more than 30 years and speaks to several generations of pop, rock and R&B fans and music makers. Winwood's career first sparkled into life in 1963 when, at age 15, he joined Birmingham R&B combo the Spencer Davis Group. A string of international smash hits followed, including "Somebody Help Me" and "Gimme Some Lovin'." By the time Winwood left them in 1967, they were giants of the British pop scene, but Winwood was hankering after some new rock experimentation, which he found with astonishing results. Firstly with Eric Clapton in the stellar, but short-lived, Blind Faith, whose solo album was a No.1 record and produced the timeless "Can't Find My Way Home." Then Winwood joined Traffic, whose influence is felt more strongly than ever in the late 1990's music of Paul Weller, Kula Shaker and many others. During two decades of solo work, Winwood's commercial and creative achievements have known almost no bounds. From the critical acclaim afforded 1981's Arc of a Diver (a tour de force featuring "While You See a Chance") to the triple Grammy-winning, multi-platinum Back in the High Life (and its smash hit singles "Higher Love" and the title track), to the R&B celebration of Roll With It (with its No. 1 title song). After 1990's Refugees of the Heart and some extensive international touring to support the album, Winwood took a break from his solo career to join with former Traffic colleague and writing partner Jim Capaldi on Far From Home. In addition to his own mighty career, Winwood's list of collaborations with other artists is awesome. He has worked with the likes of Sonny Boy Williamson, T-Bone Walker, Memphis Slim, Jimi Hendrix, Marianne Faithful, James Brown, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James, Christine McVie, George Harrison and, more recently, Paul Weller. Now, with his latest album Junction Seven and the first single "Spy In The House Of Love," Winwood is preparing for an international club tour of Europe and the United States.
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