George Winston

Pianist[citation needed]

What is George Winston known for?

George Otis Winston III, a celebrated American pianist and instrumentalist, was born on February 11, 1949 in Hart, Michigan. His musical journey, however, took a major leap forward while attending Custer County District High School, in Miles City, Montana. George moved from Michigan and spent the majority of his upbringing in Montana alongside stints in Mississippi and Florida.

His fascination with music began early, as he demonstrated a keen interest in instrumentals of R&B, rock, pop, and jazz genres. He was particularly intrigued by organists. A significant turning point came at the age of 16 when he encountered Vince Guaraldi's music while watching the animated television special "A Charlie Brown Christmas". This led Winston to buy all of Guaraldi's releases and set the stage for his deep interest in music.

George Winston’s career spanned half a century, from 1972 until his passing in 2023. Best known for his solo piano recordings, his rise to prominence began with the release of his album ‘Autumn’ in 1980. This success was followed by other successful albums including ‘Winter into Spring’ and ‘December’, with the latter achieving a triple-platinum status. In total, he released 16 solo albums, selling over 15 million records.

His career was not restricted to solo piano performances as he also entertained audiences with his skills in playing the acoustic guitar and harmonica. Moreover, his love for Hawaiian slack-key guitar encouraged him to start his own record label, Dancing Cat Records.

Winston’s unique and diverse approach to music enabled him to master three distinctive styles: his self-described 'rural folk piano', stride piano and New Orleans rhythm and blues (R&B) piano. Although many of his recordings were in the folk piano style, Winston expressed a strong preference for playing R&B piano.

Throughout his illustrious career, George Winston was recognized with numerous accolades and awards, including a Grammy award for Best New Age Album for his 1994 album 'Forest'. In addition, he received four other Grammy nominations including Best Children's Music Album, performed with actress Meryl Streep, and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for his interpretation of works by the rock band, The Doors.

In memory of George Winston, fans and aspiring musicians can delve deeper into his remarkable career and legacy at georgewinston.com.