About
Jesse Winchester
American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist Jesse Winchester spent his formative years in Memphis. He worked on a music scholarship at Williams College in Massachusetts where he eventually switched his major to German language. The new studies led to an opportunity to go to Munich, Germany before returning a year later to the US.With a personal distaste for the US Government policies on the Vietnam War he moved to Montreal, Quebec in 1967 as a draft dodger. In a little over a month Winchester found himself playing guitar in the band Les Astronauts before going solo as a regular at coffeehouses around Montreal.
During one such foray in Toronto, he was spotted by Robbie Robertson of The Band and was enticed into recording an album that Robertson would produce. His self-titled debut on Ampex Records featured guest performances by David Rea, Al Cherney, Ken Pearson, Bob Boucher, David Lewis, Gary Black, and fellow The Band member Garth Hudson.
After releasing 1972's 'Third Down, 110 To Go' Winchester began getting noticed for his songwriting with hits such as "Isn't That So". He became a Canadian citizen in 1973 and released his most successful album 'Learn To Love It' in 1974 featuring the nominal hit "Third Rate Romance" (which was a major hit in the US the following year by the Amazing Rhythm Aces).
With inconsistent gaps between albums, Winchester found fame behind the scenes writing material that was being made into hits for others - The Everley Brothers, The Weather Girls, Jimmy Buffett, Joan Baez, and The New Grass Revival to name but a few.
In 1977 Winchester was able to return home to the US to promote his LP 'Nothing But A Breeze' when the U.S. government gave draft dodgers amnesty.
He retreated from the spotlight after 1988's "Humour Me". In 1999, after an 11-year absence from recording, he returned in typically low-key fashion with the amiable "Gentleman Of Leisure".
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Hermann's Jazz Club
