Winterwood
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History
Winterwood 1973-1975
Early 1973: Local band West plays at the Bonanza Club in Coon Rapids. In the band are Bill Jordan on guitar and vocals and Gary Erickson on drums and vocals.
August, 1973: Bill Jordan plays a job at Dirty Flo’s Bar in downtown Minneapolis (24 Hennepin Avenue) with a few local musicians. During the night the owner (Flo) approaches Bill and inquires if he has a band and if they would like to play at the bar. Bill tells Flo he has a band and they could play the bar in the near future.
Bill gets drummer Gary Erickson from West and John Thompson sits in with the band for a few songs one night at Flo’s. The three decide to form a band and Bill comes up with the name Winterwood, the name of a song by Don McLean. After playing at the bar for about three weeks the group decides to add a bass player to their lineup. Bill decides to contact Denny Johnson, as he had played with Denny in Jokers Wild.
The new band lineup is: Bill Jordan on lead guitar and vocals; John Thompson on rhythm guitar and vocals; Denny Johnson on bass guitar and vocals; and Gary Erickson on drums and vocals.
In addition to Dirty Flo’s, the band plays a number of local venues including: Hidden Haven, the Strawhouse, the Bonanza Club, the Frontier Club and numerous country clubs and VFW’s. The band performs a wide variety of musical styles, covering Hank Williams to The Guess Who. The band gains in popularity around town.
September, 1974: John Thompson graduates from Brown Institute and obtains a DJ job at a radio station in Defiance, Ohio. Gary Erickson decides to concentrate on a teaching career and to run his own business. With two members leaving the band, Winterwood version one comes to an end.
October, 1974: John Dahl, the owner of the Strawhouse, said he would book the band for the next year if they could come up with something that would fit the image of his club and draw a good crowd.
Denny contacts Bill Swanson who he worked with in Bullet and Bill joins the group on keyboards, guitar and vocals. Bill Jordan contacted Lance Dunkirk who joins the group on drums and vocals.
Winterwood (version 2) has Bill Jordan on lead guitar and vocals; Bill Swanson on keyboards, guitar and vocals; Denny Johnson on bass guitar and vocals and Lance Dunkirk on drums and vocals. This version of Winterwood does a wider variety of songs from country to Top-40 hits to R and B, including cover songs by Foghat and Grand Funk Railroad. The band becomes the house band at the Strawhouse for the next year.
October, 1975: Lance Dunkirk leaves the band to go to Loveland, Colorado. Bill Jordan and Bill Swanson decide to join local band Pony and Denny starts up a new band called Pecos with John Thompson, now back from his DJ job in Ohio. Winterwood comes to an end.
Photos (Click a photo to see it full-screen, then click the arrows to see the next one.)
Band Reunion in July 2009
Reunion at Sunrise Sound on July 21, 2011
CDs
To Listen – ( Click on Audio Player )
Kaw-Liga – From Dirty Flo’s CD
Hobo Bill
This Time You Gave Me a Mountian – Dirty Flo’s CD
Jim Beam
Sunday Mourning Coming Down
Fever
Most Of All
I Remember The Year That Clayton Delaney Died
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
Hard Luck Woman
Stagger Lee
Don’t Be Angry
Honky Tonk
Fortunete Son, Up Around The Bend, Take a Letter Maria, Slow Down and Willie and The Hand Jive
Dim Lights Thick Smoke and Loud Loud Music
Brandy – Strawhouse CD – Peak Records 16027
Sundown – Strawhouse CD – Peak Records 16027
Charmer – Strawhouse CD – Peak Records 16027
Suspicous Minds – ( Whole Song ) – Strawhouse CD – Peak Records 16027
Love is on The Line
Behind Closed Doors
Waterfall – Strawhouse CD – Peak Records 16027
True Love Ways
If You Wanna Get To Heaven
Taken Care Of Business
Poor Boy
Dancin’ in the Moonlight – Strawhouse CD – Peak Records 16027
That’s The Way Love Goes
I Can’t Dance
Coming Into Los Angeles
Bluesy World – Mr. Soul
Green River – Suzy Q with Jam
Brandy – Best of & More CD – Peak Records 16082
GROUP TWO
This Version of the Band was More Rock than Country
Members
Bill Jordan on Guitar and Vocals
Bill Swanson on Keyboards and Vocals
Denny Johnson on Bass Guitar and Vocals
Lance Dunkirk on Drums and Vocals
I Can Help
Lodi
Some Kinda Wonderful – Time 3:05 Group TWO CD – Peak Records 16032
I Ain’t Got No Home – Time 3:40 Group TWO CD – Peak Records 16032
Good Times – Time 3:04 Group TWO CD – Peak Records 16032
Takin’ Care of Business – Time 4:49 Group TWO CD – Peak Records 16032
Waterfall – Time 3:28 Group TWO CD – Peak Records 16032
Kung Fu Fighting – Time 4:42 Group TWO CD – Peak Records 16032
No Sugar Tonight / Mother Natures Son – Time 4:53 Group TWO CD – Peak Records 16032
Loving Arms
Straight Shootin’ Woman – Time 3:00 Group TWO CD – Peak Records 16032
Let It Ride
Tell Mama
Changes – Time 8:01 Group TWO CD – Peak Records 16032
Bandtree
Winterwood BAND TREE
Winterwood 1973 to 1976
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Bill Jordan Lead Guitar / Vocals 1973 to 1975
The Family Band
Katormen
The Blue Lights
Jokers Wild
Bonanza House Band
Chill Hillman Band
Georganne Thorne Band
Night Train
West
Winterwood
Pony
The Carolee Band
Club 49 House Band
Honky Tonk Hearts
Second Generation
Swingin’ Country
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John Thompson Rhythm Guitar / Vocals 1973 to 1974
Winterwood
Big John with J & B
Gold Dust
Pecos
Sunrise
JT Silverstar
Thompson & Tolson
Honky Tonk Angels
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Gary “Lumpy” Erickson Drummer / Vocals 1973 to 1974
The Showmen
Hour Glass
West
Winterwood
Big John with J & B
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Denny Johnson Bass Guitar / Vocals 1973 to 1975
Jokers Wild
Flash Tuesday
Mojo Buford Band
Lexy Johnson Band
Bazooka
Carrion
Bullet
Christopher
Cookiefoot
Denny Johnson Group
Winterwood
Gold Dust
Pecos
Sunrise
Grand Avenue
Crow featuring Dave Wagner
JT Silverstar
Jynx
The Bowery Boys
The Dick Tracy Band
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Bill Swanson Keyboards / Guitar / Vocals 1974 to 1975
Loverings
Dick Roby & The Castaways
The Society
Bar Sinister
High Spirits
Treadwood
Bullet
Christopher
Cookiefoot
Traktor
Winterwood
Pony
Chill Hillman Band
The Phase
Groove Cats
The Checkers
Inside Straight
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Lance Dunkirk Drummer / Vocals 1974 to 1975
Bobby and The Shy Guys
The Starliners
Winterwood
Pecos
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Where are they now?<
Winterwood Where Are They Now ?
Winterwood 1973 – 1976
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Bill Jordan Lead Guitar / Vocals
Active in Music YES
Doing What ?………. Jobbing in Minnesota
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John “Big John” Thompson Rhythm Guitar / Vocals
Active in Music YES
Doing What ?…………………….. Playing with The Honky Tonk Angels
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Gary “Lumpy” Erickson Drums / Vocals
Active in Music No
Doing What ?……………………. Living in Minnesota
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Denny Johnson Bass Guitar / Vocals
Active in Music Yes
Doing What ?……… Studio Session Work – Re-Mastering and Band History
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Bill Swanson Keyboards / Guitar / Vocals
Active in Music Yes
Doing What ?……………………. Playing with Inside Straight
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Lance Dunkirk Drums / Vocals
Active in Music No
Doing What ?……………………. Living in Colorado
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Interview
(interview here)