George Winston, the renowned pianist who managed to captivate audiences with his soft, relaxing instrumentals despite the dominance of pop and rock music in the industry, passed away on Sunday at the age of 74 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Known for his “rural folk piano” style, which was often categorized as new age music, Winston’s seven solo piano compositions titled “Sea,” “Moon,” and “Woods” in his 1980 album “Autumn” became a breakthrough success earning him thousands of fans. Jesse Cutler, Winston’s publicist, disclosed that he died following a long battle with cancer.
Winston released his first album “Ballads and Blues” in 1972, but it was “Autumn” that shot him into the limelight. Two more albums based on the calendar theme, “December” and “Winter into Spring,” followed in 1982 along with “Summer” released in 1991. Winston won several nominations and awards, including a Grammy for the best new age album, “Forest” in 1994, and four other nominations for various categories.
Throughout his career, Winston displayed his love for different genres, recording two albums of Vince Guaraldi’s musical pieces and creating his label, Dancing Cat Records in 1983, to record Hawaiian slack-key guitar practitioners.
Winston, however, rejected being classified into any musical genre, saying in an interview with United Press International in 1984: “I think putting a label on music is the most useless endeavor except for putting a name on religion.” He was born George Otis Winston III in Hart, Michigan in 1949 to a geologist father and an executive secretary mother.
Winston had spent his childhood in Mississippi, Florida, and Montana, which he said instilled a deep appreciation for nature and the changing seasons that later inspired most of his music. Winston had taken piano lessons in his childhood, but disillusioned with it, he became interested in the organ after he listened to The Doors’ debut album in 1967. In 1971, he became absorbed with Fats Waller’s recordings from the 1920s and 1930s and decided that piano was his forte. Despite being mostly self-taught, Winston studied with a jazz pianist, James Casale, in Miami, to perfect his craft.
Winston may have had his share of criticism for his simple and repetitive piano playing, but millions of record sales and a vast following that he attracted through his concerts show otherwise. He would often conclude his shows with a charitable act, raising money for causes such as food banks. Ever self-effacing, Winston once remarked, “It’s all valid – everybody’s got their path. I wouldn’t want to sit around and listen to me all day.” His exceptional skill and the ability to carve out fertile musical grounds amongst various genres continue to inspire fans worldwide, making him an exceptional talent whose legacy would long be remembered.
