Elly Wininger
Woodstock, New York, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2008 | SELF
Music
Press
CD Review: "Part Time Paradise" (July 2010)
Armed with only an acoustic and/or National steel guitar, this woman of the mountains can weave all manner of spells with authoritative, expert fingerpicking, propulsive strumming, and snaky slide. A voice that is by turns resigned (“Square One”), determined (“Walkin’ Off the Blues”), worldly wise (“Mother Earth”), and sexy (“Rock Me Baby”) rides atop spare, confident accompaniment (mostly just Wininger, with occasional help from her friends). Wininger shows assurance as an interpreter on the psychedelic rock anthem “Somebody to Love” and the Brill Building classic “Crying in the Rain” by slowing down, giving each song new depth and breadth, letting resonant chords linger, and squeezing ache and desire out of every syllable she sings. This is impressive stuff, executed with deceptive calm. Part Time Paradise is both lively and laidback, ending with the stunner “Don’t Wait,” a shining carpe diem ballad that will have you running for a loved one and embracing them. - Chronogram Magazine
CD Review: "Part Time Paradise" (July 2010)
Armed with only an acoustic and/or National steel guitar, this woman of the mountains can weave all manner of spells with authoritative, expert fingerpicking, propulsive strumming, and snaky slide. A voice that is by turns resigned (“Square One”), determined (“Walkin’ Off the Blues”), worldly wise (“Mother Earth”), and sexy (“Rock Me Baby”) rides atop spare, confident accompaniment (mostly just Wininger, with occasional help from her friends). Wininger shows assurance as an interpreter on the psychedelic rock anthem “Somebody to Love” and the Brill Building classic “Crying in the Rain” by slowing down, giving each song new depth and breadth, letting resonant chords linger, and squeezing ache and desire out of every syllable she sings. This is impressive stuff, executed with deceptive calm. Part Time Paradise is both lively and laidback, ending with the stunner “Don’t Wait,” a shining carpe diem ballad that will have you running for a loved one and embracing them. - Chronogram Magazine
I might be the wrong person to write about Elly Wininger and her music, as I’ve known her nearly my whole life. I’ve always enjoyed her music. She’s a fine guitarist and a very tasteful singer. It’s great to have this CD to listen to; it’s Elly at her best. - David Bromberg
“Elly is one amazing musician. She's got incredible vocal range from sweet ballads & haunting harmonies to gut wrenching blues. She's one smoking guitar player with some red hot licks & some smokin' finger pickin'.” - Concerts in Your Home
“Where do I start with the praise for Elly Wininger’s recent concert? Her wonderful personal songs have a rich story-telling vein that reach out to my own memories of life. Her renditions of songs by other artists that we all remember, artists like Roger Miller, Patsy Cline, and Carole King, evoke wonderful recollections of music we all love. Then there is Elly's marvelous playing of her acoustic and slide guitars. What a joy to hear her play! Finally, there is Elly herself, a wonderful, funny, and wise woman who is great to get to know. Yes, I recommend Elly Wininger to you.” - Concerts in Your Home
“Where do I start with the praise for Elly Wininger’s recent concert? Her wonderful personal songs have a rich story-telling vein that reach out to my own memories of life. Her renditions of songs by other artists that we all remember, artists like Roger Miller, Patsy Cline, and Carole King, evoke wonderful recollections of music we all love. Then there is Elly's marvelous playing of her acoustic and slide guitars. What a joy to hear her play! Finally, there is Elly herself, a wonderful, funny, and wise woman who is great to get to know. Yes, I recommend Elly Wininger to you.” - Concerts in Your Home
“Elly is one amazing musician. She's got incredible vocal range from sweet ballads & haunting harmonies to gut wrenching blues. She's one smoking guitar player with some red hot licks & some smokin' finger pickin'.” - Concerts in Your Home
Judy Whitfield lent me her copy of Back Eddy Blues to listen to, and wow! Really good! For example, Loser's Game is one of those songs where you swear you know it and say to yourself, "It's great to hear that one again, been a long time." I guess it's just some kind of weird luck that you ever hit on a tune that feels that way on first hearing. And the band! Spare, understated, relaxed, and brilliantly played.
Anyway, I'm so pleased, and relieved, to be able to be so wholeheartedly enthusiastic about one of these preview-of-someone's-performance assignments.
~Spider Barbour
- Ulster Publishing
“...has a way with words and infectious melodies....the moving ‘Next Year’ is a stunning standout...’Macroids’ (is) a sparkling instrumental....”
~David Malachowski, Daily Freeman
- David Malachowski
Dear Elly,
At the moment Your track HOUSEWIFE FROM HELL
is placed among the 10 most requested titles at our RTW program.
Congratulations!
All the best and lots of success!
(Programme director: Christian Claesberg)
(DJ: Andrea Stolle)
Old Stringhouse Music
Herford, Germany - Old Stringhouse Music
"Folk-blues legend Elly Wininger learned her chops in the midst of the New York City urban folk boom. Her playing reflects her associations with musicians like David Bromberg and the late Steve Burgh. Between the incredible picking and twangy blues acoustic guitar you’ll chuckle at the humor of this self-proclaimed “Housewife from Hell.” Elly’s gotten rave reviews from her performances at the Hudson Valley’s well-known Acoustic Thursdays series in High Falls, New York."
by Kurt Henry - Kurt Henry
"Gracious in demeanor, Wininger's song topics pass as contemporary subjects of engaging wit, but the woman is a musical explosion. Her picking is rhythmically powerfull, her articulation of notes, to the tenth square of any given chord, with classical subliminals...finding and giving grace to Acoustic Thursdays sessions."
by Kitty Montgomery, reviewer - Daily Freeman, Kingston, NY
"Gracious in demeanor, Wininger's song topics pass as contemporary subjects of engaging wit, but the woman is a musical explosion. Her picking is rhythmically powerfull, her articulation of notes, to the tenth square of any given chord, with classical subliminals...finding and giving grace to Acoustic Thursdays sessions."
by Kitty Montgomery, reviewer - Daily Freeman, Kingston, NY
To Paraphrase Duke Ellington: She's Beyond Category.
Who is Elly Wininger? She’s many people - as evidenced by this really neat CD. Oh yes, she’s – first and foremost – a songwriter since all but one track ( the Patsy Cline hit “Walkin’ After Midnight”) are self-penned. But she also plays a cool acoustic guitar (as evidenced by the instrumental “Macroids” (hey, don’t ask me what the title means, but it’s tuneful). She’s got a style for everyone from blues (the title track with a great electric guitar solo by Ken McGloin) to “New Country” to Latin pop (“Downtown Serenade” could be a hit single on CHR radio!). Actually, it’s hard to pigeon-hole this artist. Here humor shines through on both the lead-off track “Housewife from Hell” and the self-deprecating “”I Can’t Help It If I’m White”. The backup band here is an array of great Northeastern talent. David Bromberg plays lead on “Walkin’, etc.” and Larry Packer is there on violin and viola. Elly apparently spent time raising her family and is now back writing. There’s something for everyone on this disc. It’s multi-genre from a multitalented artist.
by Steve Ramm for “Anything Phonographic”
- Anything Phonographic
To Paraphrase Duke Ellington: She's Beyond Category.
Who is Elly Wininger? She’s many people - as evidenced by this really neat CD. Oh yes, she’s – first and foremost – a songwriter since all but one track ( the Patsy Cline hit “Walkin’ After Midnight”) are self-penned. But she also plays a cool acoustic guitar (as evidenced by the instrumental “Macroids” (hey, don’t ask me what the title means, but it’s tuneful). She’s got a style for everyone from blues (the title track with a great electric guitar solo by Ken McGloin) to “New Country” to Latin pop (“Downtown Serenade” could be a hit single on CHR radio!). Actually, it’s hard to pigeon-hole this artist. Here humor shines through on both the lead-off track “Housewife from Hell” and the self-deprecating “”I Can’t Help It If I’m White”. The backup band here is an array of great Northeastern talent. David Bromberg plays lead on “Walkin’, etc.” and Larry Packer is there on violin and viola. Elly apparently spent time raising her family and is now back writing. There’s something for everyone on this disc. It’s multi-genre from a multitalented artist.
by Steve Ramm for “Anything Phonographic”
- Anything Phonographic
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
2014 NY Blues Hall of Fame Inductee June 1, 2014
2012 Tall City Blues Fest Performer/Workshops
2012 Featured Performer Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Conference
2010 Official Showcase Selection /Folk Alliance Midwest Conference
2010 Songwriting Finalist / Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival
2008 Folk DJs Choice / Northeast Regional Folk Alliance
Honorable Mentions / International Songwriting Contest & Song of the Year
Selected for Review in Guitar Goddess Magazine (Upcoming)
"A folk-blues legend."
Stunning...Sparkling"
"Incredible picking"
"Pure energy, heart, and humor in one great performance."
"She's beyond category
"The woman is a musical explosion."
Known for her engaging performances, Elly got her start as a youngster in the folk club scene in New York where she was encouraged to perform by her guitar teacher, David Bromberg. Elly was playing blues and ragtime guitar in the basket houses of Greenwich Village while still in high school. She was on stage opening night at CBGB and performed there regularly as well as in other NYC venues such as Kennys Castaways, Dr. Generositys, Folk City and The Bitter End. Elly sang backup vocals at the Philadelphia Folk Festival alongside Maria Muldaur, and for Tanya Tucker at the Bottom Line. She shared stages with many of the eras top performers including Bonnie Raitt, Steve Goodman, Jack Elliott and Dave Van Ronk.
Elly kept playing while raising 3 kids, producing award-winning music documentaries for public radio, and working at Putumayo World Music. She and Susan Cohen formed WildFlowers and in 1997, Steve Burgh (Phoebe Snow, Steve Forbert) produced their CD Housewife From Hell, named for a song Elly wrote about the trials and tribulations combining music and motherhood.
Tracks from Ellys 2007 Release Back Eddy Blues are receiving airplay on over 100 radio stations across the USA, Canada, the UK, Europe, and Australia. "Housewife from Hell" is one of the ten most requested songs on Radio Teutoburger Wald in Germany.
A third CD, the critically acclaimed Part Time Paradise was released in July, 2010. Heres what Elly says about this one: After 5 decades of playing the acoustic guitar, this is finally the CD that expresses my passion for the instrument in its many glorious voices. From the country blues I have always loved, to original songs on the flat top and slide guitar, to some unusual covers of both well known and little known songs, this CD runs the gamut of American folk styles. And yes, there are vocals too, including an original sing-along (The Samsara Drinking Song) recorded live at a caf in the Hudson Valley. Blues, finger picking, slide guitar, you name it, it's here.
Elly makes her home in Woodstock, NY, and when not touring or teaching, she can be heard at Woodstock area venues such as The Bearsville Theater, Harmony of Woodstock, the Colony Cafe Cafe, or on WIOX 91.3FM where she hosts The Front Burner and a live Webcast variety show: "Catskill Cabaradio." .
Band Members
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