For an incredible 50 years plus, Grammy-gathering American bluesmeister, John Dawson 'Johnny' Winter III has been up to his trademark blonde hanks in blues and rock 'n' roll. But that's only the tip of the story.

For a start, Winter grew up in one of the most notorious parts of Texas where mob-rule was the order of the day and racial tensions were high. Rather than join in, his interest in music took over and as a kid, through listening to local blues DJs on the radio, he'd frequently sneak into black neighbourhoods and learn his craft with the locals, without prejudice. While seeing his idol BB King perform in the early '60s, his mind was made up to perform with him - legend has it, he even played King's guitar to prove his worth.

And prove his worth he has - since his first album in 1968 and his major-label debut a year later, Johnny Winter has built up an enviable reputation and a huge adoring fan-base that has seen him knock out over a dozen hit albums (in the U.S.), as well as countless compilations, the latest of which is a DVD simply entitled 'Live From Tokyo'. His most recent studio album, 'Roots', the follow-up to his Grammy-nominated album 'I'm a Bluesman', saw him return to the Billboard Charts.

The flamboyant guitarist is returning to the UK next year with a handful of shows across the country, starting with Shepherd's Bush Empire on 13th April 2013, followed by Bilston, Gateshead, Bath, Manchester and finally (for now) Holmfirth on the 20th. Tickets start at £22.50.