Born in Birmingham, Steve Winwood was already a semi-professional
musician, playing keyboards and guitar, while still at school. As lead
vocalist with The Spencer Davis Group, he had had two chart-topping
singles by the time he was aged eighteen. In 1967 he formed Traffic,
long noted as one of the major British psychedelic groups whose music
also borrowed from jazz and folk influences as well as rock and pop. A
brief hiatus saw him join forces with Eric Clapton in the shortlived
Blind Faith, thereafter returning to Traffic until they disbanded in
1974 (and briefly reformed twenty years later). Throughout his
subsequent solo career, he has been much respected on both sides of the
Atlantic as a vocalist, all-round musician and regular collaborator with
or session player for other artists. This is the first biography for
nearly thirty years.