Jesse Winchester

Biography

James Ridout "Jesse" Winchester Jr. (May 17, 1944 – April 11, 2014) was an American-Canadian musician and songwriter. He was born and raised in the southern United States. Opposed to the Vietnam War, he moved to Canada in 1967 to avoid the draft. During that time, he began his career as a solo artist. His highest-charting recordings were "Yankee Lady" in 1970 and "Say What" in 1981. He became a Canadian citizen in 1973, gained amnesty in the U.S. in 1977 and settled in Memphis, Tennessee in 2002.
Winchester's songs were recorded by Patti Page, Elvis Costello, Brewer & Shipley, Jimmy Buffett, Joan Baez, Jerry Garcia, Anne Murray, The Weather Girls, Reba McEntire, the Everly Brothers, Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris, George Strait, Gary Allan, Willie Nelson, Jennifer Warnes, Jessi Colter, The Mavericks, Jerry Jeff Walker and Michael Stanley. Some of these recordings achieved chart positions.

Early life

Winchester was one of three children born to James Ridout Winchester Sr. (1917–1962) and Frances Ellyn Manire Winchester (1920–2010). He was born at Barksdale Army Air Field, near Bossier City, Louisiana, and raised in northern Mississippi through age 12, when his family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School in Memphis in 1962 as a merit finalist, a National Honor Society member and the salutatorian of his class. He graduated from Williams College, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, in 1966. Upon receiving his draft notice the following year, Winchester moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to avoid the draft.
Winchester began his career in Germany. Upon arriving in Quebec in 1967, he joined a local band, Les Astronautes. He began writing songs, which he performed as a solo artist at the Montreal Folk Workshop and at coffeehouses throughout eastern Canada. Discovered by the Band's Robbie Robertson, Winchester released his album Jesse Winchester, produced by Robertson. He toured Canada, opening for the Band.

Career

Winchester released albums in the 1970s, but was unable to support the albums by touring in the U.S. because of his status of being a draft resister.
A prolific songwriter, Winchester's songs include "Yankee Lady", "The Brand New Tennessee Waltz", "Mississippi, You're on My Mind", "A Showman's Life","Biloxi", "That's a Touch I Like", and "Every Word You Say".
Upon his election in 1976, President Jimmy Carter granted amnesty to draft evaders, except those who had become citizens of other countries. Although Winchester had become a Canadian citizen, Barry Bozeman, his manager, convinced Carter to allow Winchester amnesty.
On June 10, Winchester appeared with Little Feat, Emmylou Harris and Bonnie Raitt on Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special.
In 1981, he had his first Top 40 U.S. hit single, "Say What", which earned No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was from his Bearsville Records album release, "Talk Memphis×Talk Memphis1981 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Say What3:102Baby Blue3:263Leslie2:474Hoot and Holler3:395If Only3:496Sure Enough3:197I Love You No End3:308Let Go4:299Reckon on Me2:4910Talk Memphis3:13".
"I'm Gonna Miss You, Girl", written by Winchester, was recorded by American country music artist Michael Martin Murphey and released in October 1987, as the lead single from the album River of Time. The song peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and at number 4 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

Later career

Winchester was nominated for the Best Country Male Vocalist award at the Juno Awards of 1990. In 2002, he moved back to Memphis with his girlfriend, Cindy. That year, his song "Step by Step", from the album Let the Rough Side Drag×Let the Rough Side Drag1976 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Let the Rough Side Drag2:38A2Damned If You Do3:26A3Step by Step3:00A4Lay Down Your Burden4:11A5Everybody Knows but Me2:56A6Blow on, Chilly Wind2:34B1Working in the Vineyard2:47B2How About You4:10B3It Takes More Than a Hammer and Nails to Make a House a Home4:36B4As Soon as I Get on My Feet3:15B5The Only Show in Town2:33B6The Brand New Tennessee Waltz3:33, was used as background music for the montage that ended the first season of the television program The Wire. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in 2007. Winchester continued to record and perform throughout the U.S. and Canada, releasing his 10th studio album, Love Filling Station×Love Filling Station21 April 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1O What a Thrill3:182Bless Your Foolish Heart3:093Wear Me Out2:374Stand by Me3:315It’s a Shame About Him4:096Sham‐A‐Ling‐Dong‐Ding4:047I’m Gonna Miss You Girl4:258I Turn to My Guitar4:029Lonely for a While3:3910Eulalie3:4311Far Side Bank of Jordan3:2012Loose Talk2:45, in 2009.

On April 11, 2014, Winchester died from bladder cancer in his sleep at his home. He was 69 years old. He was survived by his wife, Cindy, and three children from a previous marriage: James, Alice and Marcus Lee.
Quiet About It, a tribute record to Winchester, was released in 2012, featuring 11 artists, including James Taylor, Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash and Jimmy Buffett.
Winchester's final CD, A Reasonable Amount of Trouble, was released in September 2014, with liner notes by Jimmy Buffett. It was nominated for two Grammy awards.