Elly Wininger

Artist Information

Biography

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 DJ’s 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 Kenny’s Castaways, Dr. Generosity’s, 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 era’s 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 Elly’s 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. Here’s 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 café 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 either at Harmony of Woodstock, the High Falls Café, or on Catskill Community Radio where she hosts a live Webcast variety show: "Catskill Cabaradio."

Instrumentation

Elly Wininger: Vocals, Guitar and slide guitar. Additional instrumentation (optional) may include bass, keyboards, drums, violin, 2nd guitar.

Discography

July 2010: "Part Time Paradise"
April 2007: "Back Eddy Blues"
2000: "Session Night" recorded live at The Museum of Sound Recording, Brooklyn, NY
1997 "Housewife from Hell" produced by Steve Burgh

Current Airplay:
WFSS/Fayetteville NC, HMI Radio/Harden KY, Radio Ceredigion//Wales UK, Radio Biella/Italy, Women of Substance Radio (WOSR.com) WRDV/Warminster PA, WEPG/Jasper TN, WUVT/Blacksburg VA, WFIT/Melbourne FL, KVMR/Colfax CA, WWSP/Stevens Point WI, WNYC/New York NY, NWEZ/Los Angeles CA, KANZ/Garden City KS, WVKR Poughkeepsie NY, KEOS/Smithville TX, Radio G/Angers France, Radio Voorne/Netherlands, WSQL/Brevard NC, KZSU/Stanford CA, KHNS/Haines AK, WGLT/Normal IL, CFMU/Ontario Canada, KRBD/Ketchikan AK, KXCI/Tuscon AZ, WYSU/Youngstown OH, WKKM/Harrison MI, WOAS/Ontonagon MI, WVKR/Poughkeepsie NY, KTJJ/Farmington MO, WBRV/WLLG/Newark NY, KRCB/Rohnert Park CA, WDSL/Mocksville NC, WJFF Jeffersonville NY, WPLN/Clarksburg WV, WZAP/Bristol VA, WVMR/Dunmore WV, CITR/Vancouver BC Canada, CKWR/Ontario Canada, WSLU/Canton NY, WEBR/N. Versailles PA, WSLM/Salem IN, KUNV/Las Vegas NV, WZYX/Cowan TN, KFOK/Colfax CA, WVGN/Virgin Islands, Radio Hoorn/Netherlands, 1431AM/New Zealand, Roots & Branches/Globe AZ, 90FM WWSP /The Acoustic Revival/ Bridgeport CT/USA/Montauk/NY/WPKM/ Jack & Jill Radio/Homestead FL, Red Hook/NY/WKZE/Off the Beat-N-Track/Pine Hill/NY/Catskill Community Radio, Oneonta/NY/Imprint/Woodstock/NY/WDST FM/New York/NY WNYC FM/Worldwide Web/Robin Hood Radio/ Worldwide Web/Rockin' Moms Podcast/SCAWC/Denmark, Holstebro/Denmark Radio Holstebro/ Sappemeer/The Netherlands/Radio Compagnie /Country Stew/ VictoriaAustralia/97.1FM/Country Harvest Aria/France/Radio Aria/ Puttershoek/The Netherlands/Radio Hoeksche Waard/Blue Heaven/Puttershoek/The Netherlands/Radio /PESARO/Italy/RADIO INCONTRO/Sävedalen/Sweden/Radio K103/On the Porch/SOUTH YORKSHIRE/England/Don Valley Country//Radio/Bluestimen, Radio Ung, Kristiansand/ NorwayAir: FM 106.9, 3PVR/Whittlesea Australia, 3INR/Melbourne Australia, IDFM/Montmoerency France, It's Country Time/Netherlands, CJLX/Belleville Canada, ArtSoundFM/Lyons Australia, VLOK/Netherlands, http://www.radioung.no,WNJR Washington PA, WIOX Roxbury NY, Women of Substance Radio, Dollardradio (Netherlands) WRIP/Windham NY...MORE STATIONS BEING ADDED EACH WEEK...

Official Website

http://www.ellywininger.com

Links

• MySpace
• Soundcloud
• Reverb Nation

Audio

• Housewife From Hell
  Listen   Download
• Next Year
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• Rock Me Baby
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• Mother Earth
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• Square One
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• The Cabin
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• Downtown Serenade
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• Part Time Paradise
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• Walkin After Midnight
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• I Say Love MP3
  Listen   Download

Lyrics

• Next Year
• Housewife From Hell
• The Cabin
• Don't Wait
• I Say Love

Video

BackEddyBlues.wmv

Elly Wininger & Happy Traum at the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase

Photo Gallery

Press

• "This is impressive stuff..." [+ Show ]
  

  CD Review: "Part Time Paradise" (July 2010) Armed with only an acoustic and/or National steel gui...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.

• "Red hot licks & some smokin' finger pickin'.” [+ Show ]
  

  “Elly is one amazing musician. She's got incredible vocal range from sweet ballads & haunting harmon...“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'.”

• "What a joy to hear her play!" [+ Show ]
  

  “Where do I start with the praise for Elly Wininger’s recent concert? Her wonderful personal songs h...“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.”

• "She's Beyond Category." [+ Show ]
  

  To Paraphrase Duke Ellington: She's Beyond Category. Who is Elly Wininger? She’s many people - as...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”
  

• "Stunning...sparkling" [+ Show ]
  

  “...has a way with words and infectious melodies....the moving ‘Next Year’ is a stunning standout......“...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
  

• "A Musical Explosion" [+ Show ]
  

  "Gracious in demeanor, Wininger's song topics pass as contemporary subjects of engaging wit, but the..."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

• "Incredible picking" [+ Show ]
  

  "Folk-blues legend Elly Wininger learned her chops in the midst of the New York City urban folk boom..."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

• "She's a fine guitarist and a very tasteful singer. ...(Part Time Paradise is) Elly at her best." [+ Show ]
  

  I might be the wrong person to write about Elly Wininger and her music, as I’ve known her nearly my ...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.

• Spare, understated, relaxed, and brilliantly played. [+ Show ]
  

  Judy Whitfield lent me her copy of Back Eddy Blues to listen to, and wow! Really good! For example, ...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
  

• 10 Most Requested Tracks! [+ Show ]
  

  Dear Elly, At the moment Your track HOUSEWIFE FROM HELL is placed among the 10 most requested ti...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

Setlist

Sets are 30-50 minutes and include a mix of original material and contemporary and traditional folk and blues.

"Folk-blues legend Elly Wininger learned her chops in the midst of the New York City folk boom. Between the incredible picking and twangy blues guitar you’ll chuckle at the humor of this self-proclaimed housewife from hell.”
~ Kurt Henry

Basic Requirements

Calendar