Biography Wikipedia
Wikipedia:
Jesse Winchester (born James Ridout Winchester; May 17, 1944) is a musician and songwriter who was born and raised in the southern United States. To avoid the Vietnam War draft he moved to Canada in 1967, which is where and when he began his career as a solo artist. His highest charting recordings were of his own tunes, "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 resettled there in 2002.
Winchester is probably most well known as a songwriter, with his works being recorded by many notable artists, including Patti Page, Elvis Costello, Jimmy Buffett, Joan Baez, Anne Murray, Reba McEntire, The Everly Brothers and Emmylou Harris. A number of these recordings have had success on various charts.
Biography
Born in Bossier City, Louisiana, Winchester was raised in northern Mississippi and the city of Memphis, Tennessee. He attended Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, graduating in 1966. Upon receiving his draft notice the following year, Winchester moved to Montreal, Quebec to avoid military service.
Winchester had begun playing guitar in bands while still a high school student. He also played in Germany during college study abroad and after graduation. Upon arriving in Quebec in 1967, he joined a local band, Les Astronautes. At this time, he also began writing songs that he performed as a solo artist in coffee houses throughout eastern Canada. Under the auspices of The Band's Robbie Robertson, Winchester began his recording career in 1970 with his self-titled album, released on the Ampex label.
Winchester released several albums during the '70s. However, due to his status as a draft dodger, he was unable to tour in the United States. As a result, he became recognized primarily as a songwriter. His best known songs include "Yankee Lady", "The Brand New Tennessee Waltz", "Mississippi, You're on My Mind", and "Biloxi". These and others have been recorded by numerous artists, including Patti Page, Elvis Costello, Jimmy Buffett, Joan Baez, Anne Murray, Reba McEntire, The Everly Brothers, Wynona Judd, The Weather Girls, New Grass Revival, Fairport Convention, Tim Hardin, Emmylou Harris, Ronnie Hawkins, Nicolette Larsen, Ted Hawkins, Ian Matthews, Colleen Peterson, Tom Rush, Brewer & Shipley, Raffi, Skydiggers and Wilson Pickett..
In 1974 Jesse often performed at the Hotel Le Chatelet in Morin Heights, Quebec run by several Tennesseans who had come to Canada in 1972. David 'Butch' McDade and Jeff 'Stick' Davis moved to Quebec to become part of Jesse Winchester and the Rhythm Aces. Jesse was the first to record the songs Third Rate Romance and The End is Not in Sight, both written by Russel Smith. Smith traveled to Montreal to assist in the recording of the Learn to Love It album at Studio Six. Later Smith, Davis, and McDade became the original members of the Amazing Rhythm Aces.
Upon his election in 1976, President Jimmy Carter declared he would grant amnesty to draft evaders, except those who had deserted or had become citizens of another country. Jesse had by this time become a Canadian citizen, but Barry Bozeman, his manager at the time, was able to convince Carter on Jesse's behalf to broaden the amnesty. Bozeman was an owner of Knoxville, TN-based Mountain Sound Inc., the tour sound company for the Charlie Daniels Band and the Marshall Tucker Band. Both bands had raised significant money for the Carter campaign and both played at Carter's inaugural ball. Bozeman went to Washington D.C to make the case with Carter's people that Jesse's becoming a citizen of Canada had been the honorable thing to do and that Jesse should be accorded the same respect as any other Canadian citizen. At their meeting at the inaugural ball, Carter informed Bozeman that the argument had been well received, and the following day the President pardoned draft evaders who had not deserted.
Jesse's first appearance in the U.S. thereafter was a sold out performance in Burlington, Vermont produced by Barry Bozeman and Northern Concert Associates on April 21, 1976. Rolling Stone magazine covered the event coining the phrase "the Greatest Voice of the Decade" to describe Jesse's vocal style. He was nominated for the Best Country Male Vocalist award at the Juno Awards of 1990. In 2002, Winchester moved back to the United States, settling in Virginia. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in 2007. Winchester has continued to record and perform throughout the United States and Canada, releasing his tenth studio album, Love Filling Station, in 2009.
In 2011 Jesse Winchester was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus and had to undergo treatment for the next couple of months. Winchester has since been given the all clear from his doctor and has resumed his tour.
