"Record companies put pressure on artists through A&R and production to make a kind of album that fits in with their idea of how they can market it," Winwood said recently from London. "I have to admit that I was probably influenced, and to some degree, fell foul of that through the '80s and '90s. So now, I'm definitely trying to distance myself from that."
Steve Winwood was on site at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden for the 2004 Jammy Awards. Winwood was the recipient of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award. Chris Robinson presented the award. In his brief acceptance speech, Winwood exclaimed, "It's nice to know I've been jamming for the past forty years!" Winwood and his band performed the event's final set, offering up favorites from every decade in his career, including "Gimme Some Lovin'," "Dear Mr. Fantasy", "Back in the High Life", and "Different Light".
LOS ANGELES -- The reissue series featuring Traffic, one of classic rock's most influential, adventurous, critically lauded and remarkable bands, continues with two albums that celebrated their 30th anniversaries last year, the live "Welcome To The Canteen" (Island/UME) and the studio "The Low Sparks Of High Heeled Boys" (Island/UME), both released March 19, 2002. Each has been digitally remastered from the original analog master tapes, and the latter includes a special bonus track.