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Steve Winwood: Don't Call Him Stevie

Penny Valentine, Creem, November 1977

When Steve Winwood was 15 years old he was the child prodigy/focal point of the Spencer Davis Group. Singing with a soul voice experienced beyond its years and playing keyboard and guitar with absolute assurance, his talents were never questioned. Propelled to stardom in a bewildering welter of superlatives, he suffered the problems that are inherent in such a meteoric youthful rise. Shy, retiring, intensely involved in his music; Winwood's introverted persona gave rise to a series of projected images that conspired to create a portrait of the artist as a fragile victim of rock's uglier side.

Total word count of piece: 1241

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