Stanley Cup, Johnny Winter, Rita Mae Brown on Letterman, May 18, 1983 (full)

By request: Dave "borrows" the Stanley Cup from across the hall. and NY Islanders Dennis Potvin and Bobby Bourne come into the studio to retrieve it.
Guests on the show: Kirk Nurock with his performing pigs; Johnny Winter; who performs "Johnny B. Goode" and then chats with Dave; and author Rita Mae Brown, promoting her book Sudden Death.
Also: New Gift Items, with Brian McAloon and Chris Elliott, and Part 2 of Dave's remote to the Invention Convention.

[@heitman05]

Unbelievable!!!! I was at this show!!! Haven't seen this in almost 40 years. Remember it like it was yesterday.

[@September2004]

How iconic was the Cup back then?

[@JesusIsKing1979]

I bet the Guinea pig musical piece was much better live😂

[@kenarms4364]

As a teenager in the 70's I was a huge Johnny and Edgar Winter fan. The Edgar Winter Group, with Rick Derringer on guitar, was my first rock concert when I was 14. I got to see Johnny a couple of years later when he opened the show with a blistering solo on Boney Moronie. I never got to see Hendrix, but I did get to see my guitar heroes Johnny (and Eddie Van Halen later on) so I consider myself lucky.

[@piezoification]

The greatest of guitarists Johnny Winter!

[@jchow5966]

So great to see Johnny Winter killing it!!!!!! Wow!!!!!

[@DOMICO55555]

The greatest and the whitest blues rock guitarist of all time!!!

[@ChrisParcellin]

Thanks for posting this. Johnny Winter was a very important rock’n’roll and blues guitarist.

[@pwk22]

Johnny was a great interview.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

25:00 what a great bunch of licks. Wow. Very few people would have the gall to play 'Johnny B Goode' and not have it be a hackfest. Steve Jordan seems to really be enjoying it and laying into the groove. It makes sense why Jordan played and toured so much with Keith Richards. Great compliment from Winter to the band after the song too.

[@Jeterax]

What a classic episode! The Stanley Cup, sitting in the guest chair, the Guinea pig orchestra! Everything great about Late Night in one show.

[@franzllattner]

Johnny Winter is the best

[@stenmark2235]

Very cool Johnny winter... Thankyou.!

[@yohei72]

Wish he'd had more time to talk to Johnny Winter - interesting character and terrific storyteller!

[@chrisguygeezer]

And why didn't Johnny come back for a second tune. Just a short solo one with his National Steel would've been so cool

[@loilt5091]

Yes, he does have lots of character. 🙄

[@jaymorgan8017]

Johnny is great ! The drummer did a helluva job too.

[@jeaniechowdury576]

Great to see johnny winter footage.

[@brianarbenz1329]

Go Rita Mae! She has influenced me as a person and a writer more than anyone. I love her.

[@tonym994]

I remember it's first airing, w/ Lord Stanley. saw him in '87. and a couple more times. he just touches the surface here. the place is still standing.

[@artworks2144]

new fav episode for sure!!!!!!!

[@xkecoupe]

thanks for uploading this very rare vid,have never seen it.J.W is just f@in' great as ever.

[@DOMICO55555]

Great performances from both musical guests!!!

[@sdiegoswm]

Awesome find, I was at that show and can be seen in the audience.... so cool. Thanks Don. Remember Johnny Winter.

[@kathyshepherd2318]

Six of One by Rita Mae Brown is a very favorite book of mine. I was thrilled to see this interview, albeit 40 years late.

[@BluesJammer69]

Go Johnny Go!!!

[@v.applebaum8956]

Long live Rita Mae Brown! What a brilliant writer, and a fierce champion for wimmyn's rights. Loved hearing her speak.

[@brianarbenz1329]

@Mike Schwinn Don't be so tough on yourself, man! You may be a little bonkers, but that doesn't make you a crackpot!

[@brianarbenz1329]

Rita Mae Brown is the best! She stands up against any oppression. She donates most of her earnings to animal shelters and other animal causes. And it was great that in those days late night talk shows treated women as people, instead of patronizing them as deferential and looks-centered. When corporations like GE took over networks, women became commodities.

[@charleswinokoor6023]

Red balloons and rubber dolls - excellent! And Rita Mae Brown was interesting as hell.

[@ignorecorporatenews]

the drummer loved working w j winter

[@Bopalena]

ignorecorporatenews - Who wouldn't?

[@renhoek3851]

Correct me if I'm wrong but this appears to be the longest Dave has ever worn his hair. Great stuff, thanks again Don!

[@twistoffate4791]

That's the first thing I noticed. Wow, Dave's hair is long for his usual tastes, lol. I think it looked great this way.

[@loilt5091]

He grew it in honour of Johnny

[@toobmaniac]

I remember this episode when it ran on its original air date

[@September2004]

Was the Stanley Cup considered iconic in the US even back then?

[@sudsysutherland359]

This was such a cool episode with the power house New York Islanders winning their 4th straight Stanley Cup & then #99 The Great One Wayne Gretzky & his Edmonton Oilers took over the dominance of winning the Stanley Cup multiple times!!

[@loilt5091]

Yes, they were...I was at the game, the following May, 19th, 1984, when my Oilers dethroned the great, Islander Dynasty...rewriting the record books, establishing their own. 🇨🇦

[@rmonetti1]

I interviewed Johnny Winter a few years ago

[@ignorecorporatenews]

the guinea pig composer jazz guy was cool too. GREAT SHOW!

[@Goldenretriever-k8m]

Rita Mae Brown bringing out the big brains. Puckish, cut a shine, Purdah,

[@passtheawksshow]

I love Dave just casually stealing the oldest trophy in NA pro sports!

[@johnpower2018]

No question the other band members knew they were playing with a skill level higher than theirs and they were very good.

[@September2004]

2:10 First mention the Cup. 3:12 Opens door to see the Stanley Cup. 4:03 Letterman leaves to get Cup. 4:24 "Oh, the Cup is here." So flattering as a Canadian and a hockey fan to see Americans get excited about our Cup. And he also refers to it simply as "The Cup"... not needing the 'Stanley'. 4:31 First appearance of the Cup. 4:45 Asks to hold the Cup. 4:59 Takes the Cup. 5:16 Cup enters studio. Same thing at 5:31. Those other band members may not be Canadian like Paul but even they seemed fascinated by and wanted to touch it adoringly. That was flattering. 6:09 Islanders come in. 6:51 Letterman asks to keep Cup. 7:08 Marv Albert. 7:38 Congratulations. 8:18 Cup returned back. 22:26 Cup returns to show. 27:04 Johnny Winter meets Stanley Cup. 37:42 Other guest.

[@cpcattin]

Nice piece !

[@robdoran4766]

I have very sensitive blue eyes. I know albinos have sensative eyes. I cant imagine what trouble with the bright lights Johnny had. What a down to earth guy, humble.

[@carsonsue5947]

johnny had his chops back then..........OYEA JOHNNYYYYY

[@JackBeddows]

Great one!

[@marklaechel4537]

Not supposed to hoist it up above your head if you are not on the team, Dave.

[@bishlap]

Those hockey boys are full of life, ain't they? HOLY SHIT, the guinea pigs had more personality.

[@YooTooobJeff]

Episode aired May 18, 1983

[@dongiller]

Thanks for citing the date that’s in the subject title.

[@jimzimmerman2073]

Johnny Winter!

[@charleswinokoor6023]

Steve Khan on guitar filling in very ably for Hiram Bullock.

[@Allgood784]

Does any other guitar king close their eyes when playing? I cannot think of any. Johnny seems to always have his eyes closed when he is jamming. Even when he is high speed jamming.

[@jchow5966]

He had albinism & his eues were very sensitive to bright light - he had to close them. It not interfere with his guitar playing in any way. FYI.

[@untexan]

There’s a superstition in hockey that only people who have won the Stanley Cup are supposed to actually lift the Stanley Cup. Maybe this is why the Islanders haven’t won it again since.

[@September2004]

No, the superstition is that if you touch it before you win it, then you won't win it. They already won it 4 times now. Letterman touching it means that *he* won't win it as a player.

[@grantoliver1001]

God damn, Steve J kept his cymbals up high way back when

[@KiddBloo86]

Remember, smoking in the rear section only.

[@Architectureguy]

That was an awesome band, but I particularly like Will Lee's bass sound!

[@naranjamunicipal8047]

23:07 - 32:00. The GOAT, Mr. Johnny Winter.

[@howlinfish]

Holy Moly! Amazing talent!

[@September2004]

The Cup was iconic even back in 1983. I wonder when it first became iconic in the US. To think that Letterman’s more interested in the Stanley Cup than Paul.

[@jamsankoski100]

muscle boy playing...go Johnny...go..............

[@VilleMaunu]

I am quite sure, that in cup was orange juice+vodka...:).. he was a great man...

[@GibsonBuck]

Is this Chris Elliot's first appearance?

[@dongiller]

His first scripted appearance here, March 1982 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGm7qYysr9SdjNE

[@user-nm4vy7uk1o]

They probz screaming I'm deF now.

[@marine4lyfe85]

Wow, Johnny Winter couldn't have weighed more than 100 pounds.

[@brodie-tzu4753]

Was this right before his heart attack? I vaguely remember a time when he was getting a little heavier back when he wore white socks tennis and a long double breasted coat.

[@dongiller]

To whom are you referring? Dave? This was 1983. Dave didn't have a heart attack; he had quintuple heart bypass surgery, but that wasn't until January 2000.

[@BlackRoomProductions]

Yes this episode is from 1999 and Paul had his heart attack a year later (March 2001 actually, 15 months after this show). He's doing great though has a YT show now too!

[@bb-gc2tx]

@@BlackRoomProductions its from 1983

[@yohei72]

Would have been funny if they had smashed the guinea pigs on the stage at the end of the piece, like a heavy metal guitarist. Ok, maybe not that funny. Set them on fire, like Hendrix? I'll show myself out.

[@dreamawake2670]

Set fire on you?

[@rightondude]

Johnny Winter great as always, rare to see him on tv. The rest of the show was pretty lame.