George Winston was born in 1949 and grew up mainly in Montana, while also spending his later formative years in Mississippi and Florida. During this time, he listened mostly to pop instrumental music (the late Floyd Cramer, The Ventures, Booker T & the MGs, King Curtis, and many others) as well as many R&B artists, such as Ray Charles and Sam Cooke. He would listen to the radio faithfully for the 30 seconds before the hourly news when they would play instrumentals.

Inspired by blues, rock, R&B, and jazz, George began playing organ and electric piano in 1967. In 1971, after hearing records by the legendary stride (swing) pianists Thomas "Fats" Waller and Teddy Wilson, he switched to the acoustic piano. At that time, he began working on his own brand of pop instrumental music on solo piano, putting together songs of his own and arranging other pieces. In 1972, he recorded his first solo piano album, BALLADS AND BLUES-1972.

The piano music George is currently working on is about two-thirds R&B/Standards, and about one-third melodic music. The latter comprises most of his recorded output, and it is in this genre, described as rural folk piano, that he has chosen to record albums with specific themes.

Since 1980, George has released six solo piano albums: AUTUMN (1980), WINTER INTO SPRING (1982), DECEMBER (1982), SUMMER (1991 ) and FOREST (1994). His latest solo piano album, LINUS & LUCY - THE MUSIC OF VINCE GUARALDI, released in September 1996, features compositions by the late jazz pianist, including "Cast Your Fate to the Wind," pieces from the "Peanuts" television specials, and others. He has also done the solo piano soundtrack for the production of the children's story, THE VELVETEEN RABBIT (1984), and for the "Peanuts" animation, THIS IS AMERICA, CHARLIE BROWN - THE BIRTH OF THE CONSTITUTION (1988), and recently, the solo guitar soundtrack for SADAKO AND THE THOUSAND PAPER CRANES (1995). His most recent release is an compilation of edited singles & bonus tracks from his 7 solo piano CDs spanning 25 years, entitled ALL THE SEASONS OF GEORGE WINSTON.

More solo piano recordings are planned, including an album about the Great Plains, as well as one of R&B and soul ballads. Presently, George is concentrating on the live performance and is studying the playing of R&B/jazz pianist Henry Butler and the late New Orleans R&B solo pianist James Booker. He is also working on solo guitar, and is recording the masters of the Hawaiian slack key guitar as part of an extensive ongoing series for Dancing Cat Records. Slack key is the name for the beautiful solo finger-style guitar tradition unique to Hawaii, which began in the early 1800s (and predated the steel guitar by over half a century).