Steve Winwood Biography: Net Worth, Siblings, Age, Parents, Height, Ethnicity, Wife, Children, Music, Awards

  Stephen Lawrence Winwood, known professionally as Steve Winwood, is an English musician and songwriter celebrated for his soulful high tenor voice and versatile musicianship across genres like blue-eyed soul, rhythm and blues, blues rock, and pop rock.

Born on May 12, 1948, he rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s as a key member of the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, and Blind Faith, contributing to hits like “Gimme Some Lovin’” and “Can’t Find My Way Home.”

His solo career flourished in the 1980s with chart-topping singles such as “Higher Love” and “Roll with It,” earning him two Grammy Awards and a lasting legacy.

Profile

• Full Name: Stephen Lawrence Winwood
• Stage Name: Steve Winwood
• Born: 12, May 1948
• Age: 77 years old
• Birthplace: Handsworth, Birmingham, England
• Nationality: British
• Occupation: Musician, Singer, Songwriter
• Height: 1.73m
• Parents: Lawrence Winwood, Lillian Winwood
• Siblings: Mervyn “Muff” Winwood
• Spouse: Eugenia Crafton (m. 1987), and Nicole Weir (m. 1978–1986)
• Children: Mary-Clare Winwood, Eliza Winwood, Cal Winwood, and Lilly Winwood
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $60 million

Early Life and Education

Stephen Lawrence Winwood was born on May 12, 1948, in Handsworth, Birmingham, England, to Lawrence Winwood, a semi-professional musician who played saxophone and clarinet, and Lillian Winwood. He has an older brother, Mervyn “Muff” Winwood, who also pursued a music career.

Stephen attended Great Barr School, one of Birmingham’s first comprehensive schools, where he excelled in mathematics, and later enrolled at the Birmingham and Midland Institute of Music to hone his piano skills but left without completing the course to focus on his burgeoning music career.

His ethnicity is English, and his religious background is tied to the Church of England, as he was a choirboy at St. John’s Church in Perry Barr.

Career

Stephen Lawrence Winwood began his career at 14, joining the Spencer Davis Group as a vocalist and keyboardist alongside his brother Muff on bass. His soulful voice, often compared to that of Ray Charles, powered hits like “Keep on Running” and “Gimme Some Lovin’,” which topped the UK charts and broke into the US Top 10 in the mid-1960s.

He also backed blues legends like Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker during their UK tours, showcasing his versatility on the Hammond organ.

In 1967, seeking creative freedom, he left to co-found Traffic with Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason, and Chris Wood, blending rock, jazz, and folk in albums like Mr. Fantasy.

Traffic’s innovative sound, highlighted by albums like John Barleycorn Must Die (1970) and The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys (1971), earned critical acclaim and commercial success. Winwood briefly joined the supergroup Blind Faith in 1969 with Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech, producing the hit “Can’t Find My Way Home” before the band’s swift dissolution.

His session work during this period included contributions to albums by Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, and The Who. His solo career launched with the 1977 album Steve Winwood, but it was Arc of a Diver (1980), on which he played all instruments, that marked a turning point, featuring the hit “While You See a Chance.”

Winwood’s 1986 album Back in the High Life became his career

pinnacle, featuring the Grammy-winning “Higher Love” and other hits like “The Finer Things.” His 1988 album Roll with It topped the US charts, with the title track reaching number one. He continued to release albums, such as Nine Lives (2008) and toured with artists like Rod Stewart and Tom Petty.

His 2017 release Winwood: Greatest Hits Live captured his enduring stage presence. A 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee with Traffic, Winwood’s collaborations with artists like Chaka Khan and James Taylor, as well as his 2025 MBE honour, affirm his lasting influence in music.

Social Media

• Facebook Handle: Steve Winwood
• Twitter Handle: @SteveWinwood

Personal Life

Stephen Lawrence Winwood married Nicole Weir in 1978, a background vocalist who contributed to some of his musical projects, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1986.

The following year, in 1987, he married Eugenia Crafton, a native of Tennessee, marking the beginning of a long and lasting union. Together, they have four children: Mary-Clare, Eliza, Cal, and Lilly.

Notably, Lilly has shared the stage with her father during some of his live performances, reflecting the family’s ongoing musical connection and the blending of personal and professional life within Winwood’s legacy.

Discography

•    Mr. Fantasy
•    Blind Faith
•    John Barleycorn Must Die
•    The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys
•    Steve Winwood (1977)
•    Arc of a Diver (1980)
•    Talking Back to the Night (1982)
•    Back in the High Life (1986)
•    Roll with It (1988)
•    Nine Lives (2008)
•    Winwood: Greatest Hits Live (2017)

Net Worth

Stephen Lawrence Winwood’s estimated net worth is USD 60 million. His wealth stems from a prolific career spanning over five decades, including record sales from his time with the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, and Blind Faith, as well as his successful solo albums, such as Back in the High Life and Roll with It.