Texas blues man Johnny Winter has been cranking out fiery electric riffs, soulful ballads and raunchy rockers since his teenage years in the late 1950s. As a masterful slide player, vocalist and bandleader, Winter has performed in just about every kind of venue over the last 50 years, from roadhouse juke joints to prestigious halls like the Fillmore East and legendary festivals like Woodstock in New York and Hyde Park in London.

Winter dabbled in various collaborations earlier in his career—occasionally alongside his famous, multi-instrumentalist brother Edgar Winter—but he's always padded his repertoire with standards and original song sketches. These days, clean and sober at the age of 69, Winter and his tight combo are sticking with what works best.

"We cover a lot of ground, but we stick with the old blues," Winter says, speaking from the road. "It's pretty old-fashioned, not too modern. The style has changed very little over the years. I found the sound that I wanted back when I was 15, and I've barely changed it since."

For the last eight years, Winter has toured and recorded with a consistent backing band comprised of top-notch guitarist Paul Nelson, bassist Scott Spray and drummer Tommy Curiale.

"It's definitely a great gig, playing with Johnny," Nelson says. "He's been a guitar idol of mine for a long time." After Winter released his album I'm a Bluesman, a record to which Nelson contributed heavily, he invited Nelson to sign on as the band's manager as well. "We just developed a relationship that blossomed," Nelson says. "It was like a Cinderella story. Johnny turned me on to a lot of blues I didn't already know, and it was a great experience. It's made me a better musician."

While Nelson is grateful for the opportunity to work closely with one of his heroes, Winter is equally grateful for Nelson's support and guidance over the last years—especially when it comes to the issues of addiction and health.

"There was a job that had to be done, and there were things that needed to be fixed," Nelson says of his early days as Winter's manager and bandmate. "I just took the bull by the horns. Johnny was on methadone for 30 years. He was smoking a lot and drinking a bottle of vodka every day. He made Ozzy Osbourne look like he was on training wheels."

Through the power of will and strong support from his bandmates and colleagues, Winter's recovery led to an impressive career resurgence during the late 2000s. His playing became more consistent and vibrant. His singing was sturdier and more expressive. The musical chemistry between him and his new band was terrific on studio and live recordings.

"Heroin was the toughest thing," Winter says of his battle with addiction. "I finally got through it and got clean. Years ago, I never thought I could get to this point. It's almost unbelievable."

"He's totally back at full-strength," Nelson says. "It took several years, but he's doubled his body weight, quit smoking, quit drinking and really moved forward. You can tell that he's all there. His singing and playing are better, and he sounds great… The music can't lie. It's a real testament [to his] recovery."

Produced by Nelson, the raw and organic Roots LP was issued by the Megaforce label in 2011. It was Winter's first studio release in seven years, and it featured an impressive, star-studded roster of guest players, including Blues Traveler's John Popper, Sonny Landreth, Warren Haynes, Vince Gill, John Medeski, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi. Roots mixed originals with classic tunes by legendary blues greats like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Jimmy Reed.

Nelson says that Winter and the band are already in the process of writing and recording material for a sequel to Roots. Some of the high-profile performers already on the guest list include Mark Knopfler, Billy Gibbons, Eric Clapton, Gregg Allman, Dr. John, Eric Johnson and Brian Setzer. Part of the Blues Brothers' horn section—sax man "Blue" Lou Marini and trumpet/trombone player Tom "Bones" Malone—are also on board.

Step Back is slated to come out in April 2014. "We're really excited about carrying on with the Roots project," Nelson says. "It's such a great opportunity to bring players together with the blues, and Johnny loves it."

Local fans can expect a full set of blues classics and lots of material from Roots and I'm a Bluesman at the Melting Point this week. Winter's signature guitar tone, a rich and crunchy sound enhanced by the scratchy accents of his metal slide and thumb pick, will surely be on full display, too.

"My sound is a combination of the slide, the nasty amp tone and the attitude," Winter says. "I have the perfect guitar sound in my ears, but it's hard to make it happen sometimes. It comes mostly from just the way I play. The idea is to play with feeling and expression."

WHO: Johnny Winter
WHERE: Melting Point
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 8 p.m.
HOW MUCH: $22.50