big woman boogie blues SWEET PIE! an original song
- 7 years ago
They don't come more original than Sweet Pie. The 67-year-old is, as far as anyone can tell, the world's only nudist boogie-woogie pianist. The eccentric self-taught musician, born Paul Winer, roamed the country from 1965 through 1990, performing at ski resorts, colleges, and tourist spots all along the East Coast while staying "as naked as the law would allow him to be." His music is equally unique, a distinct style called boogie-woogie, which is an upbeat blues form that paved the way for jump blues and artists like Jerry Lee Lewis and Leon Russell.
As you might imagine, Winer says he was a rebellious, nonconformist child. It started when he decided that he would wear as little clothing as possible, making allowances for weather and social context. This translated to a nomadic nudist adulthood, in which he spent 25 years on the road living out of his van.
The man has some stories. Over the course of those years, he was, he claims, the defendant in 68 court cases. This includes a six-month federal case in Vermont, which, he says, involved the ACLU. Six weeks after the case, he says, male strip clubs started opening. He forfeited the monetary settlement he would have received from the government in exchange for a clean slate with the IRS, since he refused to pay taxes as protest during the Vietnam War.
As you might imagine, Winer says he was a rebellious, nonconformist child. It started when he decided that he would wear as little clothing as possible, making allowances for weather and social context. This translated to a nomadic nudist adulthood, in which he spent 25 years on the road living out of his van.
The man has some stories. Over the course of those years, he was, he claims, the defendant in 68 court cases. This includes a six-month federal case in Vermont, which, he says, involved the ACLU. Six weeks after the case, he says, male strip clubs started opening. He forfeited the monetary settlement he would have received from the government in exchange for a clean slate with the IRS, since he refused to pay taxes as protest during the Vietnam War.