He grew up playing in a band named Blackwood Creek, with his brothers Nate and Paul plus friend Peter Fletcher (formerly in Pigmy Love Circus). Blackwood Creek broke up in 1980. Kip, his brothers, and Fletcher also played the Denver area bar scene while calling themselves Colorado. Winger’s first release was a Rainbow Music Hall live recording of the song "Wizard of the Key" on the "KAZY Thunder on the Mountain" compilation in 1980 under the band name Winger which was the Colorado band line-up under a different name.