Stevie Ray Vaughan fused Blues and Rock and turned on a whole generation to the Blues. His fiery guitar playing and aching voice showed a wide audience the depths of Blues passion. To Blues purists, he a rock player. To most other fans, he's a Blues player. But everyone agreed that they dug it.
October 3, 1954
August 27, 1990
Dallas, Texas
Stevie follwed his older brother Jimmie as a guitar player. Jimmie became a popular Texas player and went on to form the Fabulous Thunderbirds, but Stevie wasn't far behind. The Austin, Texas music scene attracted the young stringer and for years he honed his chops in some of the most legendary bars and clubs in the country.
To hear where Stevie Ray was coming from, listen to Albert King's guitar playing.
Stevie's manager got word to Mick Jaggar about this guitar phenomena and the good word soon spread. When David Bowie hired Stevie as his guitar player, the world discovered him. He recorded his first major album in less than one week at Jackson Browne's studio in Los Angeles. With a very impressed Browne picking up the tab.
Stevie Ray, as with most blues artists, was best live. His scorching band, "Double Trouble" with Tommy Shannon on bass, Chris Layton on drums, and Reese Wynans on piano and B3 organ, set the tone for Blues bands for the next decade.
As a major recording star SRV still had the Blues. He was reported to be in tears one night in Colorado in fear of following Albert Collins, Albert King, and B.B. King on the same bill. And who wouldn't?
Stevie Ray was killed in a helecopter crash in 1990.
