The perfect combination of raw power, unmeasurable control, mutual respect and honed skill and a lifetime’s worth of playing live clubs around Texas came together after some assistance from John Hammond and Jackson Brown (who lent Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble his studio) to launch Texas Flood – their first album.
Single handedly SRV and Double Trouble became the 1980’s ambassador’s of the blues – putting an edgy, rock-based influence on the blues great that came before from Albert, Freddie and BB King to Buddy Guy, Lighting Hopkins, Hubert Sumlin and countless others. Stevie Ray took over where the English blues greats such as Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page had left off in the 60’s and 70’s but adding a Texas flare to his blues that was as infectious as it was dangerous.
This album captured the best of SRV and Double Trouble combining years of live “rehearsals” while keeping the freshness of never playing a song the same way twice.
Congratulations to Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon (Double Trouble at that time), as well as the late great SRV who is forever in our hearts, minds, and imaginations.
SRV And Double Trouble’s ‘Texas Flood’ Inducted Into GRAMMY Hall Of Fame
Filed under Blog, blues guitar, stevie ray vaughan by on Dec 28th, 2020. Comment. 
As many of you guys know, Friday’s can be especially inspirational…here’s some noodling to a blues backing track in A, love to know what you think.
Filed under blues guitar, Jeff Smith by on Nov 25th, 2019. Comment.
A great acoustic blues song written and performed in 1953 by Frankie Lee Sims was brought back to life a few years back by Buddy Guy in this incredible performance…
There’s no denying Buddy’s influence on electric blues but I personally find this finesse performance of a blues classic refreshing. It made me wonder why Guy doesn’t do more of these numbers these days (either live or similar classics on his albums).
In any case – here is a link to an audio version of Frankie Lee Sims original version…you hear the same signature guitar riff, but the tempo and the words are changed for the Guy version…
What’s your impression of Buddy’s playing on this one?
Filed under blues guitar, Blues Legends, buddy guy by on Sep 15th, 2019. Comment.
Stevie Ray Vaughan was a massive influence on my early twenties, helped me take my own guitar playing to places I never thought possible and even taught me a number of life lessons along the way…this interview came to my attention recently that quickly became my favorite…both because of its lucidity (he was sober), honesty and frankness and useful information…about music and life.
Well worth the watch if you are an SRV fan, but even if you’re not, you’ll find value
Watch it and let me know what you think.
Filed under blues guitar, Blues Legends, stevie ray vaughan by on Jul 24th, 2019. Comment.
To me, this picture says it all about the value of integrity, hard-work and passion for music, self-confidence (that comes from staying true to yourself and your talent) and style…and answers the question why so many people LOVE the Vaughan Brothers – Jimmie and Stevie Ray…
Between them, I’ve seen Jimmie and Stevie Ray more than a dozen times – I’ll always remember the first time I saw each of them.
Sure, part of that is the incredible talent and tone, part of it is the fact that I was SO into the blues at that time it was like my neurons were going to shoot right through my frontal cortex hearing the first note as the crunching of the Texas Shuffle or Chicago Blues tune chugged along.
But there was something else…
It was the deadly combination of self-assurance and talent from decades of playing and competing in music-rich Dallas and Austin Texas, the integrity and honesty of having stuck to their guns even though the music industry tried multiple times to throw them off course and that style…
Tell me if you don’t see all of that wrapped up in these pictures.
Now, close your eyes and imagine what a dramatic entrance with 100 Watts or more of power surging out of perfectly setup Fender amps fed by the raw power and smooth tone of the single coils fueling the Fender Stratocasters piloted by the Vaughan Brothers…you are (or would be if you have never caught either of them in concert…sadly it is too late for Stevie Ray though you can still get a sense through the multitude of videos available online…but luckily you can see the very busy and relevant Jimmie who is hotter than Texas Ashphalt in July these days)
I can still see the day nearly 35-years ago when Stevie Ray brought his Double Trouble Couldn’t Stand the Weather Tour to Ottawa’s National Arts Center to lay a beating on it like it had never seen before…Aug 16th, 1984 – what a night…my sense of life and music were changed forever moments after he entered a black stage playing the first few bars of “Scuttle Buttin…” and THEN…
The house lights came up and from the 3rd row this giant of a figure wearing a poncho with his trademark black zorro hat with Texas emblem loud and proud – my mind was blown. The rest of the evening was an orgy of power, finesse, tone, honesty and GREAT music from the entire band.
Never again would I be THAT blown away and still search out that perfect combination of talent, confidence, integrity/honesty and style – it comes along once in a lifetime (something like the impact of seeing Hendrix live I would imagine…a chance I never had unfortunately) – and now Jimmie carries the torch in his own HONEST and integral way…I still get the feeling when I see him as I did in San Francisco last year.
It’s a rare thing…if you can remember a similar experience when you saw your favorite artist live, share it here and maybe we can all catch the wave one more time.
Filed under blues guitar, stevie ray vaughan, texas blues by on Jul 23rd, 2019. Comment.
If you you are a fan of blues music, stevie ray vuaghan, jimmie vaughan, texas blues or pretty much a music fan of ANY kind…you are going to enjoy this new release from Reese Wynans that stays true to its name – Sweet Release!
Reese spent the last 5-years tickling the ivories and hammering the Hammond B3 with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s band Double Trouble…since then he’s been supporting (with great style and feeling I might add) everyone from Kenny Wayne Shepherd to guitar virtuoso Joe Bonamasa with MANY stops along the way. Suffice it to say, Reese has earned his rightful spot as one of the legends supporting roots and blues music these days.
Sweet Release includes about half of the songs an ode to the Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble days (with guests on the releases including Double Trouble themselves – Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon as well as some help from the GREAT Sam Moore on Crossfire (below) and half roots songs that just make you feel GOOD! Kenny Wayne Shepherd includes some amazing guitar work as well.
I couldn’t find a song I didn’t like…a rarity these days. Pick up a copy or stream it on your favorite platform – you won’t be sorry.
In the meantime, here’s the title track and video release – a remake of the SRV Crossfire with the great Sam Moore filling in nicely on vocals (Stevie would have been PROUD!)
Filed under blues guitar, Blues Legends, stevie ray vaughan by on Jun 19th, 2019. Comment.
Love it when I get surprised by another past blues music guitar great like I was this past week hearing “Woman Don’t Lie” from “Snake Boy” Johnson.
Born in Georgia, relocating to Chicago IL after the war, had direct experience with Muddy Waters and followed Elmore James closely. While his birth date is not entirely certain, many peg him as being born in the Fall of 1941 having passed on in 1976 from brain cancer…what a joy he left us with his self-taught guitar playing and soulful voice.
Give this a listen, oh ya – and that Gibson SG looks SO COOL in black and white
Filed under blues guitar, Blues Legends by on Apr 18th, 2019. Comment.
Love the sound of a Fender Stratocaster through Fender Deluxe Reissue, and oh that Am groove…
Filed under blues guitar, Jeff Smith by on Feb 13th, 2019. Comment.
Have you guys had the chance to take a look at Gary Clark Jr. new material?
Real mix of styles ranging from “Ramones” influenced rock to some very authentic soul and of course – BLUES!
In that mix is the first released single and video – This Land…a very hard-core protest song and video where Gary uses his platform to share statements on black America at this point in time where progress has been made, but has seemingly stalled of late regarding racial equality.
I’m not usually a big fan of music serving messages, but where sufficient attention has been paid to the MUSIC and there is a strong message as part of that music then I’m all for it…and in this case I think Gary has achieved this completely.
Leave me your thoughts…
Filed under blues guitar, Gary Clark Jr, New Blues by on Jan 30th, 2019. Comment.
For many of us, the passing of BB King still leaves a massive gap – he truly had the 3 keys to living a fulfilling and impact-filled life:
– He was a generous soul, self-made and continued to lift everyone around him with his music, advice and example long after he had made it big
– He stayed true to his passion and talent…from the churches he always played music that had feeling never succumbing to over-production or changes in direction he did not believe in
– He worked hard (perhaps the hardest working musician out there) to ensure he could bring his music and positive message to the masses
On this day, BB King would have been 91 and I still miss him and his spirit each day.
Here’s a great retrospective from blues guitar phenom Joe Bonamassa – as he see’s BB King’s influence professionally and personally…
Filed under bb king, blues guitar by on Sep 17th, 2016. Comment.
