I can’t believe it was nearly 29-years ago that marks the untimely death of master blues guitarist (and great human being) Stevie Ray Vaughan’s death.
A few weeks ahead of that unsettling anniversary comes the official release of the long anticipated “Inside Story” – “Texas Flood: The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan” which is now shipping and in the hands of a few of us who were quick on the trigger.
I have nearly everything published (and some unpublished) music, video and written word from Stevie and Jimmie Vaughan…so not a lot of this book was new for me, but there were some great nuggets. The sheer volume of people and sources interviewed (over 100) is astounding making it a MUST HAVE for any rock, blues or music junkie…and for a Stevie Ray, Jimmie Vaughan or Texas Blues fan…well I needn’t say anymore.
Get your copy hereGet your copy hereGet your copy here and enjoy the book.
Filed under stevie ray vaughan, texas blues by on Aug 17th, 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.
How time flies…the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan would have been 60 October 3, 2014…changed the world of music forever – as all the great ones do, his music lives on in every guitarist who has come since.
Here’s a great Jazzfest performance near the end of Stevie’s performances…with his brother Jimmie, great show
Great to see that tomorrow (Oct 4) will be the airing of the 40th anniversary of Austin City Limits with a huge tribute to SRV and an appearance by all original members of Double Trouble (including Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton and Reese Wynans)
Awesome!
Filed under jimmie vaughan, stevie ray vaughan by on Oct 3rd, 2014. Comment.
One of the best parts about being a blues guitar fan are the guitar “duels” that really bring out the best in the players.
This first one is 3 Texas blues guitar greats…Albert Collins, Stevie Ray Vaughan and his brother Jimmie Vaughan. All 3 players are FINE on this rendition of Albert’s Frosty…have to give it to Jimmie though, he surprised me with this one!
Now for an oldie, but a goodie…can’t think of two more powerful onstage blues guitar players than Buddy Guy and Albert Collins…can you?
Comment it up folks – let us know you love Blues Music!
Filed under Blues Legends by on Sep 5th, 2014. Comment.
The first of its kind brings back bitter-sweet memories for us fans and no doubt for Stevie Ray Vaughan’s loved ones.
Just listen to Jimmy’s words…”I want to thanks Bob for coming in and talking to me about this (the idea of the exhibit), you know I have all of Stevie’s stuff and I don’t really know what to do with it, you know, I go and look at it sometimes and then there’s also the part about he’s my little brother and I, you know, I’m supposed to protect my little brother so I never really know what to do with a lot of his stuff emotionally – you know…”
Couldn’t have put it better Jimmy, you have been a good, honest steward of your little brother’s things and legacy…good job JLV!
Filed under jimmie vaughan, stevie ray vaughan by on Jul 7th, 2014. Comment.
Each time you see the late, great blues guitar great Albert King (thanks to the power of technology) appear, it reinforces the masterful and powerful influence he had over his guitar and music in general.
As musicians, we each strive to find those real feelings, emotions and “places” that will allow us to put something extra into our playing…I know that when I find it, my playing sounds so much better than when I am going through the motions – anyone relate?
Can you tell when you reach down deep and find that extra “gear” you can draw on to give you extra power, creativity, or tone?
Watch this great rendition of Stormy Monday by Albert King with the amazing John Mayall Band and tell me that Albert King had ANY trouble reaching deep down on every note…that’s what allows him to totally control the stage and his audience leaving them only wanting to hear more.
Now that, my friends, is music…no wonder Albert King was perhaps THE single biggest influence on future guitar players (Stevie Ray Vaughan to Kenny Wayne Shepherd) beyond Jimi Hendrix
Filed under albert king, Blues Legends by on Nov 12th, 2013. Comment.
Can’t get enough stories about the early melting pot as Austin became the Blues Guitar ground zero for the likes of the Vaughans, ZZTop, Johnny Winter and opened the scene again for guys like Buddy Guy, Albert King, Albert Collins and Hubert Sumlin…largely impacted by the legendary club Antones – it was really the perfect storm of talent, inspiration, experience and desire and out popped an incredible blues reincarnation.
Here’s one of my favorite interviews with Stevie Ray Vaughan – he was clean, sober, happy and you can see the true man in every response to these questions…watch this
By the way – if you haven’t picked up both volumes of the Craig Hopkins “Day By Day, Night After Night” inside SRV story, you MUST pick this up. There are so many personal stories, original family/friend pictures, private stories from his earliest friends, gig posters and thorough gig lists…I couldn’t put it down.
Two things I pulled out of these volumes…
1. SRV was NOT an overnight success, he put in years of nightly gigs to pay his dues and learn the blues -by the time Texas Flood was released he was likely more experienced than most professional musicians at the end of their careers
2. He was, in many ways, a genius – gifted with an amazing ear and a passion for the guitar that dwarfed anything else in life…just as Steve Jobs obsessed over technology, SRV obsessed over the blues guitar. The books were incredibly insightful and interesting.
Filed under stevie ray vaughan by on Sep 3rd, 2012. Comment.
It still seems like yesterday when I heard the devastating news of SRV’s death in a helicopter crash after a show at Alpine Valley. Yet, incredibly it is 22-years later and the flame burns ever brighter.
Stevie Ray continues to influence a generation of guitar players, continues to inspire those who find themselves mired in addiction and I believe continues to bless us with his spirit each and every day.
In an era of electronic music, selfish interests and celebrity – it reminds me of the eighties when Stevie hit with his authentic, raw talent single-handed re-invigorating the guitar and music with feeling…god we could use him NOW!
Our hope today is with guys like Joe Bonamassa and Doyle Bramhall II as well as Gary Clark Jr can pull us through. With Stevie, you go it all – incredible talent, that unique ability to channel raw emotion through an instrument, fundamentally kind soul and the ambition of a leader…those qualities don’t come along everyday and that’s why we may never again see another SRV.
For now, here are a couple of reminders of what we had, how we were blessed, what we lost and what (god willing) we may again see one day…
In this interview, Stevie shares some great opinions and views on the music business, blues and how we got his start as well as an amazingly well spoken explanation of his addiction struggles…
Love his answer to the question “Why do you think you appeal to the masses?” – SRV’s answer “Because I try my best to play the music that I love – it’s HONEST!”
And here is an interview with his band (Double Trouble) drummer Chris Layton…some additional insights into his past playing with Stevie Ray – explaining him as a “Kind Soul” and “Gentle” – pretty much sums it up…
Don’t know about you, I’m just happy to have witnessed and been inspired by Stevie Ray and Double Trouble.
Do you have a favorite memory of seeing Stevie – leave a comment and let everyone know.
Filed under stevie ray vaughan by on Aug 27th, 2012. 2 Comments.
