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. 
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I have nearly everything published (and some unpublished) music, video and written word from Stevie and Jimmie Vaughan…so not a lot of this book was new for me, but there were some great nuggets.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.
One of my favorite clips ever, take a look at the concentration and respect shown on Albert Collins and Jimmie Vaughan’s face as they watch one of the early Texas Blues masters Lightning Hopkins.
There are obviously many varieties of the blues, as you hear Jimmie talk about near the end of the clip – Texas definitely has its own interpretation marked by horns, big sound and honesty.
Filed under texas blues by on Mar 6th, 2015. Comment.
Cool “raw” interview with Jimmie Vaughan, you get to see a “behind the scenes” of filming an interview.
Some great highlights from the interview:
- How The Fabulous T-Birds got their start as the Antone’s house band where they backed the who’s who of blues singers
- Why they moved down from Dallas to Austin (hippie scene, cops are nicer)
- Some of the many Texas musical influences from Bob Wills to Buddy Holly
- History of how Stevie Ray improved while Jimmie was out on the road
Love these types of in-depth interviews – always learn something new
Filed under Blues Legends, texas blues by on Dec 30th, 2014. Comment.
Wow man, I was so impressed by this Jimmie Vaughan interview, mainly because he goes through the thought process of how he (and how other great blues guitar players like BB, Freddie King, Eric Clapton and Gatemouth Brown) developed their own style.
It’s one thing to learn the guitar, another to be able to play like your heroes and still another to have the confidence and desire to forge your own sound.
Not only do you become a musician and guitar player, but you become an innovator and artist using this approach.
Isn’t it better to leave this earth having shared and created your own sound instead of just imitating others?
How do you develop your own style… Jimmy’s way of describing it is “play what you hear”…now that makes total sense!
I remember hearing BB King talk about how he developed his style of “fills” by trying to come up with the horn (sax) fills he would hear in songs…that became the BB King style of blues playing.
So if you want to or already play guitar, think about what do you want to hear and try to incorporate that into your playing.
Here’s the video:
Filed under jimmie vaughan, texas blues by on Apr 5th, 2012. Comment.
[mc src=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFqK6PBq-hA&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL37DEC2F0013CE888″ type=”youtube”]T-Bone Walker[/mc]I’ve been in a mood for going back and learning some blues guitar strategies, techniques and styles from the greats – was listening to this video of T-Bone Walker playing at the “Jazz at the Philharmonic” – the first song I noticed the often used example of T-Bone changing up the standard I-IV-V blues progression to a I-II-IV-V which gives it a more classy, jazzy feel – he did this on many slow blues numbers.Â
You’ll also notice on his progression to the IV, he will slide up to the V and resolve down to the IV position – in this particular case it is in the key of B-flat.Â
Take a listen, there’s also a great jump-blues song tagged on here as well with an amazing band (listen to the drumming on the last song how it complements T-Bone’s wonderful playing). Oh ya, and it’s hard to keep your eyes off of him on stage, he is such a great performer.
Filed under Blues Legends, texas blues by on Nov 3rd, 2011. Comment.
I still remember fondly one of my very first concerts back in the mid 1990’s saw Johnny Winter play the National Arts Center Theatre here in Ottawa…a venue typically reserved for proper theatre goers rather than loud, heavy drinking bikers, youth and blues revellers – but that night turned out to be magic.Â
It was funny, he tore off on an amazing version of Highway 61 – when some huge motor started up and interfered with the sound. He stopped for a few seconds, cranked up the amp and exclaimed “fu*! it” and hit it even harder…ahh…the moments you remember 🙂
Since then I’ve had the great fortune of seeing him dozens more times around the world – here at the Ottawa bluesfest a few times as well.Â
No doubt, his health went down hill and there were a few concerts I didn’t know if it may be the last time I see him.
But, the pheonix rises, Johnny sounds better than he has in a long, long time (though his guitar work never really suffered showing the true talent of this legend). All of this has culminated in a new CD titled “Roots”
My personal favorites:
“Dust My Broom”  is a perfect fit for Johnny’s awesome slide and rough (but great sounding) voice. Pretty much anyone who listens to blues music will know this song as it has been covered by all the greats – having been orginally written by Elmore James (made more famous by Robert Johnson)
“Maybellene” – Yep, Johnny Winter does Chuck Berry with the help of Vince Gill on guitar.  I really like the different side of Johnny’s vocals on this one with some tasty Texas rapidfire guitar thrown in for good measure
“Further On Up The Road” – Oh ya, I love the texas shuffle, and T-Bone was the master. Johnny stays true to the original form and adds his own stinging licks to this one. Damn…now I have to go through the entire day with that shuffle inside my head
Other collaborations on this tasty CD include Susan Tedeschi (wherever Derek Trucks goes these days Susan is right there at his side), a nice shuffle with Edgar Winter (his brother).Â
But really, there is not a bad tune on this CD…great blues all around. I assume Roots will be up for some serious blues awards, it truly deserves it.Â
Do you have the CD, what do you think?
Filed under texas blues by on Oct 11th, 2011. Comment.
