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Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Biography
With his astonishingly accomplished guitar playing, Stevie Ray Vaughan ignited the blues revival of the '80s. Vaughan drew equally from bluesmen like Albert King, Otis Rush, and Muddy Waters and rock & roll players like Jimi Hendrix and Lonnie Mack, as well as the stray jazz guitarist like Kenny Burrell, developing a uniquely eclectic and fiery style that sounded like no other guitarist, regardless of genre. Vaughan bridged the gap between blues and rock like no other artist had since the late '60s. For the next seven years, Stevie Ray was the leading light in American blues, consistently selling out concerts while his albums regularly went gold. His tragic death in 1990 only emphasized his influence in blues and American rock & roll.
Born and raised in Dallas, Vaughan began playing guitar as a child, inspired by older brother Jimmie. When he was in junior high school, he began playing in a number of garage bands, which occasionally landed gigs in local nightclubs. By the time he was 17, he had dropped out of high school to concentrate on playing music. Vaughan's first real band was the Cobras, who played clubs and bars in Austin during the mid-'70s. Following that group's demise, he formed Triple Threat in 1975. Triple Threat also featured bassist Jackie Newhouse, drummer Chris Layton, and vocalist Lou Ann Barton. After a few years of playing Texas bars and clubs, Barton left the band in 1978. The group decided to continue performing under the name Double Trouble, which was inspired by the Otis Rush song of the same name; Vaughan became the band's lead singer.
For the next few years, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble played the Austin area, becoming one of the most popular bands in Texas. In 1982, the band played the Montreux Festival and their performance caught the attention of David Bowie and Jackson Browne. After Double Trouble's performance, Bowie asked Vaughan to play on his forthcoming album, while Browne offered the group free recording time at his Los Angeles studio, Downtown; both offers were accepted. Stevie Ray laid down the lead guitar tracks for what became Bowie's Let's Dance album in late 1982. Shortly afterward, John Hammond, Sr. landed Vaughan and Double Trouble a record contract with Epic, and the band recorded its debut album in less than a week at Downtown.
Vaughan's debut album, Texas Flood, was released in the summer of 1983, a few months after Bowie's Let's Dance appeared. On its own, Let's Dance earned Vaughan quite a bit of attention, but Texas Flood was a blockbuster blues success; receiving positive reviews in both blues and rock publications, reaching number 38 on the charts, and crossing over to album rock radio stations. Bowie offered Vaughan the lead guitarist role for his 1983 stadium tour, but he turned him down, preferring to play with Double Trouble. Vaughan and Double Trouble set off on a successful tour and quickly recorded their second album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, which was released in May of 1984. The album was more successful than its predecessor, reaching number 31 on the charts; by the end of 1985, the album went gold. Double Trouble added keyboardist Reese Wynans in 1985, before they recorded their third album, Soul to Soul. The record was released in August 1985 and was also quite successful, reaching number 34 on the charts.
Although his professional career was soaring, Vaughan was sinking deep into alcoholism and drug addiction. Despite his declining health, Vaughan continued to push himself, releasing the double live album Live Alive in October of 1986 and launching an extensive American tour in early 1987. Following the tour, Vaughan checked into a rehabilitation clinic. The guitarist's time in rehab was kept fairly quiet, and for the next year Stevie Ray and Double Trouble were fairly inactive. Vaughan performed a number of concerts in 1988, including a headlining gig at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and wrote his fourth album. The resulting record, In Step, appeared in June of 1989 and became his most successful album, peaking at number 33 on the charts, earning a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Recording, and going gold just over six months after its release.
In the spring of 1990, Stevie Ray recorded an album with his brother Jimmie, which was scheduled for release in the fall of the year. In the late summer of 1990, Vaughan and Double Trouble set out on an American headlining tour. On August 26, 1990, their East Troy, WI, gig concluded with an encore jam featuring guitarists Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, and Robert Cray. After the concert, Stevie Ray boarded a helicopter bound for Chicago. Minutes after its 12:30 a.m. takeoff, the helicopter crashed, killing Vaughan and the other four passengers. He was only 35 years old.
Family Style, Stevie Ray's duet album with Jimmie, appeared in October and entered the charts at number seven. Family Style began a series of posthumous releases that were as popular as the albums Vaughan released during his lifetime. The Sky Is Crying, a collection of studio outtakes compiled by Jimmie, was released in October of 1991; it entered the charts at number ten and went platinum three months after its release. In the Beginning, a recording of a Double Trouble concert in 1980, was released in the fall of 1992 and the compilation Greatest Hits was released in 1995. In 1999, Vaughan's original albums were remastered and reissued, with The Real Deal: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 also appearing that year. 2000 saw the release of the four-disc box SRV, which concentrated heavily on outtakes, live performances, and rarities. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Selected Discography

The Real Deal: Greatest Hits Vol.1
2006

Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: Stevie Ray Vaughan
2003

The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble
2002

Blues At Sunrise
2000

3 Pak: Texas Flood / Couldn't Stand The Weather / Soul To Soul
1999

Greatest Hits
1995

The Sky Is Crying
1991

Soul To Soul (Remaster)
1985

Couldn't Stand The Weather
1984

Texas Flood
1983
Such a tragedy. Made even more so by the fact that he had cleaned up and was destined to be the greatest guitar player there ever was. To quote Stevie shortly before his death "I don't know about you all, but I'm glad to be alive TODAY." We'll all see Stevie again some day. I'm sure he and Jimi are upstairs trading chops. Still makes me want to cry when I think about him.
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It's all about that Guitar Hero 3 Mississppi Queen! I love playing that song =)
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gotta love those faces he made when he plays..kinda tells the whole story :)
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lightnin' quick...impr o v master...the r e ' s none better...and if you've witnessed a live performance you know his heart and soul was wrapped around his music and those guitars...he cared about Double Trouble (and his family) but everything else took a back seat to his music...yep, somewhere there's some blues going on.
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He is from my hometown of Dallas and I had the awesome experience of meeting him once when I was 17, got to take pics and everything, saw him live that night!!! He was a very very cool dude! He was always my fav and he is missed so much! One of the worst days of my life when I heard of the plane crash it was just a cpl weeks after my 21st birthday!! RIP Stevie Ray!!
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had the pleasure to see him live 3 times. twice in albuquerque and the best was at the paulo solerie theatre in santa fe...blow you away. right before the biggest tragedy in guitar hero history. sorely missed.
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Heaven done called another blues stringer back home! As a guitarist myself I have always loved Stevie since being introduced to his music in the late seventies. it is always unfortunate that the fame sometimes overpowers us just when we are reaching the goals we have been building to for so many years. It is only human nature that in the end will be the death of us all. I saw stevie live only one time in tempe arizona shortly before his death and to this day I can not help but to find his influ
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One of the most intense blues guitarist My wife and I had the great fortune to dance to his music live in Albuquerque in 1987
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the first time i saw Stevie ray Vaughn play was 1980 or 1981 may 11th at the tornado jam in Lubbock Texas as a young man i thought he was the most amazing guitar player i had ever seen and it was a free concert for rememberance the may 11th 1970 tornado that hit Lubbock Texas . You could walk right up right in front of him and know he was something special. I saw him several more times after that . When he died i cried, couldn't see another show for over 5 years. Miss him every day.
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I'm glad to say that I saw him live about 3 weeks before he was killed. It was a last minute decision to go to the concert and it's one of the luckiest decisions that I've ever made. PHENOMENAL guitarist.
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I always thought S.R. stood for San Ramon Wolves in Danville California I really enjoy the information I received thank you Gina
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Stevie Ray !!
He truly was gifted, as he couldn't read music, his talent was truly born within. Imagine, if anyone can, what would he have been like if he could have. I read that Eric Clapton wouldn't listen to Stevie play, that if he did he wouldn't have gone out on stage. Quite the compliment, one of the best performances I watched was a tribute to Stevie Ray, Jimmie Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, BB King, Dr.John, Greg Allman, who is a fantastic blues organist, and it w |
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Stevie Ray Vaughan is (and was), depending on how you look at it, the greatest guitarist I have ever heard, personally. He played the guitar with everything he had in his soul and thats what really makes you great. ya I like other guitarists but I personally like Stevie Ray Vaughan the most out of them all.
May your soul rest in peace Stevie Ray Vaughan, God Bless You |
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saw him play when he was high,and when he was straight.whe n you have that much talent,it comes through no matter what.see you up there, buddy.
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The cut you are playing is not SRV.It is in fact the songs author Albert King. While its true that Stevie ofen copied the true stars and in fact appeared with some of them. This cut is and should be credited to the consumate artist Albert King. God Bless You Albert.
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It kills me everytime someone says, "Stevie who?" I get that little sick feeling. I had to introduce him to my son, who is almost 14. That was before his time, but such an huge influence, how could I not make a big deal when his music is on the radio???
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What can you say about Stevie. He was right up there with Jimmy H. Listening to his music makes everyday a Great Day.
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I live and work in Dallas, Texas and overlook Kiest Park and Oakcliff and miss you dude!
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BLUES BABY, YEEEEEEAHHHH H H ! ! ! ! GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... AUSTINTACIOU S , ONLY IN TEXAS!!!!!!! ! ! matric42
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The gretest bluesman of all time, no question. I saw him at the Greek here in L.A. just before he died. I'm still in a funk.
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I CRIED THE THE MUSIC DIED. i DISCOVERED TO LATE THE HAUNTED BUT STIRRING SOUNDS OF HIS VOICE AND GUITAR. iT SEEMED THE GUITAR AND HIS HAND WEE AS ONE. THERE SONT BE ANOTHER LIKE FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THANKS STEEVIE YOULEFT LIFFE TIME TO SOON. REST ON BRO.
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An incredible performer, you can feel the love he has for his music. His soul reaches out to our souls with his playing. I wish I had been able to see him perform live. Thank you for the music Stevie, rest in peace!
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Gifted to a degree that is a testament to the belief that God really does bless certain people with incredible talent; Stevie surely got the gift.
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I know people say that Robin Trower sounded like Hendrix. But Stevie Ray was the closest person to Hendrix, hands down. I was fortunate to see him in New Orleans right after he had released "Voodoo Chile". I never got a chance to see Hendrix, but in my mind Stevie Ray played like Hendrix would have played.
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Would Stevie be as amazing as he was if Jimi hadn't died young? Would ANY guitar player worth his salt these days be what they are without Stevie dying young as well? These guys were BORN 2 be legends!
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