Stevie Ray Vaughan Artistfacts

Stevie Ray Vaughan song list

Stevie Ray Vaughan Artistfacts

October 3, 1954 - August 27, 1990
In 1990, when he was 35, Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash near East Troy, Wisconsin following a concert at the Alpine Valley Music Theater where earlier in the evening he appeared with Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton and his older brother Jimmie Vaughan. The idea that Clapton gave up his seat in the ill-fated helicopter is a myth. As Eric explains in his autobiography, there were four copters chartered to fly musicians back to Chicago. Stevie was on board a different helicopter with two of Eric's crew.
Vaughan attracted attention from David Bowie and Jackson Browne, and he played on albums with both. Bowie featured Vaughan on his Let's Dance album on the songs "Let's Dance" and "China Girl."
Bowie first saw Vaughan at the Montreux Jazz Festival where initially a few members of the audience, who disliked his hard blues sound booed Vaughan, though most of the crowd cheered him, as can be witnessed in the Live At Montreux DVD.
Stevie had a distinct sound of his own which was partly based on using heavy 13-gauge strings. Vaughan's sound and playing style, which often features simultaneous lead and rhythm parts, also draws frequent comparisons to that of Jimi Hendrix; Vaughan covered several Hendrix tunes on his studio albums and in performance.
As well as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan's blues-playing style was strongly influenced by Albert King, who dubbed himself Stevie's "Godfather."
Drug addiction and alcoholism took a toll on Vaughan in the mid-1980s, and he collapsed while on tour in 1986. He checked into rehab in Georgia later that year. He managed to recover from his addictions and became a teetotaler. >>
Suggestion credit:
James - Bransgore, England, for above 5
His older brother Jimmie inspired him to pick up a guitar. Stevie Ray recorded his 1990 Brother To Brother album with Jimmie.
He formed the band Triple Threat in 1975 with vocalist Lou Ann Barton, bassist Jackie Newhouse and drummer Chris Layton. When Barton left in 1978, Vaughan took over vocals and the band was renamed "Double Trouble." >>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France, for above 2
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. His brother, Jimmy Vaughan, accepted on his behalf, saying, "He had enthusiasm for everything. That is why people loved his music."

Comments: 8

Rene Cannonball Carrasco from Orange County, Ca.I was so sad to hear about Stevie Ray Vaughan's passing....but I am SO honored and humbled to have played the role of the gang leader playing cards in the SRV Music Video for the great song "CROSSFIRE". It was shot at the Halifax Hotel in Hollywood, Ca. Wow, what an amazing talent ! RIP Stevie !
Tom from Appleton, WiWhile it wasn't Clapton's seat, SRV wasn't initially intending to leave that night, as he had a room at the AV chalet. Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton said that when he heard the news, he couldn't believe Stevie was dead and he ran to Stevie's room, but found it unoccupied and the bed untouched. Tragic loss.
Diane from Tuscaloosa, AlHe caught my eye w/his hat-then he caught my ear w/his music-then he opened my world to what was for me was a whole new genre. He expanded my horizons-THANKS SRV.
Dave from Sacramento, CaI was in Alaska from 88 to 91. I saw Double Trouble perform in a local highschool gymnasium. When they came out on stage and opened the show it seemed like they would have rather been anywhere else in the world. The crowd rushed the stage, terrifying local security, and then it began....the best show I've ever been to. I was pressed against the barrier just a few feet away from a man dressed in cowhide chaps playing Hendrix behind his back. I don't recall who was playing organ that night, but he was amazing as well.

I just met an artist who does oils of Stevie. She paints them with her feet. They are beautiful.
Coffeegod from Brandon, Ms17+ years later and I still miss him. I was lucky enough to see him with his brother in a small venue. I liked Stevie before I went to the concert. I came out a die-hard fan. The day I heard about his death I started to lock myself in my apartment and have a bender but I couldn't do that in memory of a man that had worked so hard to be clean. We miss you, Stevie. You were the greatest!
Mel from Paris, FranceStevie's sound was really like new at the time. His distinctive sound was because of several factors. First, he had heavy strings, GHS nickelrockers, 13-58, or 11-58 when his fingers hurt. Next came the pickups. The pickups came from 1959, but what was different about his set was that they were accidently overwound, creating a boost in harmonics, and a nice smooooth sound. Stevie played at first through a marshall combo that was 80 watts about, but he then got two Fender(R) Vibroverbs(TM). These amps have a 15 inch speaker, which gives the sound the full range of bass, middle, and treble frequencies. He had his modified for more gain. He had an Ibanez(R) TS808 overdrive pedal (ibanez recently re-put the ts808 on the market) Vox V-847 wah wah (modified with true bypass) and various other pedals including a Univibe, Dallas-Arbiter Fuzz Face etc. In the song "Leave my girl alone" (soul to soul album) he plays a gibson(R) ES-335. He had many other guitars.
Stevie was amazing....
Kelsy from Rochester, NyStevie Ray Vaughan was an amazing musician. His ability to play the guitar is unmatched (in my personal opinion). His songs make you want to get up and dance and sing. My parents saw him in concert shortly before he died and said it was the most amazing thing they've ever experienced. He will always be celebrated, remembered and missed. RIP Stevie.
Mel from Paris, Francefender made a tribute guitar for stevie, not the artist one it was one that was made to look EXACTLY like his #1 with the broken up body, cigarette marks on the headstock and everything.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Beverly HillsWeezer

Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo wrote "Beverly Hills" after seeing a photo of the group Wilson Phillips and imagining what it would be like to marry someone famous.

TeardropMassive Attack

"Teardrop" by Massive Attack has vocals by Elizabeth Fraser of The Cocteau Twins, who wrote the lyric after learning that Jeff Buckley had died.

Last NiteThe Strokes

The Strokes admitted to purloining Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' "American Girl" for their hit "Last Nite."

John Lennon's lead guitar work on Yoko Ono's "Walking On Thin Ice" proved to be his final creative act. It was upon their return home after completing laying down the track that Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman.

Everybody Have Fun TonightWang Chung

"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" is a rare hit with the band's name used as a verb: "Everybody Wang Chung tonight." The band says it can mean whatever you'd like it to.

At This MomentBilly Vera & the Beaters

"At This Moment" was first released by Billy Vera & the Beaters in 1981, and hit #79. After it was used in two episodes of Family Ties in 1985-1986, it went to #1.