"I don't think anyone has commanded my respect more, to this day. The first time I heard Stevie Ray, I thought, 'Whoever this is is going to shake the world.' It's going to be a long time before anyone that brilliant will come along again." - Eric Clapton
Stevie Ray Vaughan was a bluesman; a guitar hero; a junkie. He was certainly a guitar virtuoso. He was also an alcoholic and a drug addict who managed to get clean and sober.
After many years of life in the fast lane, Stevie Ray cleaned himself up. He rehabilitated himself in both soul and body. Through all his life, all the drugs and all the personal troubles, he only had one goal; Playing the guitar. He grew up listening and playing the music of guitar heroes like Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Eric Clapton, and on his final appearance just before he died, he shared the stage with his some of those heroes. After playing the music of his heroes all his life, he got to know them and play music with them. He listened to the best. He learned from the best. He became one of the best.
Stevie Ray Vaughan was born on October 03,1954 in Oak Cliff, a section of Dallas, Texas. He was immediately under the spell of his older brother Jimmie, and when he was 8, started playing guitar just like Jimmie. In 1972, Stevie Ray dropped out of high school to follow Jimmie to Austin, Texas. He had also decided to pursue a career in music.
1982 was the year that introduced Stevie Ray Vaughan to the World. Stevie Ray, spotted by David Bowie in Montreaux Festival, was asked to play on Bowie's "Let's Dance" album. He was also given studio time by Jackson Browne at Browne's Downtown Studio in Los Angeles. In addition, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble were signed to Epic Records. This was the beginning of Stevie's international stardom and constant worldwide touring.
During the blistering, 20-minute rendition of "Sweet Home Chicago" that closed the August 27th show at the Alpine Valley Music Theater near East Troy, Wisconsin, Stevie Ray Vaughan was onstage with fellow bluesmen Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray and Vaughan's older brother, Jimmie. It was the greatest of moments.
Shortly afterward, at 12:15 A.M., the exhilarated musicians left the stage through a rear exit. Vaughan had planned to make the two-hour drive back to his Chicago hotel with his brother and sister-in-law, Connie, but at the last minute chose to board a Bell 206B Jet Ranger, one of four helicopters waiting nearby. According to his New York City publicist, Charles Comer, Vaughan had learned from Clapton's manager that there were seats enough to accommodate all three in his party. When he found only one place was actually available, Vaughan said to Connie and Jimmie, "Do you mind if I take the seat? I really need to get back."
The helicopter took off in fog around 12:40 A.M. with Vaughan and four others aboard. Moments later the chopper's remains lay spread across more than 200 feet of a man-made ski slope. All on board were killed instantly in what National Transportation Safety Board investigator William Bruce later described as "a high-energy, high-velocity impact at a shallow angle."
Stevie was laid to rest on the 31st of August in Laurel Land Cemetery in Oak Cliff, Dallas. In a private ceremony only for friends and relatives, some celebrities were seen in the crowd. Among them were: Jeff Healy, Dr John, ZZ Top, Ringo Starr, Stevie Wonder, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and Buddy Guy. In addition, over 3,000 people were outside the chapel to say goodbye to their hero.
