Stevie Ray Vaughan

[bigbadbuff]

In the conversations I've had/read in the last few years concerning the greatest artists of the past few decades, SRV seems to get left out far too often. I don't know if that's because blues has fewer fans than other genres, that's he's been gone for 20 years, whatever- it's like no one my age or younger knows him other than maybe the name, and that's a tragedy. I first heard him when I was probably about 10... my dad was a big fan, so whenever we'd take his truck somewhere I'd be treated to this ballsy, bitching guitar wunderkind. I've got many a live cd and time after time, that guy puts on a show that utterly shames almost everything out there now. I like the blues, but I don't listen to typical treatments of it... he defined blues for me so most everything else sounds soft and not as heartfelt. He's also really underrated as a singer, I think he has a fantastic voice. Some great clips 1:15-2:05 is just chill inducing perfection, like the whole song Explaining some influences and playing some great riffs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPHan...eature=related Title of the clip says it all

 

[Thomas]

He had a tone that was immediately distinguishable from anyone else, and his live playing reminded me of Layla-era Clapton, only wilder. Gone too soon.

 

[rnoldh]

I saw SRV many times at a club called Rockefellers here in Houston.

And my friend Rocky Hill ( Dusty Hill's brother ) knew him very well.

SRV was an iconic musician and was really respected by other musicians.

Coincidentally, I live a few blocks from Rockefellers now.

 

[Brian278]

He was a great one, and certainly defined modern blues guitar. He loses points with music snobs because, as you mentioned, blues has fewer fans, but also because it's not really hotbed of musical innovation. The forms are fairly standard, the melodies are pretty standard, and he wasn't a particularly relevant musical force the way pop/rock musicians are and jazz musicians were. Even one of his greatest songs, his version of Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing, was a cover. Still, for what he did, few ever did better.

 

[bcate3]

Originally Posted by Brian278

He was a great one, and certainly defined modern blues guitar. He loses points with music snobs because, as you mentioned, blues has fewer fans, but also because it's not really hotbed of musical innovation. The forms are fairly standard, the melodies are pretty standard, and he wasn't a particularly relevant musical force the way pop/rock musicians are and jazz musicians were. Even one of his greatest songs, his version of Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing, was a cover. Still, for what he did, few ever did better.

good post.

 

[romafan]

I've never listened to SRV, but am (was?) a great fan of his brother Jimmie's band.

For me, the (white) Texas bluesman of choice was Johnny Winter....

 

[Sesame Seed]

It's a shame that people champion- Hendrix, Page, Beck, Clapton etc. They do not deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as SRV. SRV is to the guitar what Bob Dylan is to songwriting.

 

[appolyon]

A cousin got me onto SRV when I was about 20 and I immediately fell in love with his style. Which reminds me I need to listen to him a bit more...

 

[hadamulletonce]

I've listened to his version of Little Wing about a million times. I haven't heard any other artist do the song justice since Vaughan.

Another guitarist that isn't mentioned much anymore is David Gilmour. The solo at the end of Comfortably numb is moving. I wish they didn't fade it out at the end. Pink Floyd was considered rock but Gilmour played the blues.

 

[The Deacon]

Maybe I've got it wrong but I heard that Clapton once refused to go on after SRV at one concert and I saw the quote he gave, something to the effect of "what am I supposed to do after that?"

His Voodoo Child cover on Live Alive is spine tinglingly awesome and has been in constant rotation in my vehicle for 7 years now. BTW, the band Pride and Joy in Austin covers his work like none other.

 

[Hard2Fit]

SRV = the Devil playing a guitar

 

[romafan]

Originally Posted by The Deacon

Maybe I've got it wrong but I heard that Clapton once refused to go on after SRV at one concert and I saw the quote he gave, something to the effect of "what am I supposed to do after that?"

His Voodoo Child cover on Live Alive is spine tinglingly awesome and has been in constant rotation in my vehicle for 7 years now. BTW, the band Pride and Joy in Austin covers his work like none other.

Jimmie Vaughn's band, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, were said to be the only opening band the Stones were ever intimidated by...

Josh Alan Friedman's book Tell the Truth Until They Bleed has chapters devoted to bassists Keith Ferguson (T-Birds) and Tommy Shannon (SRV) that make for interesting reading.

Attachment 13835