Stevie Ray Vaughan

When I think of the blues 3 names come to mind, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stephen Ray Vaughan was born October 3, 1954, in Dallas, Texas. He was born and raised in Dallas, and for a short period of time lived in Graham, Texas. As the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan, Vaughan started playing the guitar at age seven and formed several bands that occasionally performed in local nightclubs. When he was 17, he dropped out of high school and moved to Austin to further pursue his musical career, playing in many groups such as Krackerjack, the Nightcrawlers, and the Cobras. Then In 1977, he formed Triple Threat Revue, a band that eventually evolved into Double Trouble and regularly performed around Austin.

In 1982 they had their big break at the  Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, where they were noticed by David Bowie and Jackson Browne. Bowie came forward and asked if Vaughan would play on his new album "Let's Dance" and Browne offered the band free use of his personal studio in Los Angeles to record an album. In '83 Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble signed with Epic Records and released their debut album, "Texas Flood" in June of that year. After some Successful touring Stevie and Double Trouble released "Couldn't Stand the Weather" in 1984 and "Soul to Soul" in '85, the latter of which featured new keyboardist Reese Wynans. Even though he ad built up a strong career Stevie Ray Vaughan checked himself into a rehabilitation hospital for cocaine and alcohol addiction. In June 1989, "In Step" was released and earned them a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Performance.

 On August 27, 1990, Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash following a performance in East Troy, Wisconsin. After his Death, "Family Style" was Released. It was a collection of studio recording he did with his Brother Jimmie Vaughan.