While perusing a music board that I frequent occasionally, I saw a thread that brought back a sad memory:  Blues guitar great Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash 24 years ago today after a gig in Alpine Valley, Wisconsin.  I remember vividly where I was and what my next actions were:  I was at work at the time listening to the radio as I was going about my daily duties.  When the news was announced I was completely stunned-  I was a big fan of Stevie Ray, having purchased all of his albums by that time and had also seen him in concert twice within the past year or two.  How could this have happened to a guy who just a few years prior had gotten sober and was absolutely ON FIRE with his performances?  The guy seemed to have turned a corner and was seemingly headed for an even brighter future until that fateful evening of August 27th, 1990.

One of my best friends was an immense Stevie Ray fan.  I had called him with the news of Randy Rhoads’ tragic death years earlier and was unfortunately the one to break this news to him as well.  He and I reminisced about the man and his music for a few moments until I hung up the phone.  My friend Steve had played guitar for years and would love to mess around with “Lenny” or “Riviera Paradise” while warming up for one of his gigs.  He’d drag me up on stage with him to run through “Cold Shot” or “Voodoo Chile” with him on occasion-  always a great time.

For those of you unfamiliar with Stevie Ray Vaughan, check out some of these clips below.  SRV blended his influences (Hendrix, Albert King, Lonnie Mack, Kenny Burrell, brother Jimmie Vaughan, etc) to create a guitar style that is unique in its own right, often played with such fiery tone and intensity as if his life depended on it.  The guy always seemed to hit all of the right notes.  I read a very fitting quote today about the man –  he played like he was wrestling his guitar away from a demon.  Watching some of these videos?  That sounds about right 🙂

Thank you Stevie Ray.  And to my friend Steve –  while you’re up there, track him down and have him show you how to play “Mary Had A Little Lamb”!