Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray Vaughan was born in Dallas on October 3rd 1954. He began playing the guitar at age 11, inspired by older brother Jimmie.
His first guitar was a Gibson Messenger Hollow Body, which was given him by Jimmie who later gave him also a Broadcaster '52.
Vaughan dropped out of high school in 1972 and moved to Austin to pursue a career as a professional musician. There he met Albert King for the first time. Vaughan formed his own blues/R&B band in 1976 called the Triple Threat Revue, later named Triple Threat. In 1981 Triple Threat became known as Double Trouble. This new band also featured drummer Chris Layton and ex- Johnny Winter bass player Tommy Shannon.
Double Trouble performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1982. Their performance caught the attention of David Bowie and Jackson Browne. Bowie invited him to perform on his album Let's Dance (1983) while Browne offered the group free recording time at his Los Angeles studio. But Vaughan turned down Bowie's subsequent world tour to rejoin his own band and record Texas Flood with veteran producer John Hammond. Texas Flood did showcase Vaughan's growing talent and laid the groundwork for his future fame. A favorite with critics, Texas Flood was also nominated for several Grammies.
The next album Couldn't Stand The Weather showed the influence of Jimi Hendrix, and earned the band its first platinum disc.
Soul To Soul saw the addition of keyboards player Reese Wynans.
Despite his growing reputation as an amazing guitarist, Vaughan struggled with personal difficulties during the mid-'80s. Despite his declining health, Stevie Ray continued to push himself, releasing the double live album Live Alive in October of 1986. Long addicted to drugs and alcohol, Vaughan entered an Atlanta rehabilitation clinic in 1986.
With his problems finally behind him, Vaughan began to concentrate once again on his music and launched an extensive American tour in early 1987
In 1988 Vaughan performed an acoustic set on MTV; the following year he released Double Trouble's fifth album, In Step, which became his most successful album, peaking at number 33 on the charts and earning a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Recording. He toured with fellow guitar legend Jeff Beck.
In the spring of 1990, Stevie Ray recorded an album with his brother Jimmie, Family Style.
After an August 27, 1990 performance with Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and Robert Cray at Alpine Valley, in southern Wisconsin, Vaughan left for Chicago via helicopter. The packed chopper slammed into a hill during bad weather, and Vaughan and four other passengers were killed instantly.
After his tragic death, Vaughan's fame only grew and he became a Guitar Legend just as Jimi Hendrix.
Plans to erect an nine-foot bronze statue to the guitarist in his home-town of Austin went ahead in October 1992.