Stevie Ray Vaughan
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Stevie Ray Vaughan |
Stevie Ray Vaughan at Austin City Limits in 1989 |
Background information |
Birth name | Stephen Ray Vaughan |
Born | October 3, 1954(1954-10-03)
Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
Died | August 27, 1990 (aged 35)
East Troy, Wisconsin, U.S. |
Genres | Blues, rock, jazz |
Occupations | Guitarist, singer, songwriter |
Instruments | Guitar |
Years active | 1970–1990 |
Labels | A&M, Epic |
Associated acts | Marc Benno, Double Trouble, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan, David Bowie, Robert Cray, Albert King, B. B. King, Albert Collins |
Notable instruments |
Fender Stratocaster |
Stephen Ray "Stevie" Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an
American guitarist,
singer, and
songwriter. Vaughan has won several Grammy awards during his lifetime and posthumously including 'Best Rock Instrumental Performance' and 'Best Contemporary Blues Album'. Eighteen albums of Vaughan's work have been released.
[1]
Vaughan was inspired to play guitar by his older brother,
Jimmie Vaughan, and was influenced by such players as
Jimi Hendrix and
Buddy Guy.
[2] After a few years as a sideman in and around Austin, Vaughan formed the band
Double Trouble, with whom he made four successful studio albums and established a reputation as one of the foremost blues guitarists in the world. He was noted for using the
Fender Stratocaster, with several guitars being made in tribute to Vaughan, including a
Signature Stratocaster[3] and a replica of his famous Strat named "Lenny".
[4] In 1986, after years of substance abuse from
alcohol and
cocaine, he spent a month in
drug rehabilitation, and remained clean and sober for the final four years of his life, until his death in 1990 in a helicopter crash.
[5]
On February 22, 2000, Vaughan was inducted into the
Blues Hall of Fame in
Washington, D.C., being one of only 79 performers to be inducted.
[6] He also won several
W. C. Handy Awards, during his lifetime and posthumously, including Entertainer of the Year and Instrumentalist of the Year in 1984.
[7] In 2003, he was ranked #7 in
Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
[8] Classic Rock Magazine ranked him #3 in their list of the 100 Wildest Guitar Heroes in 2007.
[9]