Everyone has a story (in the Blues world) about Stevie Ray Vaughan, of course I have one too. My story is a little different in that I never got to see him before his tragic death, but he had a profound effect on me and my guitar playing and tone. If you really dont know Stevie’s level of playing, watch this iconic performance and then come back to the post.

I was married to my wife in 1986. She had been into old Country like Hank Williams Sr. and the like, and I had been raised on Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen etc. We didn’t really jive on much of the same music until we listened to Stevie Ray Vaughan. He brought us together musically and when we were at odds on some other bands that were playing on the radio, we could always come together on his music.

Working as a mechanic in my early twenties, my wife called the shop and told me of his death, but I pretended it didn’t bother me. Now, I’m ashamed of my feigned indifference in hearing the news. It really shook me as I realized we wouldn’t hear any new material from an artist that was only just taking off again after finding a clean lifestyle again. He was young, full of potential, highly respected by legendary Bluesmen, and now he was gone.

We’ve lost many significant artists to incidents and we all suffer even if we have never personally met that person. Their music helped mold us into who we are and how we look at and hear the world now.

The best I can do now is remember him for the great artist he was and still is in my heart.

Stub Lee on Stevie Ray Vaughan