Humanities & Classics 3270
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Sixties Forum
Humanities & Classics 3270 |
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After todays last class, you all know by now Stevie Ray Vaughn and his music thanks to Brandon. Stevie was the best electric guitarist to have ever lived, with the exception, of course, to Jimi Hendrix. Though there have been a million and one Jimi Hendrix wannabes, only one guitarist took the Hendrix legacy to heart and make it his own-- Stevie Ray Vaughn. He himself turned Stevie Ray Vaughn the musician into Stevie Ray Vaughn the legacy. But a lot of his playing days had to do with alcohol and cocaine, that had a lot of influence over his music. The man could play like an animal when he was all hopped up on cocaine. But he was a fabulous musician who didn't need drugs to stay on top.
Stevie Ray Vaughn dropped out of high school and moved to Austin, TX and formed Double Trouble. They started small, but then got an audition to play for the Rolling Stones. This led to a gig that got Stevie discovered by David Bowie, who then invited him to play on his album "Let's Dance." After that, Stevie went back to Double Trouble and recorded their first album, Texas Flood in 1982. This led immediatly to gold albums and three Grammys for the group. But Stevie was so hard up on drugs, in 1987 he checked himself into rehab. This led to the recording of In Step in 1989, an album inspired by his rehabilitation. He then went on a co-habilitation tour with Jeff Beck, and recorded an album with his brother, Jimmie Vaughn, called Family Style. Tragically, in August of 1990, a tragic helicopter crash took the life of this extremely talented musician, it took his life before the effect of the drugs could. But we must look up to this musician as one of the few who got his life back together, and realized the mistake he was making. In a 1987 interview, right after he emerged from rehab, Stevie Ray stated:
"The most important thing in my life is that you understand that I thank God that I'm alive today. You see, I spent too many years of my life thinking that the big party was that whole thing. It took me quite a while to find out that the real deal is to be able to be enough of a person on your own to know when somebody loves you or cares about you. You see, we are here, as far as I can tell, to help each other out; brothers, sisters, friends, and enamies. That is to help each other and not hurt each other. And somethimes to help them we have got to help ourself. So that we will know that they are around in the first place."
"You see that it's a big world out there; with enough pain and misery in it; without me going around and helping it out by hurting myself, and consequently, those that care about me. What I am trying to get across to you, is please take of yourself and thsoe that you love; because that is what we are here for, that's all we got, and this is what we can take with us. Are you with me?"
-Stevie Ray Vaughn
After Stevie's death, his brother Jimmie was putting together a tribute album called "The Sky is Crying." He found an old acustic song done by Stevie after his release from rehab. It was called "Life By the Drop," and it fit Stevies life perfectly.
Life By the Drop
written by D. Bramhall and B. Logan
Hello there, my old friend
Not so long ago it was 'til the end
We played outside in the pouring rain
On the way up the road we started over again
Your livin' our dream oh you on top
My mind is achin', Lord it won't stop
That's how it happens livin' life by the drop
Up and down the road in our worn down shoes
Talkin' about good things and singin' the blues
You went your way and I stayed behind
We both knew it was just a matter of time
No wasted time, we're alive today
Churnin' up the past, there's no easier way
Time's between us, a means to an end
God it's good to be here walkin' together my friend
We're livin' our dreams
My minds stopped achin'
That's how it happened livin' life by the drop