The SRV appreciation thread

SRV was great, and he was a real Bluesman. But don't just stop at SRV; listen to his influences and find out what helped make him so good! Albert King, Buddy Guy, Lonnie Mack, Johnnie Copeland, Albert Collins, Freddie King, Guitar Slim, Elmore James, Howlin Wolf, etc. And check out the first three Fabulous Thunderbirds albums.

 

It was good, but Albert was so relaxed, if that was the introduction to Albert King, many people wouldn't grasp how great Albert was.

 

Love these posts.

I got to see him dozens of times. I remember each time. He actually changed me and the way I thought about music. Growing up in Chicago, I always had access to blues. But I felt a part of the music when I watched him play.

Saw him with Beck. He really stepped it up as if he was being challenged.

I was there that last night. Most amazing blues axe show I could ever imagine. Fabulous Thunderbirds opened. Then Robert Cray. Then Jeff Healey. Then SRV and band. Then Clapton. At the end, all of them came on stage to play together. Joined by, natch, Buddy Guy. Sweet Home Chicago was his last song.

Now I'm bummed.

 

but also consider (from Texas):

Freddie King (who Clapton claimed as one of the best ever)
Albert Collins
Clarence Gatemouth Brown
Lightnin' Hopkins
T-Bone Walker
Johnny Winter
Shawn Phillips
Gary Clark Jr.
Larry Coryell
Stephen Stills
Trey Anastasio
and the fantatic Bugs Henderson

 

Ugh, tough to go against Coryell. Hm, I might have to think about that.

 

I saw Stevie and the boys 4 times on their 1988 UK tour. The Manchester Apollo gig was recorded by the BBC - it's the one where the power tripped twice, "to hell with the curfew"! Was lucky enough to meet them all throughout the tour, Stevie was very humble (they all were) and on top of his game - I've never seen a musician so "in control" of his instrument, his playing was just sublime.

He had everything in front of him, especially as he was "clean" by then. Such a shame....

 

Yes, Clapton considers Freddie King one of the best, but he's not from Texas. Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Billy Gibbons all considered Joey Long the best blues guitar player in Texas. He is not well known, but was a staple of the live music circuit.

 

Not clear, but are you saying Freddie King is not from Texas? Freddie King was born in Gilmer Texas and spent most of his adult life living in Dallas Texas.

 

No, I was saying Clapton is not from Texas.

 

I think it is fairly well known that Clapton isn't from Texas .

Bill

 

One thing that often gets overlooked when discussing great players, and that is the importance of the rest of the band, especially in three pieces.

In addition to the guys being good enough to give you a platform to solo over, which is critical....hell I would sound awesome if I had double trouble as my band

The other thing that a lot of people do not realise (or care about probably) and guitarists don't get when trying to cop tone is how the band influences your ears in how you hear the solo instrument. Check out some stripped tracks from famous players on YouTube and you'll see what I mean. Some of them sound hideous on their own, but in context they sound great.

I am a big Double trouble fan.... those boys can play.

 

Saw SRV twice ('86 and '87). Phenomenal.

 

SRV was one of the greatest. Nice to see an appreciation thread for one of music's most special musicians.

 

I find it really odd that he would have been challenged by Beck. Really odd. But you were there and I wasn't so...

 

Looking back now, I could have been WAY more clear. Jeff Beck. They got onstage together at the end. Did Going Down. It sounded like 5 guitarists were on the stage.

That should make a bit more sense.

 

Someone should start an Albert King appreciation thread and then we'll be talking.

 

I loved seeing him live, but for the most part I very rarely pull out his studio stuff and listen to it, just the live recordings/DVD's.

 

My brother and I saw his TV performance on Austin City Limits during the Texas Flood tour and that was it. I had the pleasure of seeing him 3 times... opening for the Moody blues and co headlining, on seperate occassions, with Greg Allman and Jeff Beck. fantastic memories.

 

I know what you mean about getting burnt out on stuff. I am like that with a lot of Australian music that has been flogged to death by the radio and bad cover bands.

Over here , he is not greatly known, and in the 80s being a fan was like being in a secret club which was cool. I first became aware of him from a guitar player mag when I was a teen and thinking man who is this dude, he stood out in the 80s..He just looked like the real deal.. The photos of him playing live you could almost smell him My uncle taped a record and I was hooked.

I think this may have been the mag:

 

Funny this thread began today as I just discovered what may be the earliest known video of Stevie (no Ray yet) Vaughan from the Rome Inn, Austin, TX 1980 that got out to the masses 2 months ago. The clip starts with the Fabulous Thunderbirds w/Keith Ferguson finishing their set then SRV plays The Sky is Crying. Apparently, another clip of him doing Love Struck Baby from the same show was taken down right after it was posted:
http://www.guitarworld.com/stevie-ray-vaughan-plays-sky-crying-austin-club-circa-1980-video

I saw SRV three times, Halloween 1985, Friday the 13th and Valentines Day 1987 back to back. It was always a special day when I saw SRV. Briefly, met him the first and last show getting my ticket stubs signed.

 

Yep. Makes sense now. And if I was really thinking when I posted, I should have figured that. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how it came to be that SRV was on stage with the band Beck.

 

Thanks for sharing that TheOx.

 

Interesting as my sister-in-law is friends with Chris Layton's wife

My opinion is that Shannon/Layton were a good rhythm section, but not great. Rock solid, for sure, and, perhaps, that's all you need, but they were far from transcendent musicians. But, yes, very tight.

 

Was lucky enough to see Stevie and Double Trouble live three times. Once before his addiction problems, once during his problems, and once after he cleaned up.

 

Thats a good observation. They played their role and let Stevie shine. I suppose that's what I mean when I say I am a big fan. I am like that with AC/DC, love the discipline of Mal and the boys.

I think that sometimes your more basic 4 on the floor stuff is harder to make sound good. If you hear average musicians play simple 4/4 stuff it tends to plod if that makes sense. Listen to cover bands try and do justice to AC/DC songs and you'll know what I mean.