This is what I wrote after hearing of his death in a matter of hours.
You would need to know the songs in the albums that are in parenthesis.
And especially from Live A Live as that was live and the song Cold Shot is my favorite.
He never played that song the same and when I took guitar lessons no books were out so my guitar teacher had to write the tablature out for me. I didn’t’ want to play by notes just play. And if you could hear Stevie play on that song as well as others you would understand why I said what I did in that paragraph. It can be taken in another way but that is not what was intended as Stevie was just a natural on the guitar and man he could play it like no other for me!!
I use to live across the street from the original drummer of Dick Dale and Daletones and I wish I knew him when Back to The Beach was filmed as I could have been an extra watching Dick Dale and Stevie shred Pipeline- excellent!! I can play some of it but have to go fast. I miss those days.
You need to know he had a drug and alchol problem but he got clean and sober and was to celebrate a third or fourth year of being so but he died in a helicopter crash leaving Wisconsin gig. The man who piloted it banked to the left as fog started setting in as others had gone to the right. In doing so he banked him and others 4 aboard into the new man made ski hill. It was real bittersweet for everyone as Stevie played a lot of tv shows by himself with the house band but it was Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble that made the sound. Now, the whole sound and group was gone. Stevie always spilt the earnings equally amoung the four. And he always signed people's card or saw them after his concert talking to them as they waited for him. Great musicians!! I met him and Reese after seeing them in concert on 8/27/89 and met them 12:30 am on 8/28/89.
Here it is:
Born in Dallas
Growin’ up on the blues
Playin' in clubs
You loved singing those blues
Some dues are paid
“Texas Flood”,
New friends
And fans are made
In “Couldn’t Stand The Weather”
You still shine
as are pride and joy forever!
On “Soul to Soul” in “85”
Keyboards are added
A Grammy is shared
And we are so ecstatic!
Another year wait
And “Live A Live”is the bait
Willie the whimp you weren’t
As you played that guitar real great!
No more walkin’ the tightrope
Or wall of denial for you
With “Rivera Paradise” to soothe your soul
You admit your powerless
And need some control
Now free from your bondage
A better life you are livin’
As new insight is written
“In Step” has arisen!
“In Step” is playin’
Your face is beaming
Another Grammy’s given
And we stand cheerin’!
Once again
The house is a rockin’
Our feet are a stompin’
As the music you share
Leaves excitement in the air
Morning brings the news
Say what? we say
Life without you, Stevie
Oh no!
No way!
With tears in our eyes
And the blues in our hearts
It’s too late to change it
And so we must part
Parting only in life
But not in our hearts
As your music
And memories of you
Live on and on
For us, Stevie
You will always be
Our Number One
Favorite Blue’s Son! 1990 copyrighted by me P.A.
God Bless You, Stevie
October3, 1954- August 27, 1990
