All Rights Reserved. In 1982, Double Trouble auditioned for Rolling Stones Records. Recalls [Double Trouble drummer Chris] Layton, The phone rang at three in the morning, and this quiet English voice said, Is Stevie Vaughan there? I said, Damn, who is this? This is David Bowie. Im thinking, You mean, the Thin White Duke? Vaughan's mixture of Texas blues and Jimi Hendrix-inspired rock helped open the door for acts like the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Robert Cray, Los Lobos, and a host of other authentic roots bands. Thats what my addiction seems to boil down to. Ungracious is a word, but it doesnt tell you everything. He just listened down a few times and tore into each song. In addition to normal concerts, the band has performed in both supporting and headlining roles at festivals such as the Reading Festival in 1983 and Montreux Jazz Festival in 1985, as well as many other one-off performances including Carnegie Hall. In January 1985, Vaughan and Double Trouble went on their first tour of Japan. Late Night with David Letterman: There was a lot of excitement surrounding Stevie and a lot of people from MTV were there to see him play. Stevie had worked his whole life to have his music out there. [5], In support of Double Trouble's second full-length studio album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, the band embarked on the Couldn't Stand the Weather Tour, which began in January 1984 and ran until the end of the year. And these guys just moved. Produced by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Richard Mullen and Double Trouble. From Texas Flood by Alan Paul and Andy Aledort, with an epilogue by Jimmie Vaughan. To make ends meet, Vaughan collected soda and beer bottles for money and couch-surfed at various friends' houses. Speaking with Guitar World again in 1989, Vaughan related the struggles he dealt with in learning to play music while sober for the first time in his life. Back in Austin, as Stevie made plans to go to New York and record with Bowie, the band and engineer and producer Richard Mullen worked on the Jackson Browne tapes recordings for Texas Flood made at the singer-songwriters L.A. studio at Riverside Sound, where Vaughan recut most of the albums vocals. . They performed at concert halls in Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo. I stopped my car and said, I have to know who this guitar player is today. [41] Carter, who opened for the band during the fifth leg of the tour in April 1988, collaborated with Double Trouble during an extended break in the fourth leg of the tour, and wrote the song "Crossfire" (the song was ultimately included on Vaughan and Double Trouble's next LP In Step, released in 1989, and became their only number-one hit single). Alomar: The bags are packed, and suddenly he aint coming. Stevie was phenomenal on the stuff he had recorded and on songs like Jean Genie, but he struggled to find his place on some of the headier, more eccentric songs, because as musical as he was, that style just wasnt him. Throughout the tour during performances, Vaughan would warn his audiences about the dangers of substance abuse. Chesley was gung ho about that happening, and he thought it was a money problem, but it was not about money. Rojas: We all understood each other, and we loved to jam during downtime, playing blues and Mustang Sally and just blowing. Alan Paul, Andy Aledort. On May 21, 1983, the Austin American-Statesman wrote about Stevie leaving the Bowie tour. Stevie destroyed the place and when he was done, everyone left. Once we got back out on the road, he was very inspired and motivated. I thought that the hardest thing would be, Oh God, now Im straight can I play? he said. I came home to see Stevie and Lenny standing in front of my house holding a test pressing of. In the spring of 1990, Vaughan and his brother stepped into the studio to begin work on an album that was scheduled to be released that autumn. With his astonishingly accomplished guitar playing, Stevie Ray Vaughan ignited the blues revival of the 80s. I want everyone to be happy, but we cannot continue moving forward if you keep raising the threshold for our tolerance. August 5, 2019. We all understood each other, and we loved to jam during downtime, playing blues and Mustang Sally and just blowing. What kind of access is he going to have to the press? It was pretty incredible to witness. He didnt want to leave us in limbo for a year. The tour came to a tragic, unplanned end on Aug. 27, 1990, when, after a star-studded showat Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, Wis., Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash. Vaughan commented, "It became more and more apparent that even though we'd separated for a couple of years, if I wrote anything, she wanted at least half of it, minimum. He didnt want to leave us in limbo for a year. "[26] For the opening leg, 22 concerts at auditoriums and indoor arenas were scheduled from November 1986 through January 1987. Stevie blew the doors down. Allmusic describes him as "a rocking powerhouse of a guitarist who gave blues a burst of momentum in the '80s, with influence still felt long after his tragic death. That David Bowie? I paused and said, Oh, just one minute., I ran into Stevies room, shook him awake, and yelled, Get up, get up! Stevie asked me to try and negotiate him back onto the tour, and I tried, but they already had Earl Slick on the payroll. He loved what hed heard and knew it was important. For his part, Stevie was voted Best New Talent and Best Electric Blues Guitarist in a 1983 reader's poll by Guitar Player Magazine. Thats like cold blackmail, and its just bad management skills, but I never place things on management because the artist knows everything. He was amazing to watch. That was bigger news than if hed done the tour. We think he was wise to reconsider. I thought it was amazing to have a real blues player. In 1981 Tommy Shannon joined on bass and the power trio was set. I said, Im really sorry for your loss. Stevie Ray Vaughan. Anyones substance abuse problems are private I dont care what you do if you play your ass off but anything that disrupts rehearsal is disruptive. All I had to do was barely ghost the lights on stage, and people would go nuts! He said, Well, thats not a bad idea. Expecting Stevie to get back in a milk truck after that run with Bowie seemed ridiculous, so we thought that wed better up the ante and try for salvation. Anytime Im with a musician, I feel that were brothers, so I was just sharing information and experience. Cutter [Brandenburg, Vaughans friend and crew member] was the one who really made that point to us. I cant tell him to play a minor seven flat five or ask him to do scale-wise progressions. That is a sacrilegious thought, so rehearsal was canceled, to Bowies chagrin. Lenny had made herself an unwanted presence at rehearsals, and Millikin was playing hardball with Bowies managers, who grew irate about a sideman trying to dictate terms. Rehearsals went great because Carlos is one of the best on the planet. Stevie Ray Vaughan- guitar, vocals; Tommy Shannon- bass; Chris "Whipper" Layton- drums. You certainly dont hold everything up when everybody is downstairs getting ready to go to Brussels to do the first gig because you want to renegotiate your contract. Layton: The Dallas Morning News ran a big story on Stevie, headlined Dallas Favorite Son on the front of the Entertainment section with a huge picture of Stevie and a little tiny shot of Bowie. After an after-hours jam in the artists bar Jackson Browne offered the group free recording time at his Downtown Studio in Los Angeles. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for MOODY BLUES 1983 THE PRESENT TOUR CONCERT PROGRAM BOOK with STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN at the best online prices at eBay! "[22] Adamant about improvements in time management and itinerary planning, Vaughan had requested a reduction in touring time, which generally allowed no more than one show per day. [34] The final leg in the US took place from AugustDecember 1988. If you smoke cigarettes, you dont ask to leave work to smoke every five minutes. The recording featured Vaughan's driving guitar style, as well as several songs such as "Wall of Denial" and "Tight Rope," which touched on the struggles he'd gone through in his personal life. [21] The band hired Skip Rickert, a replacement tour manager who eliminated the wild backstage antics of their past concert tours by revising the stipulations of their hospitality rider. He felt like he could have gotten closer to the music had he been. Start date: 22nd June 1983 End date: 25th February 1984 Legs: 5 Number of Shows: 116 Tour Itinerary Leg 1 - North America (22nd Jun 1983 - 23rd Aug 1983) Leg 2 - Europe (27th Aug 1983 - 9th Sep 1983) Leg 3 - North America (14th Sep 1983 - 4th Dec 1983) Leg 4 - United States (27th Dec 1983 - 31st Dec 1983) For most of his adult life, Vaughan battled dual addictions to hard drugs and alcohol. Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan Sculpture Dedicated In Kiest Park Hundreds of fans, friends and family members turned out to Kiest Park Sunday for the dedication of public artwork memorializing Oak Cliff's famous blues brothers. Most of the recording for what would become Lets Dance was already complete. Free shipping for many products! I found out that the biggest problem that I had was self-centeredness and ego. If you go to somebodys house, you dont put your feet on the table. Ill cover his parts, and we can rehearse without him, but youve got to leave him alone., Brandenburg: He planned to go to Muddys funeral, but he was really having a hard time with drugs and couldnt get it together. Through the early 1980s Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble played the Texas club circuit, becoming one of the most popular bands in the area. They'd let the crowd clap, but Stevie wouldn't. When we were done, I did some mixes and ran off a cassette for Stevie. [52], As the tour progressed, Vaughan was longing to work on material for his next LP, but in January 1987, he filed for a divorce from his wife Lenny due to the demise of their relationship, which restricted him of starting any projects until the proceedings were finalized. Stevie Ray Vaughn began his last tour on May 4, 1989. His relationship with his wife, Lenora Darlene Bailey, whom he'd married in 1979, fell apart. Hearing that sound on the radio was real cool. His level of intensity was unbelievable and so unexpected. From 1983 to 1990 Stevie Ray was the leading light in American blues, consistently selling out concerts while his albums regularly went gold. Lenny was causing a lot of problems, and someone called Chesley and said, Get that woman out of here.. I have my own band and our own record., Layton: Stevie said, They wanted to try and control what I could say or not say about the record and about me. Thats really crossing a line with Stevie Ray Vaughan, so he wanted to have a talk with David, and he was told David was on an island and couldnt be reached. Texas Flood was not yet released and the band was back in their van touring clubs when they first saw the Lets Dance video, featuring Bowie miming Vaughans guitar solo. Hes remembering me saying after hearing Stevies first sparsely noted solo, Why didnt we just get Albert King? That was my first thought, but I regretted saying that almost instantly after realizing how carefully Stevie was listening and respecting the space. On April 22, the band flew to NYC for a one-off gig at the Danceteria nightclub to play for the Rolling Stones. 2000 saw the release of the four-disc box SRV, which concentrated heavily on outtakes, live performances, and rarities. Who is going to pull him out of the rhythm and schedule of the big tour? He also recorded with his brother Jimmy. Alan Paul and Andy Aledorts new book, Texas Flood: The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan out August 13th chronicles the life of the legendary guitarist in his own words, and those of his closest friends, collaborators, and admirers. In 1982 the band played the Montreux Jazz Festival and their performance caught the attention of David Bowie and Jackson Browne. Track artist Tours most with The Moody Blues Robert Plant Jeff Beck The Fabulous Thunderbirds Huey Lewis And The News Past concerts Aug 26 1990 Outdoor East Troy, WI, US Alpine Valley Music Theatre Aug 25 1990 After a show in Ludwigshafen, Germany, Vaughans hard-living ways caught up with him and he had to be hospitalized for a case of severe dehydration. Having a parallel tour makes sense as a goal, but there are built-in conflicts, including logistical ones. I remember thinking, I just hope this all works.. King and Albert Collins on-stage for an impromptu jam session of "Texas Flood". James Elwell, Vaughans friend: I came home to see Stevie and Lenny standing in front of my house holding a test pressing of Texas Flood, well before it was released. They could never get him to do what they wanted, because Stevie was incapable of pretending to be something he wasnt. When Bowies camp moved to New York, Epic set up two industry showcases with Bryan Adams at the Bottom Line on May 9 and 10. This initial leg of the tour also included performances in Canada, performing at venues such as Massey Hall and Oshawa Civic Auditorium. Inspired by his older brother Jimmie's guitar playing, Vaughn picked up his first guitar at the age of 10, a plastic Sears toy that he loved to strum. was released on April 14, 1983, and became Bowies first platinum studio album in the United States. [55] While Vaughan became self-assured with performing while sober, he initially had doubts about his musical and creative abilities in a recording environment. I was amazed that someone else had nailed something that seemed to be in the past, that I thought Id never experience again. Guitars / Vocals Tommy Shannon . How is he going to get from the arena to the club? Stevie was phenomenal on the stuff he had recorded and on songs like Jean Genie, but he struggled to find his place on some of the headier, more eccentric songs, because as musical as he was, that style just wasnt him. Stevie was not one bit intimidated. Layton: Tommy and I were just sitting here in Austin, on salary, wondering what would happen. And then Stevie was told that he couldnt mention his own band or music in interviews. The bags are packed, and suddenly he aint coming. The tour began with a performance at Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island for a spring break concert (The Isla Blanca Park show was March 19, 1987 power problems led to SRV going acoustic through an open mic for part of the set.) Bob Clearmountain, Lets Dance engineer and mixer: We did Stevies guitar solos and a lot of Davids final vocals after the band tracks were done. [24] However, he received encouragement from his bandmates. Barton left the band in 1979 and the group became Double Trouble, the name inspired by the Otis Rush song. He listened once and then started playing. It was a way to get Stevie interested in the record and tour. Why Stevie Ray Vaughan Turned Down a David Bowie Tour, Texas Flood: The Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan, You Are Grimes Now: Inside Music's Weird AI Future, Pharrells Something in the Water Fest Cancels Final Day Due to Severe Weather, Stagecoach: Kane Brown Breaks Mental Health Stigma With 'Memory,' Talks Depression, Kiss Paul Stanley Has 'Thoughts' About Parents Who Support Kids Gender Identities, Kanye West Fallout Sparks Class Action Lawsuit Against Adidas, Bernie Sanders: Many GOP Leaders 'Don't Even Believe in Democracy', Juan Luis Guerra's Timeless Classics Come to Madison Square Garden. Edi Johnson, bookkeeper for Millikins company Classic Management: Stevie called me and said, We need some real barbecue here. At the band's next show in Manor Downs, Vaughan was named an honorary admiral of the Texas Navy by then-governor of Texas Mark White. 1982: 2 concerts: 1980: 1 concert: 224 users have seen Stevie Ray Vaughan including: Carol Koppelman Steve Jordan, drummer for Keith Richards, the Blues Brothers and many others: The solo on Lets Dance is iconic. Shannon later commented: "Before we got clean and sober, backstage you'd see all the coke dealers and everybody drunk and high and all these women running around. Other guest performers on the tour included Colin James, Otis Rush and Vaughan's brother Jimmie Vaughan. For a long time, he was honestly torn up that he wasnt black. If you go to somebodys house, you dont put your feet on the table. Layton: Using Stevie was a stroke of genius on Bowies part. We played it in the control room, looked at each other and winced, and I said, Lets fix that. But David said, No. We just went out and played, and it fit like a glove. That was his approach to life. That was a magical moment. This page is not available in other languages. "[16], Unlike the group's previous tour, which began three months before the release of Soul to Soul, the Live Alive Tour started five days after Live Alive was released. What that really meant to him is hard to say, but some of that could have started with things he said about growing up, being a scrawny little kid, pushed around a lot. Minutes after its 12:50 a.m. takeoff, the helicopter crashed, killing Vaughan and the other four passengers. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Get the Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble Setlist of the concert at Casino de Montreux, Montreux, Switzerland on July 17, 1982 and other Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble Setlists for free on setlist.fm! As tensions grew between Vaughans and Bowies camps, Epic was gearing up for the release of Texas Flood. Bowies wearing white linen gloves, and Stevie said, That motherfucker shouldnt be pretending to be playing shit he wasnt playing! He couldnt understand why Bowie would do that. Gregg Geller, Epic Record executive: There was a big debate whether Stevie should do the tour with Bowie, which would elevate his profile but was at odds with him doing what was best for his own band. He was set up playing crazy loud, but beautifully and with the best tone, and he was fully enveloped inside the music. To keep that part of myself under control while everybody is telling you how great you are is quite a task.. J. Marshall Craig, writer, confidant of Vaughan manager Chesley Millikin: Chesley felt like Stevie had really helped relaunch Bowies career and they were disrespecting him, treating him just like another sideman. [6] In 1971, he dropped out of high school and moved to Austin the following year. The first time I heard Stevie Ray Vaughan was seeing Lets Dance on MTV, and I was jumping out of my seat screaming, Who the hell is playing guitar?. Anyones substance abuse problems are private I dont care what you do if you play your ass off but anything that disrupts rehearsal is disruptive. After the 1983 release of Texas Flood, Double Trouble embarked on the Texas Flood Tour in support of the album. but the last 13 dates on the tour are cancelled while he gets treatment . He worked incredibly fast, immediately cutting three solos on three songs, and what we used were mostly first takes. He was not about to blow that off to play on Davids tour. He'd do a song and boom right into the next song. It got to the point where if Id try to say hi to somebody, I would just fall apart, crying and everything. Layton: The advertising and advance on Texas Flood was Lets Dance, which stoked peoples interest and curiosity about Stevie. Layton: The Texas Flood tapes were in someones garage in South Austin. Tommy and I were very happy. I have to go quit this tour. I was like, Are you kidding? And he said, No. Renowned producer John Hammond hears a tape of the band's 1982 Montreux performance, and is instrumental in getting the band a record deal with Epic Records. "But that had nothing to do with it. And when I started to try again it was like I'd write part of a line or one line and go blank. Overall, there was no finagling of anything on Texas Flood; it was about as live and true to a performance as it could possibly be. It would be great if Double Trouble came, too, and opened the shows. But it was really an insinuation as opposed to a real invitation. Overall, there was no finagling of anything on. "[37], The concert usually began with a medley arrangement of two instrumentals, "Scuttle Buttin'" and "Say What!". Stevie Ray Vaughan played guitar as a child and became lead singer for the Texas band Double Trouble, which led to work with .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}David Bowie and Jackson Browne. In my opinion, it's our best studio album, and I think he felt that way, too. Everything changed for him when he found out there were no opening shows. McEnroe: Stevie blew the doors down. . You just dont play that card to David Bowie. Oh what he would have done with that guitar. Bailing out when he did was scandalous, but Stevie couldnt do what he couldnt put his heart into. He was a kind and loving, sweet man who called Stevie my baby boy.. Shannon: For a long time, he was honestly torn up that he wasnt black. List of Stevie Ray Vaughan concert tours Double Trouble, an American blues rock band fronted by Stevie Ray Vaughan, did various live performances throughout the world, including tours in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Critical and commercial response to Double Trouble live performances has generally been positive. Finally, following a collapse while on tour in Europe in 1986, the guitarist checked himself into rehab. Just a little more than a year after his death, Vaughan was recognized by Texas governor Ann Richards, who proclaimed October 3, 1991, "Stevie Ray Vaughan Day.". Stevie was doubting doing the Bowie tour, and I was backstage at the Bottom Line reassuring him that it would help set the stage for his career. Chesley spun a story: macho Texas guitar slinger tells poofed-up limey to fuck off. Stevie Ray Vaughan Park will have its grand opening this Saturday, April 22 from 2-9PM in Cockrell Hill, Texas! It would be great if Double Trouble came, too, and opened the shows. But it was really an insinuation as opposed to a real invitation. The hardest part is trying to keep things in perspective.