Stevie Ray Vaughan, Our Guardian Angel

Stevie Ray Vaughan was one of the greatest guitarists of all time, making a lasting impression as a singer as well, polishing his singing style from record to record. His solo albums are essential blues rock masterpieces, but he lent his talent to other pop cultural milestones as well. Suffice it to think of the Let’s Dance album from David Bowie, who invited Stevie to participate in the project right after hearing him perform at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival. That was the well documented first European SRV performance, that was met by boos from the unprepared audience. However, Mr. Bowie recognized the unparalleled talent and invited him to play guitar on his upcoming album. Mr. Vaughan was a brilliant songwriter as well, perhaps best exemplified by the closing song of his last studio album (In Step, 1990) titled Riviera Paradise. The jazz-flavored instrumental track that leaves room selflessly for Reese Wynans’ piano is tenderly beautiful and painfully wonderful. Every listen to this song raises the same question: where could this genius have transcended if death would not have seized him so early?

Stevie Ray Vaughan was born in Dallas on October 3, 1954. Before turning nine (!) years old, he regularly consumed his alcoholic fathers’s alcohol supplies secretly, and drugs became part of his life very soon. At the age of 25, he was arrested for drug use in a public place and sentenced to two years suspended imprisonment for drug possession. In connection to the 1979 trial, Muddy Waters said that SRV could be the greatest guitarist of all time if he leaves the white powder alone. Otherwise, he won’t live to get 40. Neither the lengthy legal procedure, nor the verdict deterred SRV from substance use, which reached alarming proportions by 1986: 1 liter of whiskey and 7 grams cocaine every day. After the concert in Ludwigshafen on September 28, Stevie felt very, very badly. After the gig, he collapsed on the street, vomited blood, and was taken to hospital with life-threatening dehydration symptoms. Two days later, Stevie checked into the legendary The London Clinic, where he was treated by Dr. Victor Bloom, who previously helped David Bowie as well, among others. From here, he made his way to Charter Peachford Hospital in Atalanta, where he began his four-week rehabilitation on October 13, 1986. This is the day of his rebirth. He never consumed any psychotropic substance again and dedicated his life to helping struggling with similar problems. Already the fact that SRV spoke openly about his addiction and his battle against alcohol is admirable. The album titled In Step commemorate the 12-step program, that helped him, leaving it behind as an eternal memento, which eloquently talks about how to put down the drink, there is a way out of the deepest pit. He attended AA and AD meetings regularly, and he did something only he could do. Played the guitar magically, and every time he played Life Without You in concert, he stopped in the middle of the song and retold his story to help others:

„I thank God that I’m alive and well, and to be with you all the day. Sometimes it is too easy to forget a lot of this. What we went through? Where we come from? Where we are trying to get? Where we are trying to get is back home. Inside. Back in touch with what really means something, what is love and care, what we got between us. It took me a long time to find out. For a long time, I was running away from myself and everybody who cared. I used to run to the party, and stay there as long as possible. And one day, I nearly died. It was not the right thing to do. It is time to come home every once in a while. I want to ask you all to take care of yourself, to be there for those who need you, love the most. And they need you all the time. I know I do. Are you with me?”

Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash on August 27, 1990, four years after his father passed away exactly on the same day.

(Artwork by Csaba Mester)