I asked him what he played, and he said, I just sprayed Albert King all over the fucker.. Stevie Ray Vaughn began his last tour on May 4, 1989. . In addition, fans have been treated to a number of tribute specials and posthumous albums, including an early live Double Trouble record and a special box set of rare recordings, live shows, and never-before-heard outtakes. Their success with overcoming long-term drug and alcohol addiction had been attained by entering a rehabilitation facility, where they stayed for four weeks. 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. Working with him was a breeze. And how are you going to take care of Stevies band and crew 24-7? He owned Hendrix's "wah-wah," as well as a small army of classic Stratocaster electric guitars that had colorful names like Red, Yellow and National Steel. Vaughan flew to New York in early January to join Bowie and producer Nile Rodgers at the Power Station studio. I remember wondering how it was possible for this guy to play for an hour and not miss a note. It was a way to get Stevie interested in the record and tour. "[57] Released on June 13, 1989, In Step ultimately became the group's most commercially successful release, selling over half a million copies in the US by early 1990, and was their first to win a Grammy Award. For a brief period, before he decided on being called Stevie Ray Vaughan, he wanted to be known as "Sting Ray". Stevie Ray Vaughan played guitar as a child and became lead singer for the Texas band Double Trouble, which led to work with David Bowie and Jackson Browne. May 23 1988 Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble Setlist at Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA, USA Edit setlist Tour: Live Alive Tour statistics Add setlist Setlist Dust My Blues ( Elmore James cover) Love Struck Baby Look at Little Sister ( Hank Ballard cover) You'll Be Mine ( Howlin' Wolf cover) Mary Had a Little Lamb ( Buddy Guy cover) Texas Flood UIC Pavillion: Chicago, Illinois, United States: . Consisting of nine legs and 207 shows, the tour began in Towson, Maryland on November 22, 1986 and ended in New York City on December 31, 1988. The rest of the time he was playing music, jumping in-and-out of various bands that had semi-regular gigs in the Austin area. [16] He then checked into the London Clinic under the care of Dr. Victor Bloom, who warned Vaughan that if his destructive lifestyle continued, he would be dead within a month. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. And this is no hollow pitch; he means every word he says, from the bottom of his heart. . which stoked peoples interest and curiosity about Stevie. I cant tell him to play a minor seven flat five or ask him to do scale-wise progressions. I remember thinking, I just hope this all works.. Lenny [Vaughans wife] felt that Stevie wasnt getting his due, and she went to the rehearsal with the paper, walked right up to Bowie, and threw it down at his feet. Everybody loved this Southern stranger from that moment on. He was none too pleased. What if Bowie is traveling on an off day and youre trying to play a club in the last city? I came home to see Stevie and Lenny standing in front of my house holding a test pressing of. He battled drug and alcohol problems. It was pretty incredible to witness. The Cobras were Austins Band of the Year in 1976. was released on April 14, 1983, and became Bowies first platinum studio album in the United States. And then Stevie was told that he couldnt mention his own band or music in interviews. To keep that part of myself under control while everybody is telling you how great you are is quite a task.. I did a really nice phone interview with Stevie, then he said, I gotta run. 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. It was the memorable concerts of my whole life. "[26] For the opening leg, 22 concerts at auditoriums and indoor arenas were scheduled from November 1986 through January 1987. 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. On April 22, the band flew to NYC for a one-off gig at the Danceteria nightclub to play for the Rolling Stones. Rodgers: Stevie actually went out of his way to make us comfortable by having ribs shipped up from Sams Bar-B-Que. I did a really nice phone interview with Stevie, then he said, I gotta run. [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. Writer Ed Ward quoted Bowie publicist Joe Dera as denying Millikins claim that Vaughans pay was subpar, adding, Were disappointed that the people around Stevie Ray Vaughan have grabbed every opportunity for a publicity stunt. Still, Ward concluded, Things may not have reached the end. 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.". Who is going to pull him out of the rhythm and schedule of the big tour? They performed at concert halls in Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo. Rodgers: Stevie was not one bit intimidated. Layton: We were in New York doing stuff around the Epic deal and suddenly got word that Stevies off the tour and were going back to Texas. Throughout the tour during performances, Vaughan would warn his audiences about the dangers of substance abuse. 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 played the outro to Lets Dance, and he just kept playing better and better. Well into his junior year, Vaughan had already played with several garage bands. Bailing out when he did was scandalous, but Stevie couldnt do what he couldnt put his heart into. Thats like cold blackmail, and its just bad management skills, but I never place things on management because the artist knows everything. It didnt take me long to realize Stevie was something pretty special. Publicity over Stevies management pulling him from Bowies 1983 world tour in order to support Vaughans own record earned him quite a bit of attention, but Texas Flood was a blockbuster blues success; receiving positive reviews in both blues and rock publications, reaching number 38 on the charts, and crossing over to album rock radio stations. Vaughan had hit albums with his band before the 1989 release of In Step, for which he earned a Grammy. Rodgers: Carmine is getting the story a little mixed up. 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. They'd give me a set list, and by song three or four, we'd go left. In 1982 the band played the Montreux Jazz Festival and their performance caught the attention of David Bowie and Jackson Browne. Mullen: I gave Stevie two tracks to work with, and he would cut the vocal part for each song twice. More than 1,500 people attended the musician's memorial service. Writer Ed Ward quoted Bowie publicist Joe Dera as denying Millikins claim that Vaughans pay was subpar, adding, Were disappointed that the people around Stevie Ray Vaughan have grabbed every opportunity for a publicity stunt. Still, Ward concluded, Things may not have reached the end. You've got to respect a guy for that. By. We knew it! Stevie was up right on top of the speakers to hear every little pop. Free shipping for many products! At the start of the tour, Vaughan and bassist Tommy Shannon had both achieved sobriety. Holy smokes, I cant even write him a dummy chart where you just get G, A, D. My job is just to make every guitarist sound great, and I got along with all of them. Minutes after its 12:50 a.m. takeoff, the helicopter crashed, killing Vaughan and the other four passengers. 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 Lenny disrupted things, but I think it was more of a buildup than one incident. He performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1982, where David Bowie saw him play. Vaughan drew equally from bluesmen like Albert King, Buddy Guy, and Albert Collins and rock & roll players like Jimi Hendrix and Lonnie Mack, as well as jazz guitarists like Kenny Burrell and Wes Montgomery, developing a uniquely eclectic and fiery style that sounded like no other guitarist, regardless of genre. We were on the bus getting ready to fly to Europe, and I looked out. They would start screaming and beating the bleachers or the seating. It aint gonna work, brother. [33] While the band had toured Europe every year between 1983 and 1986, they had been absent from the region's tour circuit for almost two years. It was amazing! For 34 of the dates, Vaughan brought on another guitar virtuoso, . You only get one shot at your first album, and Bowies management are not suddenly gonna put their press team at your disposal. The legend of the unknown Texas renegade quitting the rock superstars tour made for an alluring story that boosted Stevies image, but the reality is a lot more complicated. He loved what hed heard and knew it was important. Double Trouble set off on a successful tour, and then recorded a second album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, which climbed to No. Bowie insisted that he orchestrate all press. I'm Cryin'. Guitarist Carlos Alomar, who had worked with Bowie for years, was the musical director. When I heard Lets Dance, I thought, Well, this is real nice. Eric Clapton, guitar legend: I was driving, and Lets Dance came on the radio. In June 1989, the group released their fourth studio album, In Step. Albert with David Bowie! Stevie is the only guitar player Ive ever heard who could approach Alberts touch, tone, and attack. He was none too pleased. The Fire Meets the Fury Tour. Stadium-level intensity and power in a small club. Vaughans debut album, Texas Flood, was released in the summer of 1983, a few months after Bowies Lets Dance appeared. 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. I have to go quit this tour. I was like, Are you kidding? And he said, No. On August 26, 1990, their East Troy, WI, gig concluded with an encore jam featuring guitarists Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, and Robert Cray. 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. One of the photos is of Jimmies first band, the Swinging Pendulums. It was pure greatness, a bolt of lightning screaming, Im here! And you kept hearing it everywhere you went. Davids original pitch was presented as, Stevie should come and play on my record and world tour. 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. Category:Stevie Ray Vaughan concert tours, Grammy Awards for Best Traditional Blues Album, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Stevie_Ray_Vaughan_concert_tours&oldid=1076424161, This page was last edited on 11 March 2022, at 01:53. 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? He was not about to blow that off to play on Davids tour. He was a kind and loving, sweet man who called Stevie my baby boy.. moment. 2023 Sony Music Entertainment.