Getting into Stevie Ray Vaughn

He only recorded  6 albums, not counting live/posthumously released.  

All good. The first 2- Texas Flood and Couldn't Stand the Weather" are my picks.

SRV’s catalog is not deep due to his untimely death.

These are must own recordings:

• Texas Flood (1983)
• Couldn’t Stand the Weather (1984)

These are very good, but not must-own, in my opinion. Regardless, you will ultimately own them if you love the first two.

• Soul to Soul (1985)
• In Step (1989)

Also, Vaughn made a video/recording with Albert King that is wonderful: "In Session". Some of Albert’s dialogue (career advice) with Stevie is priceless.

Finally, SRV made appearances on Austin City Limits in 1983 and 1989. They are together on the DVD "Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Live From Austin, Texas". In the 1983 show, Stevie is stage-shy. It’s during his drug years (some say he used to overcome his shyness). He plays phenomenally, nonetheless. By the time he makes his 1989 appearance, he is drug free, with 6 years of touring under his belt. He commands the stage, and is having a terrific time with the audience. The two shows offer fascinating contrast and illustrate how he had progressed as an artist and performer.

“The Sky Is Crying” is a posthumous release put together by Stevie’s brother Jimmy from studio tracks recorded throughout Stevie’s  career.  It’s a good one.

Thank you all.  I didn't know he only recorded 6 albums.  Good to know.

A real cool one would be the recording he made with Albert King, I have it on CD and it is quite nice. Also do not overlook David Bowies/Lets Dance album which Stevie plays lead all the way through. Enjoy the music

Tooblue:  I wasn't aware of the Bowie connection.  Good info to know for future purchases.

There's an excellent documentary on Amazon Prime TV 
https://www.amazon.com/Stevie-Ray-Vaughan-Bluesman-1954-1983/dp/B00RHIF0NA

and one I haven't seen that's listed on the IMDb site
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7552842/

Thank you, sfar.

That was a candle to bright, one of the greats for sure. I also loved Robin Trower. Been a while he's still around.. Alvin Lee was no slouch either.

Regards

If we’re dropping names, my BluesRock p/l also includes Rory Gallagher, Ronben Ford, Bonamassa, Johnny Winter, Phil Brown and Popa Chubby.

I lived in Austin, TX in the '70s in a house six blocks south of the Rome Inn, a former Italian restaurant that had been converted into a music club. The name didn't change because it cost too much. The regular Tuesday night band was Paul Ray and the Cobras. Paul Ray was a wonderful blues singer and his lead guitarist was a young Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stevie Ray was usually near the back of the stage with his back to the audience and I never heard him sing, that was Paul Ray's job. The cover charge was $2, a real bargain.

Blast from the past!  He "opened" for the band his older brother Jimmy played lead guitar for, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, at the Midland TX Sheraton.  Talk about a small venue!  Prob 1984.  He was soooo loud.  Anyway, he did a very well done album with Jimmy near the end called Family Style.  Check it out.

And If you ever get to Austin, there is a really cool statue of Stevie Ray down on Town Lake or "Lady Bird Lake" near the 1st street bridge. I was born in Austin and he was an icon back in the 80's. It was a really sad day when he died. I often watch him play on YouTube because I cannot fathom how someone can do what he does to a guitar.

I am a Blues guy…I was inspired by hearing the 1st Paul Butterfield album at age 15, and ran down to buy my first harp. That album featured the guitar work of Michael Bloomfield and set the bar for my sense of what’s great. There was Danny Kalb in The Blues Project, then Eric Clapton emerged with Mayall, then Peter Green, and of course Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin launched. All added to my sense of what makes for great blues guitar. T-Bone, BB and the other 2 Kings, Buddy Guy, Earl Hooker and Chuck Berry too. I heard Johnny Winter’s 1st appearance in NYC, and Ten Years After. My reaction was like Salieri on Amadeus…”Too many notes!”  So when SRV arrived, I had a firmly embedded framework to hear what he was putting down. Not a fan. I prefer his brother Jimmy’s more patient approach.  Listen to “Part Time Lover” on the 1st T-Birds album for instance. Listen to “Texas” by Electric Flag. Refer to the above list of names, and above all…enjoy the music. 

If you want to see early Stevie ON FIRE find Live At El Mocambo.  You can still buy it on DVD, I have a Record Store Day vinyl edition.

+1 on the DVD Live At El Mocambo  .. his cover of Hendrix's Third stone from the sun is fantastic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYEEovuhsgY

Anything! Any time I get a new piece of equipment the first song I play is “Tin Pan Alley” on vinyl. 

Forgot to mention don’t forget to get David Bowie “Lets Dance” Stevie on “China Girl” is fantastic!

@fuzztone 
Gary More, Alan Haynes, JT Coldfire, Paul Val, and Rory all day all night!

I was in the Air Force, stationed in Austin mid-to-late 70's. Regular hangouts were Armadillo World Headquarters, Threadgills and the Back Room. 

Stevie Ray first came to my attention one night at the Armadillo, opening for The Runaways (which included Joan Jett and Lita Ford). I was getting a drink at the bar when I was taken by this dude playing his tail off. I asked the bartender who they were, and he casually said, "Oh, that's Stevie Ray Vaughan...they play here all the time".

After that, I started seeking them out in town. Watching him achieve his fame was really cool...seeing him in larger venues as I moved around Texas and ending up in St Louis, MO.

He's still one of my all-time favorites. 

There are a couple of good YouTube channels with lots of video... SRVMusicVideo and SRV on MV. 

Analogue Productions put out a box set of SACD's of Stevie's entire catalog minus the double live album. Sounds excellent.

Wow, just getting into Stevie Ray?
Well prepare yourself for an excellent experience.

As mentioned above his discography is limited due to his untimely death.
But, what a discography it is!

There is some live video performances out there as well.
Spectacular and effortless.
And that voice!

If CD is your thing you might find this gem interesting.

https://store.acousticsounds.com/d/84160/Stevie_Ray_Vaughan-Texas_Hurricane-SACD_Box_Set

Happy listening

Only 5 maybe 6 studio albums. At moronazon for couple bucks each used. 
Get em all for fairly cheap, look for the free ship. 

He did a nice disk with his brother Jimmie that still holds up IMHO called Family Style

Rushfan:  That is quite the collection.  I'm getting a few CDs delivered on Wednesday.   After I listen to them, I'll take a more serious look at that boxed set you mentioned.  At almost $50/cd, its a good chunk of change, even for SACD. 

ptman said:  "I was in the Air Force, stationed in Austin mid-to-late 70's. Regular hangouts were Armadillo World Headquarters, Threadgills and the Back Room."

I was at Bergstrom in the 70s also (73 thru 76).  Frequented the same places you mentioned.  Austin was a great place to be in those days!  

Always admired him but his material just didn't vary much from album to album.   If you like his Texas sound try some Chris Duarte.  Or Kenny Wayne Sheppard (LA).  Not well known at all but Mark May (and the Agitators) is very likeable.   

So I got the Epic boxed set delivered yesterday along with The Sky is crying. The first one to go on was "Live in the beginning". I was really impressed at how well recorded it was. It sounds fantastic. And he came out swinging from the first track. Looking very forward to hearing the rest of the music. A lot of the CDs i got turned out to be 2-CD sets, so a great value!   And I will definitely check out all the other artists mentioned above. Thanks everyone.

danaroo: '76 to '79 for me. I have had occasion to go back frequently in the past few years...definitely not the same place, but then I'm also not in the same headspace.