A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan (1996)

The concert was recorded on May 11, 1995 in Austin, Texas.
There was only one Stevie Ray Vaughan. Picks in hand, these virtuoso guitarists dedicated one night to pay tribute to his prodigious talent. Blues masters who influenced Vaughan, such as B. B. King and Buddy Guy, and contemporary masters like Eric Clapton and Robert Cray, crowd the stage with other performers including Bonnie Raitt and Vaughan's brother, Jimmie. Together and alone, these rockers cover some of the black-hatted axman's finest tunes and honor him with extended jams that echo his own signature style.

Already a legend among musicians, Stevie Ray Vaughan was bringing new relevance and popularity to the blues when his career was cut short in a fatal helicopter accident following a 1990 concert appearance. His music offered the drama and sheer firepower of rock, and his flamboyant live shows likewise proved well suited to arena-sized crowds, yet there was little argument that Vaughan's fealty to the blues remained at the core of his style. This 1996 concert tribute underscores that common denominator through muscular performances from contemporary blues masters who readily (and appropriately) confirm the Texas guitarist as a true peer–it's no small matter that bona fide influences Buddy Guy and B.B. King cite the honoree on an equal plane with Vaughan's most obvious rock forebear, Jimi Hendrix.
King and Guy are among the stars who interpret Vaughan's own songbook in live performances backed by either his old band, Double Trouble, or the larger Tilt-a-Whirl Band. Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Dr. John, and the late guitarslinger's big brother, Jimmie Vaughan (himself a major figure since his days with the Fabulous Thunderbirds) all pay gritty musical homage noteworthy for powerhouse guitar work. Whether clad in coveralls (Guy) or Armani (Clapton, of course), each reaches the same common ground in the soul-deep language of the blues; equally important, the choice of material points up Vaughan's sure sense of blues song form and a penchant for tough, frequently witty lyrics that fit snugly into blues traditions. The 80-minute concert also intersperses brief interviews with the principals, with the music building toward a satisfying climax in three high-octane jams featuring the headliners in lively exchanges. The DVD optimizes the full-frame visuals of the original videotaped special, and the 5.1 audio mix likewise fine-tunes the straightforward stereo mix with some added ambience.

–Sam Sutherland. Amazon.com

Tracklist:

01. Pride And Joy - Bonnie Raitt
02. Texas Flood - Jimmie Vaughan
03. Telephone Song - B.B. King
04. Long Way From Home - Buddy Guy
05. Ain't Gone'N Give Up On Your Love - Eric Clapton
06. Love Struck Baby - Robert Cray
07. Cold Shot - Dr. John
08. Six String Down - Jimmy Vaughn/ Eric Clapton/ BonnieRaitt/ Robert Cray/ B.B. King/Buddy Guy/Dr. John/Art Neville
09. Tick Tock - Eric Clapton
10. SRV Shuffle - Eric Clapton

Actors:

Jimmie Vaughan
B.B. King
Robert Cray
Buddy Guy
Eric Clapton
Bonnie Raitt
Dr. John
Art Neville
Tommy Shannon (Bass) (as Double Trouble)
Chris Layton (Drums) (as Double Trouble)
Reese Wynans (Hammond B-3) (as Double Trouble)
Bill Willis (Hammond B-3) (as Tilt-A-Whirl)
Denny Freeman (Piano & Guitar) (as Tilt-A-Whirl)
George Rains (Drums) (as Tilt-A-Whirl)
Reginald Brisbon (Vocals) (as Reginald 'Briz' Brisbon)


And also:
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Do... From Austin, Texas (1995)
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Boogie With Stevie 1987 (2007)
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Pride and Joy 2007
Stevie Ray Vaughan And Doub...eux 1982 & 1985 (2004)