On this day (August 27) in 1990, Texas blues rock legend Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a tragic helicopter accident in East Troy, Wisconsin. While Vaughan’s recording career was short, it was impactful. He and his band, Double Trouble, helped to revitalize blues rock in the 1980s. Additionally, his guitar work has inspired and influenced generations of artists and will continue to do so.
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Vaughan’s recording career began in the late 1970s with Paul Ray & the Cobras. In the early 1980s, he recorded with David Bowie on his album Let’s Dance. Then, in 1983, he released “Love Struck Baby” as the lead single from his debut album, Texas Flood. The LP’s title track would go on to be one of his signature songs.
[RELATED: How Stevie Ray Vaughan Caught the Attention of Eric Clapton From a David Bowie Song]
Later in his career, he recorded with artists like James Brown, Don Johnson, and Jennifer Warnes. Before his passing, he recorded Family Style with his brother, Jimmie Vaughan. The album dropped just weeks after his passing. Songs like “Pride and Joy,” “Texas Flood,” and “Tightrope” marked him as one of the finest guitarists in the business.
The Death of Stevie Ray Vaughan
The evening before he died, Stevie Ray Vaughan played alongside Eric Clapton at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Alpine Valley Resort in East Troy, Wisconsin. There was only one road in and out of the resort. As a result, artists who performed there routinely came and went by helicopter.
According to SRV Archive, Clapton’s tour manager informed Vaughan that three seats awaited him, his brother Jimmie Vaughan, and Jimmie’s wife, Connie. However, when they arrived at the helipad, they discovered that members of Clapton’s crew had taken two of the three reserved seats. Wanting to get home to his wife, he talked Jimmie and Connie into letting him have the final seat.
Before long, dense fog rolled in, but the multiple helicopters took flight, leaving in two-minute intervals. Vaughan’s helicopter banked sharply and struck a nearby ski slope, crashed, and killed everyone on board instantly. No one was aware of the crash until the next day, when the helicopter failed to reach its destination.
Interestingly, Stevie Ray Vaughan told his band and crew about a nightmare he had the day before his death. In it, he said, he attended his funeral alongside thousands of mourners. He recalled feeling “terrified, yet almost peaceful.”
Featured Image by Mark Junge/Getty Images
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