Stevie Ray had been in numerous bands before joining blues rock combo Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble in the late 1970's.
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble's debut album was released in 1983. The critically acclaimed Texas Flood (1983) featured the top-20 hit Pride and Joy and sold well in both blues and rock circles.
Stevie Ray Vaughan died August 27th, 1990 when his helicopter crashed into the Alpine Valley ski hill. He was on his way back from playing a guest appearance at an Eric Clapton concert at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.
Adult life and career
Vaughan's first recording band was called Paul Ray and the Cobras. They played at clubs and bars in Austin during the mid-1970s, and released one single.[2] Vaughan later recorded two other singles under the band name The Cobras.[3] Stevie left the Cobras, leaving Denny Freeman still in his role of original lead guitarist, and formed Triple Threat in late 1975, which included bassist Jackie Newhouse, drummer Chris Layton, vocalist Lou Ann Barton, and sax player Johnny Reno. Barton left the band in 1978 to pursue a solo career, followed by Reno in 1979. The three remaining members started performing under the name Double Trouble, inspired by an Otis Rush song of the same name. Vaughan became the band's lead singer.
Tommy Shannon, the bass player on Johnny Winter's early albums, replaced Newhouse in 1981. A popular Austin act, Vaughan soon attracted the attention of musicians David Bowie and Jackson Browne. Both Browne and Bowie first caught Vaughan at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival, where some members of the audience booed the band because they disliked Double Trouble's hard blues sound; the crowd response was quite different when they were subsequently invited to headline "Blues Night" at the festival in 1985.
In November, 1982, Vaughan recorded in Jackson Browne's studio in downtown Los Angeles. The recordings were brought to the attention of A&R man John Hammond and became Double Trouble's critically acclaimed first album, Texas Flood (1983), produced by Hammond; it featured the Top 20 hit "Pride and Joy" and sold 500,000 copies, earning the band a gold record. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award, and its song "Rude Mood" was nominated for "Best Rock Instrumental". Vaughan won three categories in Guitar Player's readers poll: "Best New Talent", "Best Blues Album", and "Best Electric Blues Guitarist". He became the second guitarist to win three Guitar Player awards in one year (the first is Jeff Beck). Vaughan won the "Best Electric Blues Guitarist" award every year until 1991.
Also in 1983 Bowie featured Vaughan on his 1983 album Let's Dance.[4] Vaughan was asked to go on tour with Bowie, but declined so he could continue to play with Double Trouble. Reportedly, Vaughan, who was still driving a delivery truck to support himself, was furious when he saw Bowie pantomiming over Vaughan's guitar solo in the video for "Let's Dance".
The band's next album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, was recorded in January 1984. During mid-1984 Vaughan and Double Trouble made numerous TV appearances, performing on Rockpalast, MuchMusic, and Solid Gold.
During the Grammy Awards of 1984, Vaughan and George Thorogood presented Chuck Berry with a lifetime achievement award. "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" from Couldn't Stand The Weather was nominated for "Best Rock Instrumental Performance".
The band played Carnegie Hall in New York City on October 4, 1984. The show featured one Double Trouble set, and a second with guests Dr. John on keyboards, George Rains on drums, Jimmie Vaughan on guitar, Roomful of Blues Horns, and singer Angela Strehli. The group rehearsed in September 1984 at the Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth, Texas.
In November, Vaughan won two W.C. Handy National Blues Awards: "Entertainer of the Year" and "Blues Instrumentalist of the Year". It was the first time a white person won either award. During this time, he also began recording with one of his earliest idols, blues-rock guitar pioneer Lonnie Mack, to produce the album Strike Like Lightning on the Alligator label.
In late January 1985, the band went on a six-night Japanese tour with various interviews and performances. In March, the band started to produce their third album Soul to Soul. Reese Wynans, a former keyboardist with Captain Beyond and Delbert McClinton's band, was added to the band not long after. The album's production lasted for two months. On April 10 Vaughan played "The Star Spangled Banner" for opening day of the National League baseball season at the Houston Astrodome (supposedly he didn't get a good audience response from that crowd; he did, at least, get to meet former New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle afterwards). Soul to Soul was released on September 30, 1985; Vaughan received his fifth Grammy nomination: "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for one of its songs, "Say What!".
In the following months of 1986, Vaughan and Double Trouble went on tour in New Zealand. It was around this time that he met Janna Lapidus, a touring model in New Zealand.
In mid-1986, the band was considering ideas of a new album, particularly a live album. Shows were set up at the Austin Opera House and at the Dallas Starfest. Audiences saw Vaughan struggle through these shows, as some of the original recordings were filled with technical difficulties.
On August 27, 1986, the Vaughan brothers' father, Big Jim, passed away of heart failure. A funeral was arranged two days later. The boys rushed home to comfort their mother, yet had little time to mourn. After the funeral was finished, a jet rushed Vaughan to Montreal, Quebec, where he played the "Labatt Blues Fest" (in Quebec, so named for their flagship beer "Labatt Blue"), known elsewhere as the "Miller Beer Festival" in Jarry Park.
The recordings in both Dallas and Austin, as well as the Montreux Jazz Festival, were edited and later released on Live Alive in November 1986.
Studio Albums:
Texas Flood (1983)
Couldn't Stand the Weather (1984)
Soul to Soul (1985)
In Step (1989)
Family Style (with Brother Jimmie Vaughan as "The Vaughan Brothers", 1990)
The Sky Is Crying (posthumous release) (1991)
Official live audio releases:
In the Beginning (Live, recorded 1980)
In Session (Live, with Albert King, recorded 1983)
Live at Carnegie Hall (Live, recorded 1984)
Live Alive (Live, recorded 1986)
Live At Montreux 1982 & 1985' (Live, recorded 1982 & 1985)
Wolfgang's Vault releases: http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/stevie-ray-vaughan
Compilations:
Greatest Hits (1995)
The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (1995)
The Real Deal: Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1999)
Blues at Sunrise (2000)
SRV (box set, with early recordings, rarities, hits, and live material) (2000)
Tightrope
Stevie Ray Vaughan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Knee deep in hot water, broke out in cold sweat
Can't catch a turtle, in this rat race
Feels like I'm losing, at a breakneck pace
Afraid of my own shadow, in the face of grace
Heart full of darkness, spotlight on my face
There was love all around me, but I was looking for revenge
Walkin' the tight rope, steppin on my friends
Walkin' the tight rope, was a shame and a sin
Walkin' the tight rope, between wrong and right
Walkin' the tight rope, both day and night
Lookin' back in front of me, in the mirror's grin
Through eyes of love I see, I'm really lookin at a friend
We've had all our problems, that's the way life is
My heart goes out to others, who are there to make amends
(Walkin' the tightrope) Trying to make it right
Every day and every night
Bring it all around
From the lost to found
Stretched around the world
Save the boys and girls
Let's make it right
Do it, do it tonight
Walkin the tightrope
The lyrics of "Tightrope" by Stevie Ray Vaughan speak of the struggles of living in a fast-paced world and trying to navigate through life's challenges. The metaphor of walking a tightrope represents the delicate balance he must maintain between good and evil, right and wrong, and the temptation to seek revenge versus the ability to forgive. The first two lines describe feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, unable to catch your breath while being surrounded by a dangerous situation that causes cold sweats. The third and fourth lines liken his situation to feeling like he is in a rat race, unable to win or keep up with the pace. The fifth and sixth lines describe living in fear and darkness while being under the scrutiny of the public eye. The seventh and eighth lines acknowledge that he had love around him but was too focused on revenge to see it, and if he had pursued it, it would have destroyed him.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Walkin' the tightrope," emphasizing the constant struggle and challenging balance in his life. The following lines describe the difficulties of the journey as he steps on those who were once his friends, committing shameful and sinful acts in his attempt to navigate through the twisted path of right versus wrong. However, it is not just him that struggles, and he acknowledges that others have had difficulties too. Finally, he calls on himself and others to make things right, to save those who need saving and bring everything around full circle.
Line by Line Meaning
Caught up in a whirlwind, can't catch my breath
Feeling overwhelmed and unable to take a moment to breathe and regroup.
Knee deep in hot water, broke out in cold sweat
Facing a difficult situation with high stakes and feeling intense anxiety and pressure.
Can't catch a turtle, in this rat race
Struggling to succeed and get ahead in a competitive environment that often feels futile.
Feels like I'm losing, at a breakneck pace
Feeling like success is slipping away quickly, and unable to keep up with the demands of the situation.
Afraid of my own shadow, in the face of grace
Feeling unworthy and ashamed in the presence of goodness and positive energy.
Heart full of darkness, spotlight on my face
Feeling exposed and vulnerable, with the flaws and negativity inside oneself on full display.
There was love all around me, but I was looking for revenge
Being blinded by anger and a need for revenge, and unable to see the love and support that were available.
Thank God it never found me, would have been the end
Realizing that seeking revenge would have only led to further negativity and potentially harmful consequences.
Walkin' the tight rope, steppin on my friends
Navigating a difficult situation that involves potentially harming those who are closest and most valuable to oneself.
Walkin' the tight rope, was a shame and a sin
Recognizing the moral struggle and inner conflict involved in making difficult decisions, and feeling guilt and regret.
Walkin' the tight rope, between wrong and right
Feeling torn between doing what is right and staying true to oneself, and what may be easier or more advantageous in the short term.
Walkin' the tight rope, both day and night
Feeling the pressure and anxiety of navigating a difficult situation constantly, without respite.
Lookin' back in front of me, in the mirror's grin
Reflecting on oneself and realizing that the solution to the problem is within oneself.
Through eyes of love I see, I'm really lookin at a friend
Recognizing the strength of a supportive network and the power of positive relationships to bring perspective and clarity.
We've had all our problems, that's the way life is
Acknowledging that everyone faces difficulties and challenges, and accepting this as a natural part of life.
My heart goes out to others, who are there to make amends
Feeling empathy and compassion for those who are struggling and actively working to correct the harm they've caused.
(Walkin' the tightrope) Trying to make it right
Making a conscious effort to correct past mistakes and do what is right in a difficult situation.
Every day and every night
Feeling the pressure and responsibility of navigating the situation constantly, without respite.
Bring it all around
Bringing together all of the various elements involved in the situation in order to navigate it successfully.
From the lost to found
Turning a difficult situation around and finding a solution.
Stretched around the world
Feeling like the situation is enormous in scope and affects many people beyond oneself.
Save the boys and girls
Feeling like there is a responsibility to protect and care for others who may be caught up in the situation.
Let's make it right
Determined to correct past mistakes and do what is required to successfully navigate the situation.
Do it, do it tonight
Feeling a sense of urgency and knowing that the situation must be addressed immediately in order to prevent further harm.
Walkin the tightrope
Navigating a difficult and delicate situation with precision and skill, in order to avoid causing further harm.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Downtown Music Publishing, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Doyle Bramhall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@me2js
The original airing of this did not televise this song. In order of appearance in the original airing was:
House Is Rockin
Leave My Little Girl Alone
Cold Shot
Crossfire
Riviera Paradise
Little Thing(Duet with WC Clark)
Take Me to the River(everyone)
Those listed is songs originally aired with SRV. Keep in mind, it was for WC Clark’s 50th birthday celebration
@AJLTunes
For me this is SRV at his absolute peak. Playing his heart out with a smile on his face and clean from drugs. One of the very best guitarists ever.
@cs868
Alex Lloyd I agree completely. I saw SRV 6-7 times and it’s fantastic he got clean and showed us the rest of his magic. His playing here is superb and there is such an amazing message of redemption and hope for the human condition.
@Kedbuka
Yep, one of the best. He was at his absolute best here, totally clean and playing beautifully. My God, what he could've accomplished.
@dallasherring1092
Pretty sure he was the best. He could effortlessly, perfectly blister anything he played. Wow how bad do I miss this guy....life cut tragically short.
@bensblues
Sure his playing was a little bit neater here but some of the most incredible came from pre rehab srv before October 86. Especially voodoo child.
@jeffsandy5088
One of the very best ??? THE VERY BEST !!!!!!!!!!!
@ghggf8761
you know a musician's good when the live version is better than the studio version
@jamessullivan3670
Exactly
@craigjohnson5590
Amen!
@kylegarshott1321
I didmt get blessed to see him live but YouTube is telling me he is so much more wild live, truly a master of his craft. Played every live show like it was his last