Today I was talking with a great person when suddenly Stevie Ray Vaughn was mentioned... and I thought, "Man, I have really awesome, cool people in my life."
I have been a SRV fan for as long as I can remember. I know, me with my pearls and my high heels and my lingerie and my cashmere...but let me tell you... all I need is to hear a few notes screaming from Stevie's guitar and I lose all sense of self. He was just that amazing.
I mean, c'mon, how can you listen to this and not be blown away?
Belting out "VooDoo Chile"
I had the opportunity to see SRV in concert...and he did not disappoint. This was back in the day when I spent nearly every evening attending a different concert in Saratoga, NY either on the lawn, tailgating in the parking lot, or if it was a REALLY good show, actually paying to sit inside the amphitheater. (Side note: if you ever come to Saratoga, be sure to check out SPAC...the grounds are simply beautiful and I have never been disappointed by a concert at this venue.) But enough about that...back to Stevie.
Looking Out The Window
This was one of those evenings I did not want to end. To me, it was extra special because SRV finally got his life in order after years of substance abuse. He looked great, sounded even better, and delivered a message of hope.
Cold Shot
Imagine my utter heartbreak less than a month after this evening of hope and amazing music when Stevie Ray Vaughn was killed in a helicopter crash. This was just how I felt when John Lennon was shot...I never met the man, but I felt as if I intimately knew him. And I cried. For days.
To this day when I enjoy his music it is bittersweet to think of what might have been. To have made it through the dark days and see the rays of light ~ what a gift it must have been for him and his family. And how sad it was ripped away from them.
Change It
As Stevie himself said...you can't change it. But I choose to believe wherever he is there is still a screaming guitar and mind-blowing music. Let's go, let's go....
Wonderful post, Beth! I, too, feel such a sense of loss when talent like this is suddenly gone ... it literally seems impossible that their bright flame could be put out so suddenly. You've now made me want to go to an outdoor concert ... I love Foreigner and Journey and I hear they're both going to be TOGETHER at an outdoor concert arena close to me in August ... and I'll be there ;) xoxo
ReplyDeleteAmen! I have loved SRV since I was in high school. I have to listen to his music as loud as I can get it because it is just that good. His death was a sad day for me too. To look at me you would never imagine how much I appreciate his music, but I do. I never got to see him live in concert. You are lucky that you have that memory.
ReplyDeleteI saw Stevie on the same concert tour in Oakland, CA - late '89 or early '90 right? I have always loved his music - "what's her bucket" and I were best friends in high school, so of course, music was a mutual interest of ours.
ReplyDeleteI, too, cherish the memory of him live in concert. Thank you for reminding me of SRV. I am putting him into my Pandora today whilst I clean.
xo, A