Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble Inducted Into Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble now have a permanent spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Texas guitar hero was inducted into the historic museum on April 18 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs on HBO on May 30.

… “I know he would want to thank the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but most of all he would want to thank his fans,” Jimmie Vaughan told the crowd. SRV and Double Trouble received 18 million votes to be inducted into the Rock Hall.

“When it turned out we were nominated, next thing I know we are the top vote getters–18 million votes,” keyboardist Reese Wynans said. “’Unbelievable,’ I said, “This is too much, too much to ask for.'” – TWCNews

It was a moment fitting of the magic and emotion that filled Stevie Ray Vaughan’s music.
Having thrilled the capacity crowd Saturday at the 30th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony with sizzling blues guitar solos and fever-pitch vocals on Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and Joy” and “Texas Flood,” Jimmie Vaughan gathered the members of Double Trouble and their guest performers for the finale of their three-song set. Jimmie alone played guitar as they went into “Six Strings Down,” a tribute to his younger brother from Jimmie’s 1994 album Strange Pleasures.

… Finally getting the nod from the Rock Hall, seven years after Stevie and his band first became eligible, clearly meant a lot to everyone involved. “It’s very emotional, but it’s also happy, too,” Jimmie said Saturday morning. “We all loved my brother.”

Double Trouble bassist Tommy Shannon, who also celebrated his 69th birthday Saturday, agreed. He kept his acceptance speech admirably short, concluding simply that “if it wasn’t for Stevie, I wouldn’t be here.” Earlier Saturday, he’d said that if Stevie were here, “I think he would have loved it. He was a very humble guy. I think he would be very thankful and glad to be here.”

… Drummer Chris Layton shared a few stories about Stevie and remembered how the guitarist summed up the band’s credo: “We need to put our foot on the gas pedal, and we need to floor it.” – Austin American-Statesman

John Mayer took the stage to speak about the man who he’s said is his biggest influence, Stevie Ray Vaughan. “I figured out there was two ways to play guitar. There was playing chords, and doing that other thing, [which] was elemental. Stevie Ray was doing the other thing. Stevie Ray Vaughan is the ultimate guitar hero.”

“There was an intensity there. There was intensity that only he could achieve, it was as otherworldly as Hendrix, but while Hendrix came from outer space, Stevie came from below the ground. He took the style of every blues guitar player who ever lived, and put it into one language.”

After the members of Double Trouble spoke, Jimmie Vaughan, a solo artist and guitar legend, said that his younger brother loved playing guitar more than anyone he ever knew, and said that Stevie Ray would have been proud to be inducted. “I couldn’t be more proud of him; he was the most talented cool brother anyone could ever have,” he said, choking up. “Music lost a good man, our family lost our beloved. Every day I wake up sober, I think of my brother. In the end, the little brother taught the big brother.” – Radio K-Earth