TEXAS — Musicians know the only thing hotter than Texas’ weather is its six-string slingers.
But who’s the greatest guitarist the Lone Star State every produced? The answer may not be a surprise, but he has some serious competition.
Guitar World magazine on Wednesday released a list compiling its picks for the 30 greatest Texas guitarists of all time. The list includes pickers from a number of genres, including blues, fusion, metal and Tejano. Coming in at No. 1 is blues-rock legend Stevie Ray Vaughan.
It’s difficult to overstate how much Vaughan revitalized the blues in the 1980s. He could draw on every lick and phrase from the blues masters and presented them with the power and volume of Jimi Hendrix.
Born in Dallas, Texas, in 1954, Vaughan took up the guitar at age 7. In 1972, he dropped out of high school and relocated to Austin where he began playing paying gigs and in 1978 formed the band Double Trouble.
Generally regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Vaughan’s preferred instrument was a Fender Stratocaster, and his fluidity and ability to improvise with it was noted. Eric Clapton in an interview once described him as an “open channel.”
Influenced by blues and rock musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Freddie King, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and, perhaps most notably, Albert King, Vaughan took a step toward mainstream success when in 1982 he appeared with Double Trouble at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Vaughan’s popularity grew when in 1983 he and his band released their debut, "Texas Flood." A series of television appearances and high-profile shows followed, and Vaughan headed a blues revival in the 1980s, doing for the United States what artists including Gary Moore and Rory Gallagher did for Europe.
Vaughan battled drug and alcohol addiction for much of his life. He completed rehabilitation in 1986, however, and continued performing. In 1989, he released his last album, the lauded "In Step."
Vaughan continues to influence musicians and is closely identified with the Texas music scene. Guitarists from John Mayer to Kenny Wayne Shepherd have adopted some of his style.
Located on Auditorium Shores, on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, you’ll find the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial. The bronze statue was fabricated in 1993 and installed in 1994. Maintained by Austin Parks & Recreation, the memorial remains a popular tourist destination.
Vaughan died in a helicopter crash when he was just 35 years old.
Taking the second spot on the list is Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell Abbott. The metal band pioneered what became known as groove metal and Abbott was equally good at lead and rhythm work. He was tragically assassinated in 2004.
Some other notables on the list include fusion virtuoso Eric Johnson, blues legends Freddie King and Albert Collins, jazz pioneer Charlie Christian, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Gary Clark Jr., eclectic artist St. Vincent and rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Buddy Holly.