by Alan Paul
First published 2019
This biography chronicles the meteoric rise and tragic end of blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan through firsthand accounts from those who knew him best. Author Alan Paul draws on extensive interviews with Vaughan's brother Jimmie, his Double Trouble bandmates Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton, and Reese Wynans, plus family members, friends, and fellow musicians. The book traces Vaughan's journey from severe cocaine and alcohol addiction to his recovery and creative peak. By 1990, he had achieved critical and commercial success with his latest album, collaborated with his musical hero and brother Jimmie, ended his troubled marriage, and found new love. At 35, Vaughan appeared ready for his greatest chapter when a helicopter crash after performing with Eric Clapton cut his life short on August 27, 1990. Paul presents an unvarnished portrait of the musician who became an international icon, offering readers the complete story behind the legend through the voices of those who witnessed his struggles and triumphs firsthand.
Genres: biography, addiction, 20th-century, biography-memoir, music, 21st-century, musicians
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: addiction-recovery, rise-and-fall
Setting: Texas
Period: 1990
368 pages · Hardcover · St. Martin's Press
Content warnings: addiction, alcohol-abuse, drug-use