Stevie Ray Vaughan’s uniquely eclectic and fiery style sounded like no other guitarist, regardless of genre – a leading light in American blues. STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN LIVE: PLAY HARD & FLOOR IT! showcases the guitar master’s career with some of his finest performances caught on tape. Friend and Double Trouble bandmate drummer Chris Layton gives context to the performances in on-camera interviews. The special begins with Stevie Ray’s debut at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland — an ‘electric’ unknown added to an acoustic blues night at the last minute. The songs were met by boos from an audience expecting a laid back evening of unadorned music, but today’s audiences experience an archival gem of a star’s early promise on “Pride & Joy” and “Texas Flood.” Almost three years to the day, Stevie Ray headlined the 1985 Montreux festival to raves from a sold-out crowd, highlighted in the special with “Cold Shot,” “Scuttle Buttin’” and “Say What!”. At Toronto’s tiny El Mocambo club, the historic venue hosted an intense Stevie Ray set in 1983, living up to this compilation’s title of PLAY HARD & FLOOR IT! with “Love Struck Baby,” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return).” The special closes with performances from the height of Stevie Ray’s career in his hometown of Austin, Texas in 1989, a year before his tragic death. Fans enjoyed pure magic that night including his #1 hit “Crossfire,” the instrumental “Riviera Paradise,” “Tightrope” and “The House is Rockin’,” all preserved in this special as a tribute to his talent.
Song List
“Pride & Joy” (Montreux 1982)
“Texas Flood” (Montreux 1982)
“Cold Shot” (Montreux 1985 with Johnny Copeland)
“Scuttle Buttin’” (Montreux 1985)
“Say What!” (Montreux 1985)
“Love Struck Baby” (El Mocambo – Toronto 1983)
“Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” (El Mocambo – Toronto 1983)
“Tightrope” (Austin 1989) “Riviera Paradise” (Austin 1989)
“Crossfire” (Austin 1989)
“The House is Rockin’” (Austin)
Presented nationally by WLIW New York. ST and CC.
Dvds/cds of this program available when you support WLIW21.
