Jimmie Vaughan
Jimmie Vaughan |
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James Lawrence "Jimmie Lee" Vaughan (born on March 20, 1951 in Dallas, Texas) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is the older brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Jimmie Vaughan's style was influenced by Freddie King who gave him personal advice. Also two other blues guitarists, Albert King and B. B. King, were important influences. Johnny "Guitar" Watson was another important early influence (Jimmie says that he and his younger brother Stevie Ray Vaughan studied Johnny "Guitar" Watson more than any other single guitarist).[citation needed]
History
In the late 1960s, Jimmie Vaughan and Paul Ray were playing at an East Austin club when future blues legend and Austin, Texas native W. C. Clark sat in on bass guitar with the younger Austin locals. Clark was on tour as a member of the R&B Joe Tex Band at the time. After playing the session with Vaughan and Ray, Clark changed his mind about Austin blues having died, and two weeks later he left Joe Tex and moved back to Austin, where he then went on to develop his reputation as the "Godfather of Austin Blues." [1]
In the 1970s Clark formed several Austin bands with various names, which included as members Jimmie Vaughan, Jimmie's brother, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lou Ann Barton and Angela Strehli.
Jimmie Vaughan developed his own personal style that is easily recognized. He formed the band The Fabulous Thunderbirds with singer and harpist Kim Wilson, bassist Keith Fergusson, and drummer Mike Buck. (The initial Fabulous Thunderbirds members were all proteges of Austin, Texas blues club owner, Clifford Antone). The band's first four albums, released between 1979 and 1983, are ranked among the most important 'white blues' recordings. These early albums did not sell well, so the band was left out without a recording contract for a couple of years (during the times when Jimmie's younger brother achieved popular success).
The Fabulous Thunderbirds got a new contract in 1986 and made several albums that featured more commercial pop-music sound and production styles. Jimmie left the band in 1989 and made a "duo album" called Family Style with his younger brother, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Before the album was released, Stevie died in a helicopter crash in East Troy, Wisconsin on August 27, 1990. The album was released a few days after the tragic accident (the listed artist on the album was "Vaughan Brothers"). The album was light blues-influenced rock with Jimmie singing on several tracks.
Vaughan released his first solo album Strange Pleasure in 1994. The album contained a song "Six Strings Down" that was dedicated to the memory of his brother. He has continued his solo career since then. Vaughan's solo albums contain mostly blues-rock material that he writes himself. He made a special guest appearance on Bo Diddley's 1996 album A Man Amongst Men, playing guitar on the tracks "He's Got A Key" and "Coatimundi". In 2001, Vaughan paid an installment on his (and the Fabulous Thunderbirds') debt to harmonica swamp blues when he contributed guitar to the Lazy Lester album Blues Stop Knockin' .
Since 1997 Fender has produced a Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Stratocaster.
For Bob Dylan's summer 2006 tour, Vaughan was the third opening act for most of the dates, preceded by Elana James and the Continental Two and Junior Brown.
Jimmie loves classic and custom cars. He is an avid car collector. Jimmie has had many of his custom cars, and hot rods on display in museums, and many car publications.
Awards
Grammys
- 1990 Contemporary Blues Recording: Family Style with Stevie Ray Vaughan
- 1990 Rock Instrumental Performance: "D/FW" with Stevie Ray Vaughan
- 1996 Rock Instrumental Performance: "SRV Shuffle" with Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, and Art Neville
- 2001 Traditional Blues Album: Do You Get the Blues?
Discography
With Fabulous Thunderbirds
- The Fabulous Thunderbirds (1979)
- What's the Word (1980)
- Butt Rockin' (1981)
- T-Bird Rhythm]' (1982)
- Tuff Enuff (1986)
- Hot Number (1987)
- Powerful Stuff]' (1989)
Vaughan Brothers
Solo career
- Strange Pleasure (1994)
- Out There (1998)
- Do You Get the Blues? (2001)
- On The Jimmy Reed Highway (2007) with Omar Kent Dykes
Recent activities
Vaughan continues to perform. He has also been politically active to some degree, recently endorsing Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul and played before one of Paul's speeches at the University of Texas.[2] Vaughn also opened for Ron Paul's keynote address at the Rally For The Republic in St. Paul, Minnesota on September 2, 2008.