12/28/2024
Eric Clapton recalls Stevies set, immediately before his own: "It was beyond anything that I could even describe. I think the best way to describe it was to have been in my shoes in the dressing room watching the monitor - I could sit in my dressing room with the door open and hear him from the stage and see him on the TV - knowing I had to go out later and play.
And what was happening was, I was actually so bowled over and so in love with this guy that was playing on stage from the heart completely, you know, that I started to feel ashamed of what I was gonna go on and do.
'Cause I was gonna go out there and do Cream songs and do different kinds of music and here was one guy playing one kind of music in one kind of way, and it made me kind of feel, 'Are you ever gonna be like this?' That's the way I felt: 'Are you ever gonna get to that point, the point you are watching right now?'
"And I don't know if that many people ever do. I enjoy playing all kinds of stuff, you know. I play blues probably easier than anything else. Everything else is a bit of a learning experience, but I do dabble around in other areas, your rock and roll and country and this and that and songwriting, but none of it has that oneness that Stevie Ray had.
"It's a question of balance - a question of how many things there are in the mix, you know - whether the person is in good mental health, whether they're in good physical shape, whether their motives are clear, you know, all of these things that really wrap up the character and the embodiment of the human being with this gift and, you know, the state hes in at that time when you're seeing the performance with all those things in question.
It’s a very rare experience. Now Stevie Ray on that night, and many nights before I'm sure, had all of these things in control and was master of everything. Everything.
"There are a lot of other people I've seen who have some of them together, but then maybe they had a couple of drinks before they went on, or maybe they got a headache, or maybe they're tired, or maybe they're in great physical and mental shape and living a good life but they haven't got the right musicians in the band or the songs aren't right. There's so many elements involved, and when I recall that night, there was nothing missing. There was no room for improvement."
Richard Luckett…. "When Eric finished his set, Stevie, myself and Alex Hodges were on the side of the stage. Stevie was facing me, I was facing the stage, and we were talking about going to Switzerland in like nine days and we were all real excited about it.
Then Clapton goes, 'Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce to you the greatest guitar players in the world .... Stevie looked at me and looked at Alex and - this is a typical Vaughan quote - he said in a joking voice, 'Richard, I do believe that man is talking about me. (Laughs) He picked up his guitar and went on stage and I never saw him again."
Tour manager Skip Rickert…. "I'll tell you one thing; I hadn't seen him happier, those couple of days. His program was working; he was putting out a record with his brother; he was in love. He adored Janna, and she doted on him and genuinely had affection for him. Things were great. Plus he was playing with his brother and Eric, who he respected and who loved him; Bonnie was there the first night, Buddy, Robert Cray. He was having an absolute ball. He was just on fire that night. Who knows why you feel good one day and just okay the other? Some days you just feel great."
Chris Layton…."Eric had everyone come out - Jimmie Vaughan, Stevie, Buddy Guy showed up, Robert Cray, Eric, the other guitar player in Eric's band, Phil Palmer. I remember when Stevie started playing. God, the first note he played was like this big bent note (imitates the sound), and it sounded bigger than anybody's note. I went, 'Wow, man!' I mean, I've heard him play hundreds and hundreds of times, but it was like it had this extra fire to it, this kind of rumble of energy."
Steve Wilson…."I was sitting right there just ten feet away, and Clapton looked at Stevie, gave him the nod, and Stevie ripped into this killer solo. I mean, it was just another level above what he normally did, which was so great. We were all sitting there: 'Oh my god - where's he coming up with this from?' Everybody took their solos, and - this didn't happen Friday night, but Saturday night, Clapton looked back at Stevie and gave him the nod to go again. He tore into it, and I distinctly remember after that show, the buzz was in the air. As corny as it sounds, it was just one of those magic nights.
"They were all good. I never saw him play a wrong note, but there was something different. We were actually talking about how great it was - that extra notch that set it apart."
Jimmie…. "Stevie really, really smoked that night. He was just - it was great and everyone knew it. I think everybody was a little nervous to have to play after him. I don't know that for a fact, but that's the way I remember it. I was always real proud of him, you know, and so I was always hoping that he would give everybody trouble. You feel that way about your family.
"I remember how amazing Stevie was that night, not that that was a surprise to anybody. He definitely smoked everybody that night. And it could go any way, you know, when you have a show like that. Eric Clapton smoked many a show; Buddy Guy could steal the show - you just don't know what's going to happen. But that night was Stevie's night, and I think anybody will tell you that. He was just amazing.
"He was really happy all day and just, you know, extra happy. I didn't feel good that day. I felt bad for several days before that and didn't really know why. Still don't know why, but it's almost like I had a sense that something was happening, but never really could put my finger on it.
"They come in the room and said, 'Okay, there's only two seats or four seats left on one helicopter,' and at first it was going to be me and my wife and Stevie and somebody else. Then they came back and said, Now there's only one seat left.' So I remember Stevie says, 'Well, I need to go back; do you mind?' I think I said something like, Yeah, I mind; I came all the way here to see you and we have to talk, and you shouldn't run off, or something like that. Not thinking about it, really; you know, you just say stuff. And so he looked right at me and he said, No, you don't understand - I've got to go.' And then he got on the helicopter."
Steve Wilson ….There's an irony there because Stevie had told the band, 'Friday and Saturday night Clapton wants me to jam with him, and I don't want to stay by myself. Would you guys mind waiting instead of going back?' And they said they didn't mind. Then after the jam, Stevie says, "Do you mind if I leave early?' And we know what happened."
Jon Dillon, radio DJ and friend of Vaughan, told the Dallas Morning News that one of Stevie's family members had called him, saying that Stevie wanted to get back to the hotel quickly to rest a sore throat.
Chris Layton…."The conversation was actually very light; there was nothing heavy in it. It was just like, this is a great coupla nights and wasn't it great to be here,' and talked about the record that he and Jimmie just made, how they had a lot of fun and that was exciting. He was looking forward to that coming out and looking forward to us making another record.
He was in great spirits. I mean, we just had two great nights and we talked about all kinds of stuff, talked about the son that my wife and I were getting ready to have - we didn't know it was a boy - but just anything and everything. We talked for, I guess, almost 30 minutes. Then he got up and said, 'I'm gonna go back down to the dressing room for a minute. I don't know, maybe five minutes or so later, he came back up and he had his jacket on, he had his bags. He was making this turn, and I said, 'Hey, what are you doin'?' And he said, 'I'm gonna go back to Chicago.' I said, "Well, now?' And he said, 'Yeah, I gotta get back. I want to call Janna, in New York.
I thought, 'Jeez, you could actually call her anywhere and then call her later,' but he turned around and said, 'Call me when you get back. I love you,' and kinda gave me that wink of the eye that he would do. And then he was gone. He just disappeared into the night.
Janna…."Stevie was so happy-sounding that Sunday night when we talked on the phone. He was excited that Buddy Guy brought him on stage with his arm around him for the finale, 'Sweet Home Chicago.' That meant a lot to him. Alex told me later how it worked out for Jimmie getting on stage for the finale. I guess all was as it needed to be. He also told me that after the last show Eric said Stevie was the best. I know Stevie would take that in his usual stride of modesty."
Due to the congested ground transportation conditions, which can require several hours to navigate the ninety miles to Chicago, the artists boarded four helicopters bound for Chicago. Stevie boarded the third helicopter bound for Meigs Field. Clapton was on the last of the four to leave, departing two minutes later.
"The four helicopter pilots who flew members of rock star Eric Clapton's entourage and blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan out of Alpine Valley music complex early Monday were concerned about the heavy fog that blanketed southeastern Wisconsin but decided they would have no problem flying. .... 'That was a decision based on the four of them mutually coming to a decision that there was no problem flying. The pilots said once they lifted above the clouds they'd be OK.'
August 26, 1990
Alpine Valley, WI
Photo Robert M. Knight
The Roots FM
