Johnny Winter there you go 63supro to me he could out do SRV in the texas blues scene any day. One weird looking dude too but he and his brother Edger playing them boards no music. I've told you in the past 63 that I like Johnny better then Vaughan.

I will never be a SRV was a god wannabe though.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

I tip my hat to SRV for bringing the blues to the forefront in the 80s.I doubt few people could have done that.He wasnt pure blues anyways.He knew he would tick the purists off when he covered Jimi.He just didnt care.Nor should he have.

I recall an interview in which SRV said something along the lines of "there isn't a best guitar player in the world, just people who are best at being themselves". That's a fairly loose quote and I don't remember the exact words, but he was basically saying that Albert King was the best person in the world at being Albert King, Hendrix was the best Hendrix, Clapton the best Clapton etc. SRV was the best and only SRV. There really isn't a best blues guitarist/vocalist, or a best musician period. It's like arguing over who was the best renaissance artist.

I don't like arguing over genres and sub-genres either. Music is music.

Regardless of supposed originality issues, if it weren't for SRV (and Jimmie Vaughan too), I would have absolutely no idea who John Lee Hooker, Albert King or Gatemouth Brown were. I never would have listened to Robert Johnson, and I never would have realized how people like Lightnin' Hopkins and T-Bone Walker impacted music. I can hear a little SRV in all of those people's playing, and ever since music of all kinds has made a lot more sense to me. Thank God SRV was a copy cat, and openly admitted it.

I never got to meet or see SRV since he died before I was born. But from the videos and interviews I've seen from him, I'm totally blown away by the kind of person he was. I did get to meet Jimmie Vaughan and he's also an amazingly down to earth person. As good as the music is, and regardless of whether you like it or not, it's almost unbelievable that two guys who could easily play circles around (or at least keep up with) anyone in the world are so humble. It sort of reminds me of the "how many guitar players does it take to screw in a lightbulb" joke. One to do it, and nineteen to explain what he did wrong and how they would do it better. It's scary how much truth there is to that joke. Let's try and not fall into the latter category.

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Website: http://www.rebeccalaird.com
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You are a smart, mature young lady TGS!!!

Oh!, and I forgot talented!!!

That DVD is really a great performance!!

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I got to see him 3 or 4 times over the years and he always delivered. Gone way too soon. What a talent............... Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

I've never been able to stomach more than 30 seconds of SRV. I'm the same way with pasta. More than a sniff is way too much. I understand why others like both though. It is a bit of a pointless argument. I'm as incapable of making a SRV fan dislike his work as they are of making me like it. I'm just glad that some people get some pleasure out of listening to something. Thats all any musician wants, to be heard and enjoyed by somebody. Not neccessarily everybody. I seriously doubt any selling musician cares what some people on a guitar forum think of their music.

In my case you could replace SRV with a whole host of names, famous throughout decades. Some stuff I like other stuff I dislike, usually pieces played in a heavy handed manner. If you want to play like that theres alternative styles where it works. To my ear it just doesnt work for blues (Elmore James included) and other lounge music styles. The gentle caress of the strings just sounds so much more pleasant in that genre. I wouldn't expect most members to appreciate listening to Napalm Death or $@!& sparrer for instance. I'm fairly comfortable with that, no one else has to agree with me to validate my personal preferences.

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No no and no

Beautifully said, texasguitarslinger!

I've heard a number of interviews with SRV where he answered the "best" question with essentially, "there is no best".

When people proclaim this or that player is the best, they're merely stating an subjective opinion. It's a stupid question to begin with - it's like asking what's the "best color". It'd be far better to simply state something like, "I prefer xx". But people always get caught up in this best thing - like there must be a clear winner and loser. I don't get it.

Long before I decided to get serious about learning guitar 6 months ago, I was always a SRV fan. As a non-playing music lover, I loved his music but never really took the time to research the person. I knew some things about him - the death in 1990 (early nineties was particularly hard on musical genius - SRV and Freddy Mercury!), the battle with drugs and such, but I was more of a casual fan I guess. But now that my interest has grown (tremendously), and I've dug deeper, I now know WHY I always liked SRV. I've discovered that what made him truly great wasn't simply his amazing ability (which is what I first attributed it to), but his honesty and humility. That's something that can't be taught or learned.

I just finished watching the two disc DVD of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble: Live at Montreux 1982 & 1985. I was utterly shocked when the crowd actually boo'd after each song during 1982 set! (I thought I was hearing things!) What was amazing to me though is that he and the band played full bore w/o missing a beat despite the crowd's reaction! That's someone who truly believes in their music!

kineman karma -
Thanks for sharing that. Here's one of my favorite SRV interviews.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C9GaEqga-g

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Then again, what do I know ... I've only been playin' for 6 months ... !

Played in bars before the age of ten. Check.

Divorce. Check

Heroin addiction. Check

Lost friends at young ages. Check

Died young. Check

What there says he didn't live the life of a bluesman? Original? There isn't much room to create new stuff in that genre... Why is my opinion so polarizing?

Let me try this again.

IN MY OPINION, SRV is the best blues guitarist and vocalist ever.

Name one guy that hasn't played a little honky tonk or some roadhouse blues along the way in his career? You can't if you weren't there! Chrissakes Who made Maryland the cradle of the blues? Dude, go listen to Life without you or Life by the drop and come back and tell me that doesn't hit you. He covered Little Wing way better than Hendrix' version; oh yes I went there! Relax; it's an opinion just like y'all have.

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

What Ohio is? You think I have not listen to SRV in my time!!!! I am not a kid My friend I have been in at least 25 States in this country alone as well as over a dozen other countries if that has anything to do with SRV. I must say I listened to some great Blues in some of them other countries too, but as said that means nothing.You are just stating a opinion thats cool I did likewise. To me one of the best guitarist ever was Duane Allman and there is a host of others that do more for me then SRV could every do.

SRV made what six albums the rest are after death comps.after 1990 I am just guessing but easy to check.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

bbr I am still trying to figure when in the 80's ratboy saw a show with Bobby Blue Bland and Hooker with SRV at the Beacon Hotel Theater.
That would have been a show to see there.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

This whole "hes better than so and so" or "no hes not HES better" is just plain silly.There are so many different players that appeal to so many different tastes its mind boggling.

What does the number of albums made have to do with anything? Hendrix only made four and was alot more popular during his career then Stevie was during his.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

Absolutely I think SRV's version of it is a tasteless toneless travesty (3T's). Its like the chipboard wallpaper of littlewing covers.

He missed all the subtle beauty of the original (studio version) that even Hendrix managed to capture live.

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No no and no