Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Texas-born blues guitar legend, died at 35 in a helicopter crash outside East Troy, Wisconsin, on August 27, 1990 — a night Larry McCray now recalls as one of stunned silence and sudden loss.
- Who: Stevie Ray Vaughan, acclaimed blues guitarist and bandleader of Double Trouble
- Age: 35
- Cause: Helicopter crash, August 27, 1990, near East Troy, Wisconsin
- Eyewitness memory: Veteran bluesman Larry McCray recounted the evening in an interview with Guitarist
- Context: Vaughan had performed at Alpine Valley with Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray and Jimmie Vaughan
Larry McCray — who counts Albert King, Buddy Guy and Albert Collins among his mentors — says he was at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago waiting for a rumored jam when the news broke. “The night he died, I was at Buddy Guy’s Legends club [in Chicago] waiting for Buddy, Stevie, and Clapton because there was a rumor they were about to come and jam,” McCray told Guitarist.
He remembered the moment the room went quiet: “All these musicians were waiting to see them. Then we were told they’d all gone down. You’ll never see a house full of people get so quiet, it was pin-drop silence, and eventually we found out Buddy and Eric were okay. It was a terrible thing. I’ll never forget that day.”
The Legacy
Stevie Ray Vaughan’s influence reshaped modern blues and rock guitar. Highlights of his legacy include:
- Signature recordings: “Pride and Joy,” the album Texas Flood, and his searing cover of “Little Wing”
- Artistic impact: Credited with reviving blues-rock in the 1980s and inspiring generations of guitarists
- Honors: Enduring critical acclaim and posthumous recognition, including induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Social Proof — Reactions and Tributes
Vaughan’s death sent shockwaves through the music community. That night musicians and fans in Chicago and beyond were left in stunned silence, and in the days and weeks after his passing, tributes poured in from peers, venues and audiences worldwide. McCray’s recollection underscores how sudden the loss felt to those who lived through it — a moment remembered not just for the accident but for the silence that followed.
McCray’s new album Heartbreak City — produced with Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith and featuring guests like Kirk Fletcher and Double Trouble keyboardist Reese Wynans — revisits those blues roots and conversations about the scene that produced players like Vaughan. For more from McCray, plus interviews with Keith Urban and Steve Stevens, see issue 532 of Guitarist.
Image Referance: https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/larry-mccray-recalls-the-night-stevie-ray-vaughan-died