'Great Guitarists': Ry Cooder & Stevie Ray
Short Biography's of Numbers 8 - 7 in Rolling Stones' List
Sep 14, 2009
In 2003 'Rolling Stone' magazine released their list of '100 Greatest Guitarists'. The list compiles together many great guitarists which deserve great attention from any young, budding or experienced musician. This article gives a short biography of numbers 8 to 7, Ry Cooder and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
8: Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter Cooder was born 15 March 1947. Of all guitarists in the top ten list, he is the hardest to define. He is an inspirational virtuoso of so many stringed instruments (from mandolin, slide guitar, banjo, mandolin… ). He is hugely knowledgeable expert of folk, blues and early roots music.
However when trying to piece together a brief biography or a brief list of works it suddenly becomes blindingly clear how simply stunning his back catalogue is. He ranges from blues, rock, jazz, Dixie-land, ragtime, reggae, folk, gospel… basically most anything imaginable.
Beginning a Musical Career
It was at 16 that Cooder first formed a blues band and then later a brief ‘potential super-group’ 'Rising Sons' with Taj Mahal and Ed Cassidy. Although the music seemed a little stinted and a little reserved, glistening prospective talent could be seen to echo through Cooder’s already expert management of the guitar. Cooder went on to work briefly with such artists as the masterfully mal-organised Captain Beefheart, Randy Newman and The Rolling Stones
Cooder began word as a solo artist a self-titled album in 1970 showcasing his ability to rework songs by blues legends such as Leadbelly and Blind Willie McTell. In 1974, Cooder recorded Paradise and Lunch, which is often listed as perhaps the finest singles collection of solo songs.
In 1994 recorded an album shared with the stunning and legendary African guitarist Ali Farka Touré (himself ranked number 76 on the Rolling Stone list of 100 Greatest Guitarists) entitled Talking Timbuktu. This highlights his discovery of music which perhaps would not have been appreciated or recognised by Western audiences.
The most successful example of Cooder’s cross-cultural diversity in music is 1997’s Buena Vista Social Club. Using the Cuban musicians Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer, and Rubén González Cooder created the wonderful blend of music which reached listens across the globe.
Cooder continues to make challenging and ever-intriguing music. He may not be have as many top selling singles as others on the list but he has carved a well crafted elitist fan base of his own.
7: Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stephen Ray Vaughan was born on the 3rd October, 1954 in Dallas, Texas to Jim and Martha Vaughan. He was 7 years old when he laid his hands on his first guitar, a Sears toy guitar with only three strings. It just goes to show: everyone has to start somewhere.
As a teen Stevie’s first band, The Chantones, were becoming locally successful, playing small gigs and even receiving small pay-checks. A story goes that in 1970, Stevie was working as a dishwasher and fell into a full barrel of grease. This was the turning point, he quit and gave up the steady road for the music he felt inside him.
Beginning a Musical Career
A year later Stevie performed for the first time in the studio with a high school band named 'A Cast of Thousands'. That year he dropped out of high school and moved to Austin, Texas. In Austin Stevie danced between many different bands. There is glorious almost mythical tale of Stevie playing so hard and so long on many club nights that he would literally tear his calluses from his fingers. Undeterred and longing to get back to the blues, he would reach for super-glue and searingly stick them back on.
It was in 1980 that Stevie first cast out alone, as lead singer and lead guitar, forming the band with Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton that would take him to stardom, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. An entrance to that stardom came from strange coincidence.
In 1982 the band played the Montreux Jazz Festival, during the allotted ‘Blues Night’. The show was tense as some of the audience did not approve of the raucous electric power of the show. However one observer, the famed David Bowie, was impressed enough to ask Stevie to play lead guitar on his latest album 'Let's Dance'. Stevie agreed, however just before heading out to toru with Bowie decided he would back out to remain playing the blues his heart really longed for.
In 1982 Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble recorded their first album ‘Texas Flood’ in Los Angeles. A year later they were signed by the prestigious producer John Hammond to Epic Records. The record was released to stunned reviews and a over-whelmed public, selling over half a million albums and receiving many awards such as ‘Best New Talent’ and ‘Best Guitar Album’ in Guitar Player magazine.
On the 15th of May 1984, 'Couldn't Stand the Weather', the second album was released and reached number 31.1985, saw the release of the band's third album, Soul to Soul. The music was wearing thin. Stevie and the band were lost in drench of cocaine and whisky. He was admitted to hospital in London that summer and struggled to get sober in Atlanta, Georgia.
After this he was a strong advertisement for sobriety. In 1989 with Double Trouble he released ‘In Step’, which is often considered their finest and most cohesive piece. In 1990 he then released ‘Family Style’ with his, also acclaimed, brother Jimmie Vaughan.
Life was looking strong for Stevie the music was getting stronger, his guitar playing had reached a peak that few would dare to dream to match. Eric Clapton even stated that at this point he was intimidated and near ashamed to go on a stage after Stevie had played upon it. In interviews when asked what his dreams were Stevie would simply smile and say “to keep goin’!”
It is great tragedy in the music world that Stevie Ray Vaughan lost his life in a helicopter crash leaving a gig at Alpine Valley Music Theatre on August 26 1990, after performed a stunning gig with Robert Cray, his brother Jimmie, Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton. His memory continues to fascinate and inspire guitarists around the world. His near frightening ability is attributed to inspiring many of this generations up and coming greats. His memory will live on as loud and blazing as his music.
'100 Greatest Guitarists'
Opinions differ greatly on how accurate the list is. The list is evaluated for its positives and negative features in this article. From this link further biographies of the musicians may be reached.
A link to the original list at Rolling Stone can be found here
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