Stevie Ray Vaughan, in one of his high school bands, is pictured front and center. Randy Martin (left) and Paul Kessler flank him. Back row, Bobby Ragan and Oscar Head. Photo courtesy of Randy Martin.
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year.
Considered by many to be one of the greatest guitar players of all time, Vaughan was born in Oak Cliff in 1954, and he grew up here. He attended Lenora Kirk Hall Elementary School, L. V. Stockard Junior High and Justin F. Kimball High School.
He played in many high school bands, which performed at the Cockrell Hill Jamboree, at the Rocket Skating Palace, at Candy’s Flare. Although his career really took off after he moved to Austin, he kept it real, as one would expect from a good Kimball kid. His mother, Martha, lived in Oak Cliff until her death in 2009. So the Vaughan boys, Jimmie and Stevie, often visited the old ‘hood. Stevie showed up at the 1988 Oak Cliff reunion at the Longhorn Ballroom to the delight and surprise of everyone.
A still from the documentary “When Dallas Rocked,” via Budddy magazine. That time SRV played at Lee Park, and you weren’t there.
Vaughan died in a helicopter crash in 1990 at the age of 35, after overcoming alcohol and drug addiction. He is buried at Laurel Land Cemetery.
Older brother Jimmie Vaughan, a member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds who lives in Austin, has performed several times in Oak Cliff over the past few years, once at the Texas Theatre and at least twice the Kessler Theater.
Also being inducted to Cleveland’s hall of fame in April are Green Day, Joan Jett, Paul Butterfieled Blues Band, Lou Reed and Bill Withers.
