10 Classic Rock Artists That Died Too Soon

10. Stevie Ray Vaughan

By the mid-80's, rock and roll had come a long way from the blues music that inspired it back in the late 50's and 60's. However, in the middle of the synthpop and hair metal stylings of the world, one guitarist cut through the rest of the musical haze like a cowboy through the desert.

With his first album Texas Flood, Stevie Ray Vaughan was one of the most interesting artists to come out at the time. Sure, the blues rock he was playing was certainly nothing new, but Vaughan brought an added layer of intensity that hadn't been seen in ages. While he had gone through his fair share of ups and downs, he seemed to have cleaned up his act up until the start of the 90's.

Shortly after performing with guitar legend Eric Clapton in Wisconsin, Vaughan boarded a plane which would take him out of the venue so he could prepare for his next gig. However, the inclement weather led to a tragic end when the plane crashed into a nearby ski hill after it took off. With no survivors from the crash, the music world had lost one of the greatest legends to pick up a six-string, whose influence can still be heard in everyone from Mike McCready to John Mayer.