10 Greatest Blues Rock Guitarists
4. Stevie Ray Vaughan
Out of all the guitarists on this list, the best way to describe Stevie Ray Vaughan's playing would be spirited. When he rose to prominence in the mid-80's, there were other throwback acts like Stray Cats that were dominating the competition with rockabilly tendencies. Once Vaughan arrived with his album Texas Flood, he made every throwback act look like mere caricatures.
The way Vaughan would make the music swing with passion was something that lit a fire in the belly of every listener. His playing on songs like "Pride and Joy" and "Texas Flood" made the guitar seem less like of an instrument and more of an extension of Vaughan's body. With plenty of solo breaks in between verses, the guitar suddenly became the second singer of the band.
This led to fantastic performances on the road and even earning admiration from less blues-centric artists like David Bowie, who asked Vaughan to contribute a solo to "Let's Dance." Vaughan's time in the spotlight was cut tragically short when he died in a helicopter crash in 1991. While we may never be able to witness any of Vaughan's intense fretwork firsthand, his albums will always stand as a testament to his true power.