July 18, 2010.

Pistoia Blues Festival

Photos: Attila Vass & Alberto A.; Article: Szibilla M.B.

Jimmie
Vaughan
How could the childhood football player ambitions turn into eternal love for the Blues? The answer is already on the pages of
the blues history. The texas guitarist is already a legend on his own right. Mr. Vaughan, born on the 20th of March, 1951. We all know, that the fifties and sixties are the roots of rock 'n' roll music, and if you ever get the chance to see Jimmie's live show, you'll understand why I say, that he is keeping the coolness of that era alive with his

rockabilly-like hairdo, and Texas boots.

He got a real fine old school feeling in his music and outlook. Well, it must feel good to perform in those cool boots, but Jimmie also has a lot to say. Muddy Waters, Freddie King and Johnny Guitar Watson are only a few names from the list of his inspirations. He started playing music at a young age. The Swinging Pendulums and Chessmen were his first bands, but the birth of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, with Kim Wilson as the frontman, changed everything. Vaughan left the band in the mi 90s, to become a successful solo artist, finally singing and guitar playing, and writing his own music. The album, Family Style brought the brothers, Stevie and Jimmie together again, but the happiness couldn't last forever. Stevie died just right after finishing the album, in a helicopter crash. Big silence followed his brothers death. The fans had to wait years until Jimmie put out a new, solo album to his fans. The Grammy-nominated album, Strange Pleasure received great reviews. Maybe this gave power to him to organize the Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan concert, where he paid tribute to his brother with some of the most influential, contemporary blues players who are all close friends of both him and Stevie. Although I'm coming from a different generation, but one thing was always clear to me: Jimmie has always been unique. The raw, recognizable guitar sound established his style. and placed him in the list of important blues players. Time proved him right, since the world famous Fender company made an artist series model for him in 1997. The Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Stratocaster became very popular, with it's great settings, and comfortable shape. Again, we had to wait almost ten years for the new album, but it was worth it. Jimmie gave a memorable concert at the Pistoia Blues Festival on the 18 th of July, 2010 at the Villa Scornio. We felt lucky to meet him, since it's the first time Jimmie Vaughan ever gave interview to a Hungarian blues-rock magazine.

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July 18, 2010. Pistoia Blues Festival

Photos: Attila Vass & Alberto A.; Article: Szibilla M.B.

It's not your first time. You've been to Pistoia right? Yes, one time before. It's the second time. You have started your solo career in 1994, after leaving the Fabulous Thunderbirds. But not much album since then. You take your time before releasing an album, right? I take my time. Well, I got married and had twin girls, identical twins and so I've been in home. I've played a lot. I have done several tours and played a lot, but I just wanted to wait till I was inspired to make a record, instead of making a record every year just because you supposed to. And then it's not so much fun. You have to really feel it, you know. Feeling is important for You.. Yes. It's everything. You know I love your music, have all your album. Oh, and you got the new one. Do you like it? Yes, I got it (Jimmie Vaughan-Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites (Shout Factory, Audio CD (July 6, 2010). Oh I love it! Tell me more about it. You've did many covers on this album? When I was a kid, little kid I had an album by Little Milton (1966-os, Sings Big Blues, Checker Records release), and he did everyboy else's songs on that album. And I remembered that album, so it just seemed like the thing to do. And I listened to all these songs for years and years and it just seemed like a fun thing to do. And I've been listening to all these songs for years and years. It just seemed the fun thing to do! I know about your album, Jimmy Reed Highway. It's also a kind of appreciattion for your masters. And you also worked on that album with Lou Ann Barton. You grew up together.. Yeah, well I'm from Dallas, and Lou Ann's from Fort Worth. One time I saw her singing in Fort Worth, and she was about 21 years old, and I was probably 27 or 28, I don't know. And she was very beautiful and she sang a Little Richard medley. She sang all Little Richard songs, and I was just like(surprised face). 'We gotta get a band, you know, we gotta start together!' And you know, she was in the original Thunderbirds. And she also played with Stevie. And years later, she's been on my first album, been on my every album, and I was on her albums too. So she's like my sister, you know. What are your plans for this year? I'm gonna go home, but we got some more dates. More shows, but I'm gonna record another album. I got about two albums almost finished, so I'm gonna go home and record some more. And I just keep playing, just keep playing. (Update: Jimmie just finished his new album, Plays More Blues, Ballads & Favorites, which comes out on 26 th of July, by the Shout Factory.) How was the European tour? It's been really nice! You know we've played in England.We played at the Goodwood

July 18, 2010. Pistoia Blues Festival

Photos: Attila Vass & Alberto A.; Article: Szibilla M.B.

Festival of Speed. Have you ever her of that? No. Lot of race cars and antique cars, and hot rods, and motorcycles and everything.. Oh wait. I've seen a tape of You with Billy Gibbons and Jeff Beck. You came out of the cars and then played some medley together. That's it! We came out of the cars and played together, an then we drove off on the racetrack to the band. It was fun! That's how we started the tour, and then we did all the rest of the shows.

Okay. Let's go back to the past please. Tell me about Fabulous Thundrbirds, the band that became legendary. You've had many albums with them. Yeah, I've had nine albums with the Thunderbirds, and I was with them for fifteen years. Long timeI was on the road for a long time, so I got to a point when I was drinking too much. I had a drinking problem, and so I just had to quit for a while and take care of myself. And then one thing lead to another and then I got together with Stevie and we did Family Style. And then the tragic thing with Stevie happened. He died. And so between 1990 and 1994 I didn't wanna do anything. I felt bad. You know, if you would lost your brother, you'd feel terrible. And Stevie is my little brother. Everybody thinks of Stevie as a musician, but I don't think of Stevie as a musician, but he was my little brother, you know. So I miss

July 18, 2010. Pistoia Blues Festival

Photos: Attila Vass & Alberto A.; Article: Szibilla M.B.

my little brother very much. And so I didn't wanna play because everybody wanted to tell me how they felt bad about it, how sorry they were, and I just didn't take it. You know, it was too much. So anyway, later I started playing in again in public, and been playing ever since. I was so afraid asking you about this topic. It's okay, it's gotta be twenty years since he died. You know, I've just met the musician that were on this album, In Session that he did with Albert King. Tell me about your childhood! The times when you listened to lp records. Oh yeah. Well when i was a kid thats all they had. They didn't had anything else. I had a record player, so I started bringing home blues records. I'm four years older than Stevie. So I grabbed the guitar at home and started trying to play. And he stopped there and watched the whole thing. And then I would put it down, and he'd go and pick it up. Because there was only one guitar. Was that Jimbo? The guitar.. Yes. How do you know about that? Well I'm just interested about it! So tell me, how you've got turned onto music. Because as I know, your parents didn't play music. What happened is that.. I tried to play football. But I broked my collar bone, and so I was at home recovering for about three months. The friend of my father gave me a guitar, and said, play this. So I started playing, and been playing ever since. So I started at thirteen, just like your brother! Musicians there, you are a like big family there. When I turned fiften I got in a band with Doyle. That's when we met. So I started playing with him in a band, called Chessmen. I've listened to tapes of Tyrone Vaughan, your son just recently. Is he still playing music? Yes, he is! I like his music a lot. I think he is a great songwriter, I think he writes good

July 18, 2010. Pistoia Blues Festival

Photos: Attila Vass & Alberto A.; Article: Szibilla M.B.

songs. But he has made a country album. That's gonna come out I think in a few months. So I hope he has a lot of success! Do you have plans to Eastern Europe? I would love to! I mean, I have no offers yet.. You like different kind of music. Yeah I like jazz, I like country.. I like flamenco very much. So you know I like classical music. I like music. a little bit of all of it. I like saxophone, and trumpet. You know, I like guitar, don't get me wrong. like it too, but you know I like to listen to tenor saxophone. And I like Robert Cray. He is very good! (Robert was playing in the background at Pistoia Festival through the interview).

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Pistoia Blues Festival - list of the past years performers, (in between 1980 and 2010): Albert Collins & The Icebreakers, Albert King, Alvin Lee & Ten Years Afters, Andy J. Forest, B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Buddy Whittington, Canned Heat, Chuck Berry, Climax Blues Band, David Bowie, Deep Purple, Dizzy Gillespie, Emir Kusturica, Eric Burdon, Fats Domino, Frank Zappa, Gary Moore, Ginger Baker, Hubert Sumlin, Ike Turner, Jack Bruce, James Cotton Band, Jeff Beck, Jeff Healey Band, Jethro Tull, John Lee Hooker, John Mayall & The Memphis Bluesbreakers, Johnny Copeland, Johnny Winter, Jonny Lang, Junior Wells, John McLaughlin, Lenny Kravitz, Luther Allison, Mario Biondi, Muddy Waters, Peter Green, Pinetop Perkins, Robben Ford, Robbie Krieger, Robert Cray Band, Robert Plant, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters, Rory Gallagher, Ry Cooder, Santana, Sonny Landreth, Steve Vai, Steve Winwood, Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble, Taj Mahal, Ten Years After, The Animals, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tolo Marton and Tommy Emmanuel.

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