| Feature Article Fender Electric Guitars - As Played By Stevie Ray Vaughan Stevie Ray Vaughan hailed from Dallas Texas, and his name is synonymous with fender electric guitars. Stevie predominantly played a late fifties or early sixties version of the Strat (opinion is divided on its exact date), but there is no doubting that it was a Fender Stratocaster (Strat) guitar. Stevie seemed to favour this guitar over most others, and the sound is distinctly Fender, and Strat in particular, in quality. The sound produced by Stevie Ray is almost classic Fender. The Strat is very distinctive, and adds a beautiful tone, especially to Stevie Ray's blues playing. There is a lot of recorded music by Stevie Ray, and all of it is great to hear. I certainly recommend that you seek some out and enjoy the Texas blues at its very best. Stevie's background was steeped in the blues, so it is no surprise that his recordings feature many blues cuts. The video of Stevies' performance of Texas Flood is a great example of his feel for the blues. Stevie didn't stop with the blues though, and he used his Fender Guitar to great effect on many of his own compositions, as well as blues classics. He played a kind of shuffle exquisitely, as demonstrated on brilliant tunes such as 'Pride and Joy' and 'Cold Shot'. SRV also covered many rock classics, and could do anything song he turned his attention to justice. I had the great privilege of seeing Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble at the Hammersmith Odeon (it's now called something else I think) in London, in the late 1980's. Apart from the pleasure of seeing SRV play, the event was doubly memorable for me because Eric Clapton came in, accompanied by Ringo Starr and other halves, and sat down in front of me! How cool was that. Stevie wrapped his Fender around all his classic cuts, including some specialty rocks songs that he covered, in honour of his peers. I am thinking here of Jimi Hendrix, for whom SRV covered Little Wing and Voodoo Chile. And Stevie's renditions of these songs were spectacular. However, remembering Eric Clapton, reminded me of another SRV cover, which I recall EC getting very animated about, And that was a version of Stevie Wonder's classic song 'Superstition', played with all the panache you would expect from a super showman like Stevie Ray Vaughan. And if Eric Clapton loved it, who am I to argue? I am very grateful to the likes of Google's You Tube that allows us to see late great artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan plying their trade. Seeing these great performers, many on stage where they were in their element. is a chance to see great workmen use their tools of trade, which in Stevie Ray's case, was a Fender Electric Guitar!
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