AUG 27, 1990: 35yr old Texas virtuoso guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan is tragically killed in a helicopter crash in Wisconsin en route to Chicago after performing at a jam session concert with Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and Stevie's elder brother Jimmy. 4 others on board including the pilot and 3 members of Clapton's tour entourage also died. SRV had risen to fame fusing blues & rock and was praised for his dexterity. He was hailed for the deep inspiration he took from legendary players like Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Albert King, Freddie King, Otis Rush (whose song 'Double Trouble' was taken as the name for SRV's band), and Howlin' Wolf. He was also influenced by Django Reinhardt, Chuck Berry, Jeff Beck, and his personal idol Jimi Hendrix. Noted for being a collector of vintage guitars & amplifiers, in 1983 after collaborating with David Bowie, he had been asked to tour with him but declined at the urging of his management. In 1985, he was named as an honorary admiral in the Texas Navy, and in 1990 had made a successful guest appearance on MTV's Unplugged series in New York. After the Wisconsin concert, there had been talk of performing with Clapton again for some shows at London's Royal Albert Hall in Feb & Mar 1991. Outside the amphitheatre venue, 4 helicopters had been reserved for the performers & their crews to fly to Chicago with SRV taking the last chopper (having switched reservations with Jimmie & Jimmie's wife Connie due to a shortage of seats) which departed at 2-minute intervals off a golf course at 1AM. The weather had been worsening with dense fog setting in and SRV's chopper flew at a high speed and lower altitude than the others at 850ft. About a half-mile into the flight, it turned sharply to the left, crashing into the side of a 300ft ski slope with all 5 occupants dying instantly. Their bodies & aircraft debris were scattered over an area of 200sq ft. Reports of the accident began surfacing in the morning as Civil Air Patrol and an Air Force helicopter with sheriff's deputies found the wreckage. As the sad news was announced all over the media, the investigation found no drugs or alcohol were involved, all seatbelts had been worn and no aircraft malfunction had played any part. The cause of the crash was determined to be negligence on the pilot for not enough professional experience in poor conditions of low visibility, and using an incorrect instrument panel. (One theory suggested he may have been trying to fly around the hillside but misjudged the location). SRV's tragic loss triggered an outpouring of grief in the music community and crowds of fans holding candlelight vigils. He was buried in Dallas on Aug 30 with Eric Clapton, ZZ Top, Buddy Guy, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Kim Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Healy, Colin James and other luminaries having attended the funeral. In the months after his death, his albums sold over 5.5 million copies alone in the USA and after numerous tributes & commemorations, in Nov 1993 a memorial statue was dedicated to him in Austin. In Oct 1995, SRV's family and 3 the wives of the Clapton crew were awarded an undisclosed sum in an out of court settlement after they sued the Omniflight Helicopter Company for wrongful death (having filed the lawsuit in Jul 1992 with SRV's side believed to have been given less than $300,000 while the trio received more than $2 million). In 2008, SRV and Double Trouble were made eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and not inducted until Apr 2015 -- 25yrs after their debut record and long overdue.
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