Pride & Joy: The Texas Blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan

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Jimmie would leave his guitars around the house and tell me not to touch 'em. And that's basically how I got started.Stevie Ray Vaughan, Guitar World interview, May 1984

The quintessential, one-and-only exhibition on blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan has come to Austin at the Bullock Museum March 10, 2017 through July 23, 2017.

Named after Vaughan's 1983 best-known, original song, and guest curated by Stevie's older brother Jimmie Vaughan, Pride & Joy: The Texas Blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan highlights the life and career of this iconic musician.

Though Texas proudly claimed him, Stevie Ray was a world-famous and world-class guitarist who ignited a blues revival in the 1980s with fiery guitar playing and a mesmerizing stage presence. By 1981, Vaughan as lead singer and guitarist, Chris Layton on drums, and Tommy Shannon on bass were performing regularly at clubs in Austin as Double Trouble. Their music bridged the gap between blues and rock music with a style that was influenced by artists including Albert King, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Lonnie Mack, and Wes Montgomery.

Sold-out concerts and gold albums attested to Vaughan's popularity well beyond the Texas borders. Although he died tragically in 1990 at the age of 35, Stevie Ray Vaughan still rocks the world with the music he left behind.

Inside the Exhibition

Several guitars, including Vaughan's famed "Number One" Fender Stratocaster, are on view alongside artifacts such as poignant early family photographs, original concert posters, tour ephemera, stage outfits, handwritten lyrics, exclusive archival concert footage — and his iconic hat and Indian headdress.

Exciting Interactive and Media Elements

 

The Guitar Tones of Stevie Ray Vaughan

Guitarists use pedals or stomp-boxes to create different types of tones and effects to create a distinctive sound. Five foot pedals put you in control of adding effects like reverb, vibrato, and wah wah to some of Stevie's signature riffs. 

  • Stand behind a guitar and operate five effects pedals
  • Select a song and control the pedals to imitate Stevie's sound. Or create your own tone!

Play Drums with Chris "Whipper" Layton

Double Trouble's rhythm section, Chris Layton (drums) and Tommy Shannon (bass), were famous for the deep groove of their Texas Rub Shuffle beat, made famous on hits like Pride and Joy and Cold Shot.

  • Sit at a drum set and take instruction from Chris
  • Learn the basic components of the Texas Rub Shuffle beat and play along

Listen to selections from the band's extensive discography

  • Choose from a wide range of chart-topping, GRAMMY-winning songs

Hear personal stories and remembrances

  • Jimmie Vaughan tells stories spanning the entire history of his and Stevie's life and career
  • Chris Layton discusses the evolution of Double Trouble's membership
  • Tommy Shannon shares the experience of first hearing a 15-year-old Stevie Ray playing in a Dallas nightclub
  • Doyle Bramhall II and Gary Clark, Jr. relate what it was like to be mentored and influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughan

Select Artifacts On View in the Exhibition

Related Media Resources

A five-part podcast about Stevie Ray Vaughan: The Texas Story Podcast

In a special edition of the Texas Story Project, Jimmie Vaughan discusses his life playing the blues, anecdotes about little brother Stevie Ray impressing elder blues statesmen, and the ways in which he has dealt with his brother's death.

Browse other Texas Story Project submissions and then share your own.

Press Materials

Pride & Joy: The Texas Blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan
Curated by the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE
Grammy Museum at L.A. Live logo

Support for the Bullock Museum's exhibitions and education programs provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.

Lender

GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE

On View

At the museum: 03/10/2017 - 07/23/2017

Listen to the Podcast

Pride & Joy: The Texas Blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan