Last Albums: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - In Step (1989)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - deservedly elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 along with his band Double Trouble - is sorely missed.

Sadly, Vaughan left us more than a quarter of a century ago with a discography that's limited in size due to his early passing in a tragic helicopter crash.

In Step was the fourth and last studio album Vaughan recorded with Double Trouble, and it was the last one to be released in his lifetime. It went to #33 on Billboard's top 200 album chart.

SRV's actual final recording was Family Style, an album on which he shared equal billing with his brother, Jimmie, who is best known for his work with The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Another excellent set, The Sky Is Crying, was issued posthumously two years later, but it was assembled from unreleased tracks found in the vaults.
In Step is a fine record, and it opens with a blast. "The House is Rockin'" is nothing fancy, just good old fashioned, high-powered blues-rock and roll. "Crossfire" takes a more modern approach, and it keeps up the frantic pace. He changes things up a bit with "Leave My Girl Alone" a perfect slow-burning blues that gives the ten-song set a little variety.

There are two hugely contrasting instrumentals, and they both give Double Trouble - Tommy Shannon on bass, Chris Layton on drums and Reese Wynans on keyboards - a chance to shine. "Travis Walk" is another high-powered, flame thrower and "Riviera Paradise" - another outstanding slow burner - closes out the set.

In Step isn't Vaughan's best record - I prefer his debut, Texas Flood - but it was still a beautiful finale to a too short, but very fine career.

For those of you are interested, there is still an official Stevie Ray Vaughan website.
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Last Albums discusses music that was recorded as new material and intended to be released to the public as a complete album but not necessarily the last one. Live albums, greatest hits or "best of" collections and compilations do not count, nor do posthumous releases of leftover tracks cobbled together to make a final album.

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