The guitarist Eric Clapton said had an entirely unique talent: “An open channel”
The guitar is the definitive instrument of rock and roll, with its six strings capable of casting a lasting spell over audiences. Countless guitar heroes have come and gone over the years, but the same names always seem to rise to the top: Hendrix, Page, and Eric Clapton. A harbinger of the psychedelic rock revolution in the 1960s, Clapton paved the way for many future rock guitarists, though he himself was always indebted to the timeless sounds of American blues artists.
Blues was the natural precursor to rock and roll, expressing the same defiant attitude and honest songwriting style that was largely omitted from the world of pop. Clapton had been a disciple of blues music from a very young age, teaching himself to play guitar by playing along with old-school blues music created by Black Americans. Even when the guitarist began to make his first steps into the music industry as a member of The Bluesbreakers and The Yardbirds, his playing style was still heavily reliant on the traditions of American blues.
Clapton certainly was not the only guitarist during this era to take heavy cues from the blues. Just as his career was reaching its peak during the late 1960s, following the demise of Cream, a bright young spark by the name of Stevie Ray Vaughan was making his way through the ranks of rock and blues music. Earning his stripes playing with a variety of local gigging bands in Dallas, Vaughan quickly became noted for his intense level of technical skill with a guitar and the fact that he mastered blues guitar playing as a teenager.
In fact, Vaughan often impressed other musicians by performing a perfect cover of The Yardbirds’ ‘Jeff’s Boogie’, although that track was recorded after Clapton had already departed the band. Nevertheless, as Vaughan rose through the ranks, he soon attracted the attention of Clapton, who was instantly hooked by the Texan’s groundbreaking quality and the deep sense of emotion which came across in his playing.
Reportedly, Clapton heard the budding young guitarist for the first time while listening to the radio in his car, with the blues devotee’s eyes pricking up upon hearing Vaughan play. For Clapton, the appeal in Vaughan’s style seemed to largely arise from his confidence and natural talent with the instrument. “I remember being fascinated by the fact that he never ever seemed to be lost in any way,” he once revealed in an interview.
Continuing to heap praise onto his fellow blues-based guitarist, Clapton said, “It wasn’t ever that he took a breather or paused to think where he was going to go next. It just flowed out of him. Always seemed to flow out of him, and actually, even that doesn’t come just with virtuosity, practice or any of those.” After all, anybody could follow a guitar tab given enough time to practise, but very few people could play with the natural skill and emotional weight demonstrated countless times by Vaughan.
“It’s not a question of doing it over and over again or anything like that,” Clapton confirmed, “It’s just that he seemed to be an open channel. He just flowed through him; he never ever seemed to kind of dry up.” In truth, Stevie Ray Vaughan remained prolific in blues music right up until his death in 1990, very rarely waning in quality of passion for playing.
Clapton and Vaughan did cross paths a handful of times over the course of their respective careers. In fact, Vaughan had been jamming with Clapton’s tour entourage in Wisconsin just before boarding a helicopter to Chicago, which would ultimately lead to his tragic death at the age of only 35. As Clapton attests, however, the blues devotee left behind a near-flawless discography that very few guitarists could ever hope to challenge.
