Stevie Ray Vaughan's In Step Tour: A Celebration Cut Short by Tragedy 15 Months Later

In the 1980s, Stevie Ray Vaughan burst onto the music scene and established himself as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. The Dallas-born musician became one of the leaders of the blues revival during the decade as the frontman for the band Double Trouble.

Thirty-seven years ago today, Vaughan and Double Trouble began their In Step tour in honor of the group's album of the same name, which would reach double platinum status and produce Vaughan's only No. 1 hit, "Crossfire."

Sadly, Vaughan would not finish the tour. Just over 15 months later, he would die at age 27 under tragic circumstances.

In Step Tour begins

On May 4, 1989, Vaughan and Double Trouble kicked off their tour at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, Canada. Two days later, they'd move on to Everett Washington, before a trio of shows in Bozeman, Montana, Missoula, Montana and Boise, Idaho from May 8-10.

The first leg of the tour concluded May 29, 1989 in El Paso, Texas. The second leg ran from June 14-August 20, with the third leg, featuring Jeff Beck and Joe Cocker, covering October 25-December 31.

The tour resumes in 1990, but disaster awaits

The In Step Tour resumed on April 13, 1990 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The fourth leg consisted of 14 concerts and concluded on May 6 in New Orleans.

The fifth leg, with Beck and Cocker back in the fold, began June 8, 1990 in Mountain View, California. On August 26, 1990, Vaughan and Double Trouble played the second of two shows opening for Eric Clapton at the Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, Wisconsin.

The following day, he would be dead.

August 27, 1990: The death of Stevie Ray Vaughan

Following the show in East Troy, Vaughan and three members of Clapton's entourage boarded a helicopter. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft crashed into a nearby ski slope while flying in foggy conditions.

All five people onboard, including pilot Jeff Brown, were killed. It was later ruled that the cause of the accident was pilot error.

Vaughan was buried at Laurel Land Cemetery in Dallas on August 31, 1990.

An icon in life and death

Despite the fact his mainstream music career only lasted seven years (1983-90), Vaughan was regarded as a legend in his time. Following his death, his popularity and influence only increased.

Countless musicians have cited Vaughan as an inspiration, and in 2023, Rolling Stone named him the No. 20 guitarist of all time. Digital Dreamdoor slotted Vaughan as the No. 6 all-time guitarist on its own list.