27/08/2026
On This Day in 1990, Stevie Ray Vaughan Played His Final Concert
On August 26, 1990, Stevie Ray Vaughan played what would tragically become his final concert, performing with Double Trouble at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.
Stevie was appearing on a bill headlined by Eric Clapton, with Robert Cray also performing. Backed by Chris Layton, Tommy Shannon, and Reese Wynans, Vaughan delivered a blistering set that included “The House Is Rockin’,” “Tightrope,” “Pride and Joy,” “Riviera Paradise,” “Crossfire,” “Couldn’t Stand the Weather,” and a ferocious closing performance of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).”
But Stevie wasn’t finished. He returned to the stage for an extraordinary all-star finale alongside Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and his brother Jimmie Vaughan. Together, five extraordinary guitarists closed the night with “Sweet Home Chicago.”
After the concert, Vaughan boarded a helicopter bound for Chicago. In the early hours of August 27, the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, killing Stevie, the pilot, and three members of Clapton’s entourage.
Nobody in the audience knew they had just witnessed the final performance of one of the greatest guitarists who ever lived. Stevie Ray Vaughan was only 35.
