His style was shaped by influences of black blues musicians, such as the three "Kings" especially Albert King, and BB King, but Vaughan also liked Texas native Freddie King. But most of all he was influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan described him as his greatest influence.

In the late 1970s he formed the band Double Trouble. In 1982 the band played at a private party for the Rolling Stones at Danceteria Club in New York. Vaughan was invited to play at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1982, where he eventually achieved his first breakthrough. Jerry Wexler was responsible for this step, he heard of the band at a club in Austin, Texas. David Bowie heard him the first time in Montreux and hired him for his 1983's album "Let's Dance" and for the Serious Moonlight tour. However Vaughan left the band during the tour rehearsals to pay more attention to his own projects.

Jackson Browne, also heard of SRV in Montreux and offered him to use his recording studio for free. There, Vaughan and Double Trouble, recorded in November 1982 their first album called "Texas Flood". John Hammond, who also discoved Charlie Christian, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan, heard live recordings of the band and got their first record deal with Epic. The "Texas Flood" album sold well. The second album "Could not Stand the Weather" (1984) was even more successful. In 1985 keyboardist Reese Wynans was added to the lineup of the band, and the third album , "Soul To Soul" was recorded. Vaughan's drug and alcohol consumption got more excessive, with his increasing success. In 1986 the tour in Germany had to be cancelled after Vaughan collapsed. In the same year the double live album "Live Alive" was released. After that, the fifth album "In Step" followed, according to Vaughan this was the first album he made without the influence of drugs. For "In Step" Vaughan received a Grammy. The release of the album "Family Style" with his brother Jimmie Vaughan, came out after his death. The Album "The Sky Is Crying" was compiled by Jimmie Vaughan, with recordings from different periods.

Vaughan worked almost exclusively with traditional instruments of rock and roll from the 50s and early 60s, plus some of the 'psychedelic' effects of the Hendrix era. His distinctive sound was characterized by overdriven old Fender tube amps and guitars with single coil pickups. From a limited vocabulary of phrasing, he created Blues spontaneously. This earned him the recognition and admiration of many, but especially African-American blues greats, whose opinion and recognition he placed in a higher value.

Vaughan has been included in the 2000 Blues Hall of Fame.

By Melanie Bradley