Celebrate Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Birthday with a Texas Blues Lick
This October 3rd marks the birthday of Stevie Ray Vaughan — the Texas bluesman whose fiery tone and passionate playing revived the blues for a new generation.
From his explosive debut with Texas Flood to his legendary live shows, SRV became known for his huge sound, wide bends, and endless energy. His guitar voice blended Jimi Hendrix’s fire with Albert King’s soul, creating a style that remains instantly recognizable today.
A Texas Blues Lick Inspired by SRV
To celebrate, we’ve prepared a free interactive exercise from our 100 Essential Blues Licks for Guitar collection:
-
Style: Texas blues in the spirit of SRV
-
Technique: blending open strings with fretted notes to create rolling, flowing blues lines
-
Scale: E blues scale with added open-string transitions for that signature Texas snap
-
Sound: raw, earthy, and perfect for shuffle grooves — just like Stevie’s approach
-
Skill Level: great for beginners and intermediates wanting to add authentic SRV flavor to their playing
If you enjoyed this, check out our Blues collection, where we go deeper into the techniques that made Stevie and other blues legends timeless.