| October 6th, 2004 05:40 AM |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
"The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan", An Interview with Author Craig Hopkins
by RICK LANDERS
Craig Hopkins, author of The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan, has written a book to fill the appetites of all SRV fans. His book offers readers a comprehensive account of key milestones in SRV�s short, yet monumental music career. More importantly, Craig provides insights into Stevie�s humanity and generosity of spirit. SCND caught up with Craig last month to discuss how his interest in Stevie emerged and the path he took that resulted in his outstanding contribution to the SRV legacy
SCND: I just finished your book and found it entertaining, moving, and comprehensive to the point of being exhausting - that�s meant as a high compliment. What drove you to take on such an intense project?
Hopkins: From 1993-98 I wrote the Stevie Ray Vaughan Fan Club newsletters. Over those years I received many requests for back issues, but because the fan club operated on a shoestring (there was no funding other than my own pocket and newsletter subscriptions), I tried not to print more copies of the newsletter than I needed to mail out to subscribers. My first book, The Stevie Ray Vaughan Anthology, published in 1996, started out as a collection of all the newsletters to fulfill the requests for back issues. The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan updated and expanded the Anthology with hundreds of photos and other information uncovered in ten years of research and collecting. So, I didn�t start out to write a 250-page book; I started with a 3-page newsletter in 1993, sharing the bibliography and discography I had created, and a few collectibles for sale.
Rick Landers for Strat Collector News Desk: Did you ever see Stevie play in person or meet him?
Craig Hopkins: I first saw Stevie play in in 1984, but did not buy his music until about 1986. I saw him perform several times, including an amazing show on June 17, 1990. He was instrumental in broadening my musical taste, no pun intended. I had an opportunity to meet Stevie in 1987. I was at a B.B. King show at a small club in Dallas (one of the last opportunities to see B.B. in a small club before he started his big festival tours) and Stevie was sitting a few tables away from me in the audience. I thought about going up to him and asking for an autograph, but decided against it. I couldn�t think of anything to tell him that he hadn�t heard thousands of times before, so I left him alone to enjoy the show.
SCND: When did you start writing the book? How long did it take to complete?
Hopkins: Once I realized the back issue project was becoming a book, it took several months. I did everything � writing, editing, photo clearances, layout, organization and finding a printer. It takes a while to pull all that together by yourself, especially when you have no previous experience.
SCND: Did it occur to you that you were writing the most definitive book on your guitar hero?
Hopkins: Yes and no. I knew that I was presenting the most comprehensive collection of facts and details for the serious fans and collectors of Stevie. However, I know my limitations. I am more of a technical writer than a story writer. I did not set out to compete with anyone who had or will write a biography of Stevie. My book is not the definitive book, but neither is anyone else�s. The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan is a companion volume to those books, containing much more information for collectors and researchers than can be written into a story format.
SCND: Tell us about how you first met SRV's brother, Jimmie Vaughan, and their mother, Martha Vaughan.
Hopkins: I have known Mrs. Vaughan for so long now that I cannot recall our first meeting. She is a wonderful person and has been very supportive of my efforts with the fan club and books. I believe she was grateful to have someone who would help her respond to all the fan mail she received after Stevie died. There is no telling how many fans she responded to directly, but the amount of mail was overwhelming and emotionally exhausting, I�m sure. I did not really meet Jimmie until December 2001 when we discussed my desire to create a nonprofit foundation and museum in Stevie�s name.
SCND: Did they support your research or in any other way help you out?
Hopkins: My approach has always been to afford them an opportunity to be involved without intruding on their privacy. Mrs. Vaughan assisted me with some facts regarding Stevie�s school years and some other fact checking, and she allowed me to print her open letter to fans in my books. By sharing the addresses of fans who had written her, she helped me reach a worldwide audience. The greatest support has simply been her friendship. I greatly appreciated Jimmie�s phone call to tell me he liked The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan. I am grateful to both of them for allowing me to be a conduit of information for Stevie�s fans.
SCND: Throughout the book nearly everyone who was close to Stevie points out his humanity or generosity of spirit, at least in so many words. Did these expressions of friendship or love personally inspire you in any way?
Hopkins: I have been fortunate to get to know some of Stevie�s family and friends. Through them and the research I have done, I feel like I knew Stevie. Without exception, everyone says Stevie was the same down to earth, friendly, approachable guy his entire career. The most inspirational aspect of Stevie�s life may be his example of recovery from substance abuse. I still get email and letters from people who are clean and sober because of Stevie. It is impossible to count the number of lives he has touched with his example, not to mention his music.
SCND: Many of our readers are songwriters, but have no idea what it takes to pull together a book. Please, tell us about the process, the high points and the low that you experienced while taking this journey.
Hopkins: I�ll try to make this short by listing as many processes as I can, but there are myriad decisions to be made at each step. With each process completed, it was a high. The greatest joys were receiving the finished product from the printer, and all the sincere thanks and praise from the fans and especially those who knew Stevie.
There have been no lows associated with the project because I maintained control of each process: Writing, editing, layout, copyright clearances for interviews and photos, deciding on a budget for printing (black/white vs. color, type of paper and cover, etc), how many copies to print, pricing, getting bids on printing, domestic vs. foreign printer, import and customs regulations, arranging shipping and delivery of books, where to store the books, self-publish vs. finding a publisher, marketing, promotion, getting UPC code and ISBN, advertising, fulfillment, accounting, financing, finding a distributor, registering copyright. This list may look simple, but the number of decisions and hurdles to jump were significant.
SCND: Was there ever a point where you thought, "Enough!" and wanted to give up? If so, what made you continue and finish the job?
Hopkins: I never had any thought of not finishing the books. Dealing with a distributor was sometimes unpleasant, but the actual creation of the book was a joy. The difficulty was in deciding when to stop instead of adding more and more material. I could do another book right now. I�m not saying I will, but I could. The website is a book in itself. I once counted how many pages it would take to print the entire website and it was well over 100 pages, and virtually none of it is in the book.
SCND: Most people acknowledge Stevie as a great, or more often a legendary guitar player. But, I think he has one of the best modern blues "voices" that I�ve ever heard. Any thoughts on his singing?
Hopkins: I don�t know if I�m the one to ask about singing. Tom Waits is one of my favorites, and a lot of people cannot tolerate him. I am fairly difficult to please when it comes to blues singers, however. Stevie put as much passion and feeling in his vocals as he did his guitar playing. I love his voice and thank Doyle Bramhall for teaching Stevie about singing.
SCND: Last year I bought Denny Freeman�s "Twang Bang" CD, not knowing he had any connection to Stevie until I read about him in your book. What�s in the drinking water down in Texas that inspires that special sound and such superb musicians as Denny, T-Bone Walker, Lyle Lovett, Stevie and Jimmie Vaughan, Eric Johnson, Buddy Holly and the Crickets and others?
Hopkins: A lot of people have asked that question of folks far more learned about Texas music history than me. There is a list somewhere online of Texas music pioneers, and it�s well over 100 artists and growing. Texas is a big, diverse place. There is a lot of competition, so the best of Texas is going to be among the best in the world. Smokin� Joe Kubek told me that growing up in the Dallas area, the size of guitar strings was a sign of virility. �You�re using 12s? Hah, I�m using 13s.�
SCND: Some of the most superb groups we�ve ever heard have been trios: Cream, The Experience, and Double Trouble�even that Lubbock guy and his Crickets�how do these guys fuse three instruments into such a powerful single unit?
Hopkins: I�d really have to defer to the musicians on that one. I suppose the overly simplified answer is a guitarist who can play rhythm and lead at the same time. There are a lot of trios who are missing an essential element, whether it be a better drummer, bassist, singer, songwriter or stage presence.
Songwriting may be the most often missing element. There are a number of good bands out there who sound absolutely fantastic for a couple of songs, and then you realize they don�t have nearly enough variety from song to song. They do one style fabulously, but over the course of a couple of hours you get very tired of it no matter how good it is. Plus there are countless technically good guitar players who are unable to demonstrate passion and emotion in their playing. The greats have more than just good chops.
SCND: What surprises about Stevie did you discover in your research?
Hopkins: It surprised me to learn the extent to which he devoted his life to his music, or to put it another way, what little else he did; how close he was to death before recovering from substance abuse; and that he was a good person even during his worst years.
SCND: Writing a book about a public figure always seems to uncover something private or intrusive that really belongs to the family and loved ones and not anyone else, including the most diehard fan. How did you manage to keep "Essential" balanced, interesting, yet dignified and respectful?
Hopkins: There are things I have learned in confidence or through research that some would find interesting but that I won't publish. I never had any desire to sell books based on sensationalism, controversy or facts which should be private. Some writers do that to gain their own celebrity, get published or to make money. Certainly I wanted my books to be successful, but they are successful in many ways other than monetarily. My friendship with Mrs. Vaughan, Joe and Margaret Cook, Janna, Doyle, Tommy and Stevie�s fans are far more important than trying to write a best seller, and I would not be able to call them my friends if I had taken a different approach.
I believe my interview subjects appreciated that: (1) I focused on them rather than Stevie until the end of the interviews; (2) I wasn�t digging for dirt; and, (3) I typed it up just the way it happened. However, all that being said, I am grateful that biographers have described how bad Stevie�s substance abuse was, because without that knowledge it is impossible to understand the magnitude of his recovery. That is what is so inspirational about Stevie�s life story.
SCND: On your SRV tribute website, I see you own three Stevie Ray Vaughan replica guitars. How about telling our readers, who are Stratocaster fanatics, about the guitars you own and how you came upon them. Any favorite?
Hopkins: Your readers are going to be disappointed because I do not have a lot of technical knowledge about gear. My first electric guitar was an SRV Strat in 1992. I have had three of the first-year SRV Strats with rosewood fingerboard. Until about two years ago, that was the only electric guitar I had. I just sold my last SRV Strat last week. All three of the SRV replica guitars I have now are absolutely fantastic. The Hamiltone is the most beautiful instrument. Jim installed Kent Armstrong Vintage pickups with the middle pickup reverse wound and it sounds great. (If your readers want a Hamiltone, I can assist.) The Charley replica has the hottest (lipstick) pickups, but I have to admit I don�t know what they are. Although it is the most troublesome in terms of electronics, I prefer the tone of the Charley, but all the guitars sound great. The Fender Custom Shop Number One is the most comfortable to play. I love the big neck,and of course it is a work of art. Each guitar has aspects I like better than the others. It would be difficult to choose only one.
SCND: Has Jimmie Vaughan, Chris Layton or Tommy Shannon ever expressed where they thought Stevie was headed musically before his tragic accident? What do you think?
Hopkins: Jimmie, Tommy, Chris and Doyle would be in the best positions to render an opinion, but no one can know. Stevie had a lot of influences from blues, rock, jazz, country and swing, so there is no telling where he would have gone. There is a great deal of variety in Stevie�s recorded legacy. He put his stamp on each style, and personally I don�t think he was about to make a 90-degree turn into something way off the course of his five studio albums. I believe he would have continued to meld all his influences into what can only be described as Stevie Ray Vaughan.
SCND: What are Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon doing these days?
Hopkins: Chris, Tommy and Reese continue to be in high demand for studio work. Tommy is also involved with the reunited Krackerjack band with Uncle John Turner. Chris is in a band called Grady (named for his alter-ego character � Stevie was Brady, pronounced Bwady). Chris, Tommy and occasionally Reese still perform with various front men as Double Trouble, most often Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Tommy has a great website at www.tommyshannon.com.
SCND: Tell us about how the "Occasional Stevie Ray Vaughan Fan Club Tour" evolved.
Hopkins: If I had a quarter for everyone who has asked me where to see SRV-related sights in Texas, I could fly around the world. In 1994 I offered to lead a sightseeing tour around Austin and Dallas. All I did was fix the starting time and place and invite anyone who wanted to go. That first �tour� was 12 to 15 people in five cars following me all over Austin and up to Dallas to see several places associated with Stevie, all in one day. The tours have grown to three-day events with many special guests performing or speaking to the group � members of Stevie�s family, Double Trouble, Doyle Bramhall, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, authors, a record company exec, Stevie�s roadies, etc. We travel by luxury motor coach and average about 45 people on each tour. The only reason I�ve organized eight tours is the friendships made with people all over the world. We have had attendees from probably a dozen countries or more. At least one marriage and several romances have resulted from the tours, but countless friendships. Recently I have been focusing on exhibiting my collection, so there was no tour this year. Fans should watch www.stevieray.com for announcements of future events.
SCND: I understand you have enough Stevie Ray Vaughan memorabilia now that you are considering opening a SRV museum. How's this coming along?
Hopkins: I am trying to find a permanent home for the 2000-plus items so that the public can enjoy seeing Stevie's stage-worn clothing, equipment, rare posters and photographs, and many of his personal effects from daily life. I have created several temporary displays over the past year, and the fans sometimes spend hours poring over the collection.
I am hoping to keep the museum in Dallas, but civic leaders here have not shown much interest. I may consider loaning items to places like the Fender Museum, EMP and the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. Fans can watch the website for details on future exhbits and other event. Related to the museum project, I need a professional(s) who would donate their time to help transfer the VHS and cassette collections to DVD and CDR.
SCND: Any hot new guitarists blowing people away in Texas that we can expect to hear about in the near future?
Hopkins: As I alluded to above, I am not easily impressed with singers or guitarists. I can appreciate someone�s talent without actually liking the music. Three and a half years ago I started touting Los Lonely Boys, but a friend recommended them to me, so there is no magic in who I like. In Texas you can�t throw a rock without hitting a decent guitar player or someone who claims he knew Stevie Ray Vaughan. I don�t get out to the clubs to see the youngsters as much as I used to, so at the moment I can�t think of any young unknown hotshots. I guess the name I hear most is Gary Clark, Jr. Your readers need to get out and see the �vintage� hotshots like Doyle Bramhall (Sr.), Alan Haynes, Smokin� Joe Kubek and Anson Funderburg.
SCND: What are the "hot" Texas Blues joints we should look out for if we visit Texas?
Hopkins: The blues clubs are going through a period of decline. Where there were once six or eight good blues clubs in the Dallas-Ft Worth area, there are now only a very few. J&J Blues Bar in Fort Worth, Deep Ellum Blues in Dallas are good ones. There are still several other clubs which present blues occasionally.
These days you have to search out the artists rather than the clubs. Even Antone�s in Austin, which is the only nationally known blues club in Texas, is presenting blues far less than it used to. I believe it is in its sixth location, and the last time I was there it was a big concrete, soulless room living off its name recognition with rude employees. Clifford Antone hasn�t owned the club in quite some years, to my knowledge. Some great bands still play there occasionally, but the club itself is no longer the special place it used to be.
SCND: Any plans for a follow-up book on Stevie or any other writing projects in the works?
Hopkins: There are less than 250 copies of The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan left, so it�s possible I might do The Super-Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan some day, but I am not planning anything at the moment.
SCND: Please, tell us about yourself in terms of your personal background, musical background or experience, any formal education and training and how you ended up writing "The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan".
Hopkins: I am, or have been, a racquetball pro, a banker, a custom picture framer, an engraver, an attorney, a judge, executive director of a charitable organization, tour organizer, a writer, a publisher, an editor, entrepreneur, collector and a photographer. I have been an amateur musician for thirty years, playing guitar, bass, piano and drums. I play nothing greatly, but playing gives me great pleasure.
Contact
Craig Hopkins
Website: www.stevieray.com
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| October 6th, 2004 05:44 AM |
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| F505 |
the essential SRV: Loreley august 28th 1984, Stevie playing Tin Pan Alley.... |
| October 6th, 2004 10:42 PM |
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| Soldatti |
Great read, thanks |
| October 8th, 2004 05:35 PM |
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| WildBillGrover |
Whew, this brings back a lot of Texas memories - thanks for posting. I was on Craig Hopkins' SRV newsletter mailing list when I lived in Dallas and I met Craig at KNON Radio in �93 or �94 when I hosted a blues show there.
The first of my six or seven times seeing Stevie play live was in April of 1984 at Auditorium Shores, Austin, Texas, and I was totally blown away by his performance.
I remember meeting Uncle John Turner, who was an early collaborator with Johnny Winter, at a local blues joint in Dallas called Schooner's back in the '80s. I met SRV's guitar tech, Ren� Martinez, at Stevie's grave on the one year anniversary of the death.
I met Steve and Jimmie's dad, "Big Jim," when I was working at Nick's Uptown on Greenville Avenue in the fall of 1983. The Fabulous T-Birds were playing and Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan came out to see their elder son. Big Jim held out a $20 bill for the cover charge, and I said, "that�s OK, Mr. Vaughan, you�re on the guest list."
As a guitarist who can't understand why any self-respecting guitar player would use .009s or .010s, I loved Smokin' Joe's story about Texas guitarist virility being linked to the size of strings used. Steve used very heavy gauge strings to get more soul out of the instrument. Freddie King always said tone came from the fingers - not some effects pedal! I heard that Smokin' Joe and Stevie got to know each other pretty well when they went to AA together near "Travis Walk."
In case you're in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and you want to know more about where to go to hear live blues music, please visit my friend Don O�s website: http://geocities.com/bluesdfw/ Don is the King Daddy of Texas blues DJs and knows more about blues than anyone I have ever met. |
| October 8th, 2004 06:13 PM |
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| Bloozehound |
I missed this thread the other day, good article
BTW
cool story Bill
never had the chance to meet SRV, but I've shook hands and chatted briefly with Jimmie V a few times over the years, he's a class dude, I bet srv was too |
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