Stevie Ray Vaughan Research Collection

A Guide to the Crawford/Patoski Stevie Ray Vaughan Biography Papers

 

1964- 1995

bulk: 1990-1993

Acquisition: gift donated by Bill Crawford and Joe Nick Patoski, 1993.

Access: Direct inquiries to the Archivist, Albert B. Alkek Library, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, Texas 78666-4604. (512) 245-2313.

Processed by: Ashley Schimmelman, Emily Painton, Kristen Davis-Vontrat, and Mandy York Oates, 1998.

 

Biographical Note

Bill Crawford and Joe Nick Patoski have been involved in writing and the music industry for most of their adult lives. From 1990 to 1993, they combined their literary talents and connections with the music industry insiders to write an unauthorized biography of blues guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954-1990), who died in a helicopter accident near East Troy, Wisconsin. In Spring 1993, Little, Brown & Co. published Crawford and Patoski's Stevie Ray Vaughan : Caught in the Crossfire. Michael Pietsch provided editorial assistance.

 

Born in New York City in 1955, Bill Crawford attended Andover and Harvard, where he majored in comparative religion. He moved to Texas after graduation and became involved in radio. He worked as a disc jockey at a music station in Midland and later earned a masters degree in business administration at the University of Texas at Austin. A freelance writer and radio and television producer since 1981, Crawford has produced segments for Music Television and the nationally syndicated public affairs program, Asian Communique. He was an associate editor of Third Coast magazine, and has written on media and business for Texas Business, Texas Monthly, and other publications. He was co-author of the book, Border Radio: Quacks, Yodelers, Pitchmen Psychics, and Other Amazing Broadcasters of the American Airwaves, published by Texas Monthly Press in 1987.

 

Joe Nick Patoski moved with his family to Fort Worth in 1953, at the age of two. He attended the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Texas at Austin, where he began his career as a writer and consultant in the music business in 1972. Starting as a columnist with the Daily Texan, the newspaper of the University of Texas at Austin, Patoski soon earned a reputation as one of the most respected critics of pop culture in the Southwest. He worked as a stringer for Rolling Stone from 1974 to 1980, and as contributing editor for Texas Monthly from 1975 to 1980. During the early 1980s, Patoski was the manager and executive producer for several top Texas rock and roll bands, and toured the United States, Europe, and South America. In 1985, Patoski was named an associate editor at Texas Monthly, and currently he works as senior editor for the magazine. In October 1990, he wrote an article for Texas Monthly commemorating Stevie Ray Vaughan. Patoski has written on various other topics, covering the entire range of Texas culture. His work has also appeared in Mother Jones, Village Voice, and Conde Nast Traveler, as well as numerous other publications.

 

Books published:

Crawford, Bill, and Patoski, Joe Nick. Stevie Ray Vaughan : Caught in the Crossfire, New York, New York : Little Brown, & Co. , 1993.

Crawford, Bill, and Fowler, Gene. Border Radio: Quacks, Yodelers, Pitchmen Psychics, and Other Amazing Broadcasters of the American Airwaves, Dallas, TX : Texas Monthly Press, 1987.

Patoski, Joe Nick. Selena : Como La Flor, Boston : Little, Brown & Co., 1996.

 

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence, printed material, financial documentation, interviews, photographic material, legal documentation, notes, creative works, audio and video recordings, and machine-readable records, created and maintained by Bill Crawford and Joe Nick Patoski, document the research, production, and promotion processes of their co-authored biography, Stevie-Ray Vaughan : Caught in the Crossfire.

 

The collection consists of three main series, the Crawford Files, the Patoski Files, and the Audio and Video Materials Series. The Crawford Files and Patoski Files represent each author's individual research, production, and promotion for the book. Generally, the series representing one author will contain material created and maintained only by that author, although some overlap does occur, as the two authors collaborated closely on this project. Each author's differing methods of research and production are revealed by the structure and contents of their files, which are listed briefly in the Series Summary, following the Series Descriptions. The Audio and Video Materials Series was created for ease of access to this varied material which was created and maintained by both authors. It includes interviews, musical performances, a recording of Stevie Ray Vaughan's funeral service, and consists of formats such as cassette audio tapes, VHS video tapes, and cd-rom audio discs.

 

Because this biography of Stevie Ray Vaughan was unauthorized, the authors did not have the cooperation of the Vaughan family, including his brother, Jimmie Vaughan, nor that of certain other key figures in Vaughan's life, including Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton, and Reece Wynans, of his band, Double Trouble. However, published interviews with these important figures do appear in this collection, complementing the original research done by the authors. This collection sheds a unique light on Stevie Ray Vaughan's life and musical career. At the same time, it documents the rise of the blues in the Austin music scene during the 1970s and 1980s, a time when progressive country artists, such as Willie Nelson, reigned supreme. Of particular note are the many interviews with Stevie Ray Vaughan's musical mentors and colleagues such as Buddy Guy, B.B. King, W.C. Clark, Ray Benson, Kim Wilson, Angela Strehli, and Antone's owner, Clifford Antone. Interviews with Stevie Ray Vaughan's longtime friend, Dale Bramhall, twin brother to Doyle Bramhall, Vaughan's closest songwriting partner and friend, lend important insights into the history of certain albums and certain periods of the late musician's life. Many of the interviews conducted for this project bring to light what had for years been stories held only among Austin musical enclaves. Also, bootleg recordings of Stevie Ray Vaughan performances dating back as far as 1975, and many candid and publicity photographs dating back to the mid-1970s, are of special interest. Inclusive dates range from 1964- 1995, with the bulk of the material dating from 1990-1993.

 

A special note on interviews in this collection: Not all interviews on audiotape have written transcripts, and conversely, not all transcripts are represented by audiotapes. Existing transcripts are filed with the author's series who conducted the interview. The interview audiotapes themselves are simply listed in alphabetical order in Series III, each tape has been assigned a number, and when a transcript is available for a particular tape, its location (by box and folder) will be noted on this list.

 

Series Descriptions:

Series I : Crawford Files

Maintained by Bill Crawford, the Crawford Files, 1964-1995 (5 linear feet), constitute the bulk of the record group and reflect Crawford's original order. The records on the Research Materials subseries, 1994-1993, document the primary and secondary research of Stevie Ray Vaughan's life conducted largely by Bill Crawford. Included are a large quantity of interview transcripts and audio tapes, a copy of Stevie Ray Vaughan's death certificate, and Vaughan family genealogical material. Of special note are numerous published interview transcripts with the late musician himself. Material in the Book Production Material subseries documents the progress of the book's publication. Heavily edited manuscript drafts and page proofs comprise the majority of these records. This subseries also includes material relating to the selection of photographs to be used in the biography. There is almost no record in this series of public relations / advertising activities.

 

Series II : Patoski Files

The Patoski Files, maintained by Joe Nick Patoski, 1977-1993, (4 linear feet), are divided into the same subseries as the Crawford Files: Research Materials, and Book Production Materials. The cataloger has maintained as much of Patoski's original order as possible for this material, but imposed some additional degree of order in the interest of accessibility. The Research Materials, 1977-1993, include numerous interview transcripts and audio tapes, published books on the music industry with Patoski's notes. Notable interviewees include Kim Wilson, Clifford Antone, Double Trouble manager Chesley Millikin, W.C. Clark, Angela Strehli, Stevie Ray Vaughan's ex-wife "Lenny" Vaughan, Marc Benno and Dale Bramhall. Please note that Patoski's groupings for "General" and "Stevie Ray Vaughan" in this series both deal with Stevie Ray Vaughan specifically, despite their differing titles. The Production Materials subseries, 1984-1993, includes manuscript drafts and page proofs, but is strongest in public relations / advertising material related to reviews and book signings.

 

Series III : Audio and Video Material

The Audio and Video Material Series, 1975-1993 (5 linear feet) includes recordings of interviews conducted by the authors for the Stevie Ray Vaughan biography, as well as earlier recordings of published interviews with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Vaughan. Bootleg recordings of various Stevie Ray Vaughan bands, such as the Cobras and Double Trouble, are included in this series, ranging in date from 1975 to 1990, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's last performance. Also included in this series is an audiorecording of Stevie Ray Vaughan's graveside funeral ceremony. Other material in this series includes various tributes to Stevie Ray Vaughan, and interviews with Crawford and Patoski regarding the publication of the biography, Stevie Ray Vaughan : Caught in the Crossfire. The bulk of the material in this series is in cassette audiotape format, with the remainder in VHS videotape, 45 rpm single albums, and cd-rom disc formats.

 

Series Summary:

Series I. Bill Crawford Files

Subseries A. Research Materials, 1964-1992

Subsubseries 1. Correspondence, 1981-1993

Subsubseries 2. Financial and legal documentation, 1981-1986

Subsubseries 3. Interviews, 1991-1993, n.d.

Subsubseries 4. Notes, 1983-1992

Subsubseries 5. Printed Materials, 1978-1992

Subsubseries 6. Subject Files, 1964-1992

Subseries B. Book Production Materials, 1976-1995

Subsubseries 1. Book Proposal

Subsubseries 2. Chapter Plans

Subsubseries 3. Manuscript Drafts

Subsubseries 4: Page Proofs

Subsubseries 5: Photographs

Subsubseries 6: Public Relations and Advertising

Series II. Joe Nick Patoski Files

Subseries A. Research Materials, 1977-1993, n.d.

Subsubseries 1. General, 1977-1992, n.d.

Sub-subsubseries a: Books

Sub-subsubseries b: Correspondence

Sub-subsubseries c: Interviews

Sub-subsubseries d: Research Notes

Subsubseries 2. Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1978-1993, n.d.

Sub-subsubseries a: Correspondence

Sub-subsubseries b: Photographic Material

Sub-subsubseries c: Printed material

Sub-subsubseries d: Subject Files

Subsubseries 3. Music Industry, 1977-1993, n.d.

Subseries B. Book Production Materials, 1977-1993, n.d.

Subsubseries 1. General, 1991-1993, n.d.

Subsubseries 2. Text and Editing, 1984-1993, n.d.

Subsubseries 3. Public relations and Advertising, 1991-1993, n.d.

Series III: Audio and Video Material

Subseries A: Audio Material, 1975-1993

Subsubseries 1. Interviews

Subsubseries 2: Performances

Subsubseries 3: Funeral

Subsubseries 4: Tributes to SRV

Subsubseries 5: Public Relations/Advertising for book

Subseries B: Videotapes, 1984-1992, n.d.