For me, it would be SRV.
As much as I always enjoyed photography, my dream would have been to be a guitarist. I used to just put headphones on while listening to Hendrix and feel every note...every bend of every note. Totally immersed in the music for hours on end.
The first time I heard SRV was when I was in photography school, and a little, local college station played Voodoo Chile (Slight Return). I heard that guitar and thought "Who the hell does Hendrix have singing for him on this version?". I never could have imagined it was anyone other than Hendrix on guitar. I don't know how Stevie's first CD, Texas Flood, got past me except I guess I was pretty involved in school at that time.
I bought Couldn't Stand the Weather that day, and Texas Flood the next. And he took over that headphone nirvana for years. (unfortunately, I can't seem to do that anymore, as my head fills with things I need to do, etc.... I can't just listen to a whole CD anymore. Doc? Adult ADD?)
I saw SRV 5 times. The first was at the Newport Jazz Festival. He closed the two-day festival, and I was 10 feet from the stage...center...but I left before the end of his set. My girlfriend at the time wanted to beat the traffic. (Man, we do stupid things for women, don't we?).
The last time was in a little city park in downtown Manchester, NH....again, I was up front. As loud as it was in front of that little stage, the reverb off the buildings in the downtown was incredible. I wouldn't have lost my seat for anything, but I wondered how that guitar sounded three blocks away from the park.
I've searched for the next SRV, but haven't found one. I don't know if no one truly matches him in my opinion, or that A.D.D. just means I don't care as much anymore. I really, really liked KWS and Jonny Lang (before he went gospel) but I really haven't found another SRV.
Good Awesome thread, Fred.
