When you lose something, you want to replace it. That’s how a lot of music fans felt about Stevie Ray Vaughan. When he died in 1990, the big question was understandable: “Who’s going to replace him?” The truth, of course, is that nobody did and won’t ever.

However, music fans can be irrational and will inevitably seek out more of what they like, however they can find it. Which is why I purchased Chris Duarte‘s Texas Sugar Strat Magik in 1995. I had graduated from college the previous fall, and after a failed three month attempt to find work in Rome — where I’d spent the last two glorious years of my college life — I moved back home and started working around Chattanooga. A new record store had opened near Hamilton Place Mall called Peaches. Cute name. The CDs were displayed up front on — wait for it — crates! The place never lost that “just opened” scent, though to describe just what that is, I’d be hard pressed to do. Certainly didn’t smell like peaches. Regardless, they had a policy of letting you listen to anything in the store before you bought it. This was revolutionary at the time. And so, I found the Duarte CD on a display rack, probably next to SRV’s last album (The Sky Is Crying), and gave it a listen. I didn’t even make it twenty seconds into the first track before I knew I had to buy it. So I did.

Six years ago, I experienced what I realized now was a moment of retail de ja vu. I was in Virginia Highlands, doing my weekly visit to Corner CD and checking out the listening stations. Listening stations were just accepted by then, having been adopted as a standard practice by Turtles Records and Tapes (which became Blockbuster Music after a massive buyout). But the buyers at Corner CD had excellent taste, so not only would they put out a couple of the new albums that would soon be on the top forty, but also a good amount of music that would ordinarily be missed. I’m not sure what drew me to listen to the Doyle Bramhall II album. It certainly wasn’t the cover. I tend to avoid albums that stare you down. (It’s a thing with me.) But somehow, I put on the headphones, pressed play and … hit stop about a half-a-minute later. Had to buy it. So I did.

So yeah, these were both impulse buys. And yet, even after years of repeat cullings, I’ve gotten rid of neither disc. Am I keeping them because somewhere in the back of my mind, I think of these albums as extended entries in my Stevie Ray Vaughan collection? Maybe I’m planning on breaking them out at a later time, reference materials for someday, years after I take up guitar lessons again and buy a Stratocaster of my very own. Either way, I still stand by the first tracks of both albums.

As for the rest … well … maybe someday.

Chris Duarte Group – “My Way Down” – track 1 from Texas Sugar Strat Magic (1994)
Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack – “Green Light Girl” – track 1 from Welcome (2001)

And if you’ve no frame of reference for this Stevie Ray appreciation, let me help you out: “Crossfire,” “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return),” “Couldn’t Stand The Weather,” and, of course, on David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.”