by Kathy, Phila., PA

South Street was empty, the “ticket box” at the Late, Great “Ripley” Club was empty, & I heard the song of an Angel, with the guitar from God himself, Stevie Ray Vaughan. I was able to sneak in, believe it or not, behind the bouncers & ‘ticket lady’ from the booth, sat on a barstool in the corner in back, & heard the most heavenly guitarist in my life. I worked my way into the crowd, & for the first time in the Rip, I wasn’t worried about getting a beer. I was mesmerized & hypnotized by him. I was more concerned with getting closer to the stage. I was within 6 feet of his Texas Cowboy boots, & didn’t move. Even when they turned the house lights on, & unplugged the stage electricity, he kept on jammin’, & I kept telling the bouncers I was with him. They finally had to carry him out, at the same time the bouncers I knew were carrying me out. I was blessed to see him 8 times after that, but getting past that ‘ticket lady’ was a miracle in itself. I just hope when I die I’m in the same place as Stevie, because I compare every new band to him, which is unfair I’m sure, but I can’t help it. I still sometimes hear his music in my dreams!