User:Roadette

I was actually on Stevie Ray Vaughan's final tour. I was production asst/wardrobe manager for Eric Clapton. Stevie came in to the production office just before going on stage, (for the last time), to use the phone to call his mother. He had a conversation with her that included complaining about having to use a helicopter after the show to get back to Chicago that night. I heard him say, "I can't believe they have me flying in a ****ing helicopter, you know how much I hate them." His brother Jimmie gave up his seat on the helicopter for Stevie so he could get back to his girlfriend who was waiting for him in Chicago. The crew was doing the load out when we heard that one of the 4 helicopters had not made it to Chicago, though we didn't learn until early the next morning that it was the chopper carrying Stevie Ray. There was a meeting of Eric's band and crew the next night to determine if we should continue the tour as scheduled. We all decided it was best to carry on and do the few remaining shows of the tour, as kind of a tribute to Stevie Ray and the others we'd lost. Nigel Brown, Eric's body guard at the time, Collin Smythe, a tour asst, and Bobby Brooks, one the artist agents from CAA, as well as the pilot were lost that night. It was a sad, sad time.