Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble – The Sky Is Crying

The Sky Is Crying is the fifth studio album by American blues rock guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan and his band Double Trouble, released on November 5, 1991 by Epic Records, approximately 14 months after Stevie Ray Vaughan’s death, featuring tracks selected by his brother Jimmie, who spent months researching the tracks, demonstrating how important it was to select only tracks that resonated with his brother’s legacy. In the end, he selected ten, nine of which had not appeared in any form on any of SRV’s previous studio albums, with the sole exception of a different rendition of the track “Empty Arms” that appeared on the album “Soul To Soul” in 1985. The album takes its name from the first forgotten track Jimmie discovered, The Sky Is Crying. The album was enthusiastically received by both fans and critics, who praised Stevie’s dignity and guitar skills.

The album reached the Top-10 in the United States and was certified double platinum, while it reached the Top-20 in Canada, Norway and New Zealand.

The cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing” won a Grammy Award for “Best Rock Instrumental Performance”, while the album received the award for “Best Contemporary Blues Album” at the 1993 Grammy Awards.

More than any of Stevie Ray and Double Trouble’s previous albums, The Sky Is Crying relied on covers, including Chicago blues pieces such as Willie Dixon’s “Close To You” and a stunning instrumental rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing”. The latter has since become another established example of SRV’s greatness.

“This song reminds me of Stevie’s tenderness and friendliness,” said his brother Jimmie. “He starts… he does the intro, you know, he sounds a lot like Hendrix and then he comes out… I don’t know if it’s jazz, blues or… I don’t know what it is, you know, I don’t know what kind of music you would call it, because it’s got everything in it. There’s some wonderful and sensitive guitar playing here, it’s like he’s talking!”

Another cover was a song that was done during the In Step recordings by Stevie by his sometimes co-writer and friend, Doyle Bramhall. It was “Life By The Drop” which Vaughan had recorded himself, playing acoustic guitar, probably because of the lyrics which are about a man who had overcome his substance abuse problems. He told them he didn’t want to do it with the band, Jimmie said, he wanted to do it on his own, because it was personal.

From this amazing album I select, what else, “Little Wing”.
 
Tracklist

1. Boot Hill 2:14
2. The Sky Is Crying 4:37
3. Empty Arms 3:28
4. Little Wing 6:48
5. Wham 2:25
6. May I Have A Talk With You 5:49
7. Close To You 3:11
8. Chittlins Con Carne 3:56
9. So Excited 3:30
10. Life By The Drop 2:27