The song was called "Life Without You." It was written when a friend of ours died. What I was trying to talk about was what drugs do to people. It kills people in their heart, and sometimes it's bad enough to kill them physically. You know when I say heart, I mean soul.
The first time I talked to Stevie Ray he had just come out of a rehabilitation program. Our phone interview focused on his new attitude rather than his music. When I got off the phone, I said, "Well, I missed that opportunity." Then I suddenly realized that allowing him to talk about whatever was on his mind was the opportunity. We met several more times, backstage and briefly, once at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio where he followed Chris Holzhaus. Chris was thrilled to be playing on the same stage with Stevie Ray. Stevie Ray was thrilled to be giving Chris the chance at a larger audience.
The last time we talked was November 26, 1989, before his Austin show with Jeff Beck. I was always impressed at the sincerity and generosity of Stevie Ray Vaughan. He was a superstar in his career and in his talent; he was a humble man interested in his family, his friends and the world.
