Jimmie Vaughan

The blues has always been a family affair for the Vaughan brothers. In a genre that defines itself on pedigrees that can be traced back to elder statesmen such as Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters, Jimmie Vaughan is bound by bloodline to arguably the most influential modern master. Though three years older than his late brother Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie — and nearly every other self-proclaimed bluesman to pick up a guitar over the past two decades — has always stood in the shadow of his big little brother. But big bro does OK by himself with his conversational yet powerful approach to the ax. The elder Vaughan’s crisp, understated style has always been a complement to his brother’s bravado, once prompting Stevie Ray to admit, “I play probably 80 percent of what I can play. Jimmie plays 1 percent of what he knows. He can play anything.”