Move to Honor Legendary Dallas Musician

A movement is underway to pay tribute to Dallas native and blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan. A growing number of North Oak Cliff business owners and blues fans want a permanent  memorial bronze sculpture of Vaughan to be put on public display somewhere in Oak Cliff. 

"Stevie Ray is our prodigal son that has been here and one of the best artists to come out of Dallas," said the owner of the Kessler Theater, Edwin Cabaniss.  He is organizing the charge to have the statue erected.  "Stevie Ray Vaughan is the greatest guitar player that ever lived and he's from Oak Cliff and to not have a memorial is just a tragedy," said Cabiness.
 
On Saturday San Antonio artist Victor L. Rangel put the proposed sculpture on display in the lobby of the Kessler theater. Rangel lived in Dallas for many years and he's already invested over 2-thousand hours and more then $2000 in his sculpture of Vaughan.  He said its a shame, Austin has a statue of Vaughan on display, "He was such an icon and it’s a shame we don’t have something here and I think a lot of fans want something here," said Rangel. The goal is to turn his bozzetto of Vaughan into a 15 foot high bronze statue.
 
"I think it would be wonderful," said Dallas blues legend Ernie Johnson.  He knew Vaughn when young Stevie Ray was an aspiring artist hanging out at Dallas blues clubs trying to learn from the greats like Freddie King.  "At that time he was learning from us," said Johnson. Now Johnson said it's time Dallas pays it's respects to Vaughan with a permanent monument, "I think 25 years ago something should have been done even before he passed."
 
Organizers of the Vaughan Memorial movement will soon look for approval from the Vaughan family and then start the task of trying to raise the fund to get the bronze statue made.

Contact Us