wo-hour drive back to his Chicago hotel with his brother and sister-in-law, Connie, but at the last minute he chose to board a Bell 206B Jet Ranger, one of four helicopters waiting nearby. According to his New York City publicist, Charles Comer, Vaughan had learned from Clapton's manager that there were seats enough to accommodate all three in his party. When he found only one place was actually available, Vaughan said to Connie and Jimmie, "Do you mind if I take the seat? I really need to get back." (Patoski 258).The helicopter took off in fog around 12:40 A.M. with Vaughan and four others aboard. Chicago would never be reached. Moments later the chopper's remains lay spread across more than 200 feet of a man-made ski slope in a field. All on board were killed instantly in what National Transportation Safety Board investigator William Bruce later described as "a high-energy, high-velocity impact at a shallow angle." (Patoski 259).The crash occurred on the far side of the nearby hill. A search for the lost copter wasn't begun until 5 A.M. -- more than four hours later -- after an orbiting search-and-rescue satellite picked up the craft's emergency-locator transmitter signal. At 7 A.M. searchers found the bodies of Vaughan; Bobby Brooks, Clapton's Hollywood agent; pilot Jeff Brown. Clapton's assistant tour manager, Colin Smythe; and Clapton's bodyguard, Nigel Browne. Later that morning Clapton and Jimmie Vaughan were summoned by the Walworth County coroner to identify the bodies. After arriving, upon gazing at the wreckage, Jimmie noticed Stevie’s Coptic cross laying in the rubble. Jimmie picked it up, put it around his neck, and went back to the limousine with Eric, followed by a long quiet trip back to Chicago (Patoski 259, 260).Stevie Ray Vaughan wasn’t just another blues musician, he was a blues legend that revolutionized and set higher standards for blues artists across America. In 1990, when this great legend ...
