Everybody watching this NEEDS to go watch videos of Josh playing with his own band doing his own stuff. . The dude is freaking incredible. I think he and Eric Gales are unmatched today
This guitarcheologist since '79 is still heartbroken at our world losing far too soon in such an auspicious way too ironically (Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, Big Bopper, Lynyrd Skynyrd lost in aviation crashes) as musical titans go... SRV was humble as he could possibly be, with divine talent rare & primal, such a mighty magical musical maestro & personal superuberguitarhero extraordinnaire of this guitarasaurus in his 5th decade of the magical musical mystery tour. He was untouchable - RIP SRV, Amen.
Man I was smiling this whole video. SRV was my late fathers favorite guitar player so I remember listening to him ever since I was 7. You could tell Stevie put his heart and soul into every single thing he ever did. I’m glad you mentioned your story about wanting to be SRV, it resonated with me on a personal level. I felt the exact same way when I was younger and then with The Weeknd when I first stumbled upon him many moons ago. You just kept captivated by their unique, sheer musical talent and the flawless style that goes along with it. I wanted to be exactly like him. But like you mentioned, I realized I don’t want to be a copycat (not that I could do that even if I tried, his voice is one of the greatest), I can be influenced by it but I still have to be my own individual self. Your talent is absolutely incredible though man, you sound phenomenal! Stevie would be proud! Also like others have said, that tone is perfect! Cheers mate, I appreciate you
I totally agree with that live-changing-fire, Stevie's music can ignite! I discovered Stevie when I was playing my first (very bad) school band in 1984, I was 17 and thought of quitting music, cutting my hear and learn something decent. A friend came down my house with the Texas Flood album. After the very first bars I immediately knew my live won't never be the same again. I decided that very moment to practice the skin off my fingers for the rest of my days. Today I am a professional guitarist and still love to play those Texas-licks. Without Stevie I'd probably do some boring office job ...
My problem with any video of people who talk about and get Stevie, I can't get through the video without stopping to search for Texas Flood Live at El Mocombo. I wore 2 VHS tapes out, still have a 3rd and two copies on DVD. Yes, you need all his albums! All the songs. Not just streaming service recommendations. Then, you mention Otis Rush and down the YT rabbit hole I go.
I have loved many musics in my time; I was a college freshman, driving to class, listening to Metallica's "One", when the DJ cut in to tell us poor listeners that SRV had died in a helicopter crash. I was devastated. I pulled over and wiped away a tear, and put in a cassette of Double Trouble. Respect.
Check out Mato Nanji. He is a Native American from South Dakota. His band is called Indigenous. They broke up a few years ago but you can find them on Amazon or YT. Dude sounds as close to SRV playing wise and voice that I've ever heard. Saw them live once. Simply amazing.
Love Josh his love for the guitar and the way he explains things. I was 13 when I first heard and watched live at the el macambo on vhs. I was more taken by my dads reaction to it cause he was blown away and for days following dad was playing full noise through the sound system lol. As I got older I come to love and appreciate that particular concert as I honestly believe that’s one of the best live gigs you will ever see and I still go back to it all these years later. Have been brought to tears at times watching Texas Flood from that gig and agree with Josh, Stevie put everything he had into that performance and you can see and feel it. And that guitar tone my goodness man does it get any better than that? Thanks Josh.
Couldn’t Stand the Weather had some absolute fire on it. That was my first SRV record and never grew tired of it. Then I threw in Soul to Soul and “Say What!” stopped dead in my tracks. After growing thinking of Clapton as the modern blues guy, my brain was just blown by the sheer size of his sound the ferocity in which he played. Like a tiny ADD kid going wild then landing right there on the turnaround and effortlessly back to the mic.
Met Josh a couple of times on the Blue Cruises. Very approachable guy... and consistent personality. Never got an attitude or Aire from him. Thank you for that, sir. Great player. Human jukebox... is what I referred to him as. He could play anything.
Josh played the scuttle buttin' riff without even thinking about it. The 1st 12 bar cycle of the Ray Vaughn solo on Texas Flood, after the 1st vocal, on live at the Mocombo. Full on.
It's so cool to hear this story, I imagine those feelings and experiences are shared by legions of guitarists. I'll never forget the first time I saw/heard Live at the Elmo - life changing indeed!
“That’s what I want to do with my life”. Yeah, that’s the feeling for sure. I remember it happening to me too, very vividly. I was lucky enough to see him live though after that.
I love SRV and the way Josh Smith plays! I think Stevie would love to hear you play Josh! We have a Josh Smith tele at the shop I teach at, man it's a sweet guitar! Keep rockin'! Cheers!
Live at the El Mocambo is an amazing performance, but my favorite live performance recording of SRV I’ve seen is an old episode of Showtimes Coast to Coast when he plays with BB King and Albert Collins. It was clean SRV and his playing was just other worldly.
Honestly, who could play him? Who could do justice to his unmatched ability and intensity? I wouldn't mind a biopic at all but I feel that books/documentaries about his life, his albums and the recorded footage of his live performances is all I need. :)
Josh should have been with me in 1975 at a new place called Antone's on 6th street. Al's Bamboo Club, an even smaller place in Dallas in 1981. Fair Park Band Shell in 1986, eight times in all and wished it had been more. You had to have heard him live, had that tone cut all the way to your backbone. I count the times I saw Stevie live as some of the very greatest of my life.
I can't help but think if Stevie was watching this he'd say "dang..this kid is better than me...sma". I see the old vids of Josh though, and his own style was in there. And it's there here too when doing some of those SRV examples - I've never heard these exact licks and phrases, but they totally sound like something Stevie would play. Josh is tuning into the same radio station he did.
Did you used to live in Ft Lauderdale? When I on the road we played a rock club down from a place in a shopping center called I think Cheers. There was a little kid named Josh Smith playing SRV stuff was that you?
Luckily I can say that I was wearing cowboy boots and hats way before he became my main influence 😂 He's just so good! And the more I learn about Him, the more I realize how similar we are. From our physical bodies, our spiritual life, to our personalities and how we look at the world and get the most out of even 1 empty and 1 full felt tip pen. (The bigger fans know the story) I just can't get enough! God must've given me a little bit of SRV in my veins 😂
I imagine there’s a lot of guys like that didn’t know about Josh ! So …. Hear me out ! Due to great inspirational person in my life iI was the Fillmore in San Fransisco alot ! Albert King … Freddie …… and BB ….Josh explains what all was … here
I must have missed something.. All Josh talked about is how good SRV was. I already knew that.. Where is the lesson? All he said was "lets get into SRV" and it ended. Is there a link I missed? Thanks
Most TrueFire posts are adverts only... I can tell you many of the TrueFire courses, are very hard to follow, with guitarists, who are incapable of teaching adequately, unless you are already an expert player. Choose carefully if you go that route.
@@defkind BB king played on 8s... in an interview SRV admitted he did not feel the pain of the 13s due to his drug excess, once he became clean he went down to 12s then 11s
Like Gary Moore SRV and Bonamessa are fast pentatonic players who do nothing special for me. meanwhile there are millions of fast pentatonic players. I´d rather listen to Jonny Winter, Robben Ford. SRV stole a lot from Hendrix, Albert King brutalized it and sped it up. That is all: no more no less. Nothing special musicwise.
You obviously have never really actually listened to garys music if you seem to think that he’s just a “fast pentatonic player” whats even funnier is you say you’d rather listen to johnny winter when johnny is known for his fast pentatonic lines
Freaking gold. Thanks so much for your honesty. Dang, dude. You're a blues professor. If I retain 10 percent of this......I'm set for the rest of my life. Amazing. Still don't know what strat to get. Any suggestions guys. AVRI, MJT, Player Series, Jet, Am Pro ii, or a Tele, or G & L. Fortunately got an old strat I'm growing on. Killer channel. Killer chops.
Everybody watching this NEEDS to go watch videos of Josh playing with his own band doing his own stuff. . The dude is freaking incredible. I think he and Eric Gales are unmatched today
Yeah!!!
Correct.
Dont forget richie kotzen
Have heard a million people play SRV… Only a handful like you. Hats off!
SRV #1 ....never been anyone like him, never will be, I think. What a BEAST he was.
Stevie left alot frustrated guitar players on this planet, RIP STEVIE, GOD BLESS. GREAT VIDEO 👍✌
This guitarcheologist since '79 is still heartbroken at our world losing far too soon in such an auspicious way too ironically (Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, Big Bopper, Lynyrd Skynyrd lost in aviation crashes) as musical titans go... SRV was humble as he could possibly be, with divine talent rare & primal, such a mighty magical musical maestro & personal superuberguitarhero extraordinnaire of this guitarasaurus in his 5th decade of the magical musical mystery tour. He was untouchable - RIP SRV, Amen.
Really respect Josh Smith as a six-stringer. So great to see and hear his story and appreciation of the All Time Greatest!
Wow that’s great…I was fortunate to see Stevie Ray Vaughan could literally touch his boots, blew my mind! Monroe, Louisiana
Man I was smiling this whole video. SRV was my late fathers favorite guitar player so I remember listening to him ever since I was 7. You could tell Stevie put his heart and soul into every single thing he ever did.
I’m glad you mentioned your story about wanting to be SRV, it resonated with me on a personal level. I felt the exact same way when I was younger and then with The Weeknd when I first stumbled upon him many moons ago. You just kept captivated by their unique, sheer musical talent and the flawless style that goes along with it. I wanted to be exactly like him. But like you mentioned, I realized I don’t want to be a copycat (not that I could do that even if I tried, his voice is one of the greatest), I can be influenced by it but I still have to be my own individual self.
Your talent is absolutely incredible though man, you sound phenomenal! Stevie would be proud!
Also like others have said, that tone is perfect!
Cheers mate, I appreciate you
I totally agree with that live-changing-fire, Stevie's music can ignite!
I discovered Stevie when I was playing my first (very bad) school band in 1984, I was 17 and thought of quitting music, cutting my hear and learn something decent. A friend came down my house with the Texas Flood album. After the very first bars I immediately knew my live won't never be the same again. I decided that very moment to practice the skin off my fingers for the rest of my days.
Today I am a professional guitarist and still love to play those Texas-licks. Without Stevie I'd probably do some boring office job ...
My problem with any video of people who talk about and get Stevie, I can't get through the video without stopping to search for Texas Flood Live at El Mocombo. I wore 2 VHS tapes out, still have a 3rd and two copies on DVD. Yes, you need all his albums! All the songs. Not just streaming service recommendations. Then, you mention Otis Rush and down the YT rabbit hole I go.
In the Beginning...live from Steamboat 1874 recorded in 1980 is one of my favorites. I love how raw & in your face his playing is, so dam good 👍🎸
I have loved many musics in my time; I was a college freshman, driving to class, listening to Metallica's "One", when the DJ cut in to tell us poor listeners that SRV had died in a helicopter crash. I was devastated. I pulled over and wiped away a tear, and put in a cassette of Double Trouble. Respect.
Could listen to Josh noodle SRV licks all day long!!!!!
Well, that's certainly the most authentic SRV playing I've ever heard ..Josh is an incredible musician.
Check out Mato Nanji. He is a Native American from South Dakota. His band is called Indigenous. They broke up a few years ago but you can find them on Amazon or YT. Dude sounds as close to SRV playing wise and voice that I've ever heard. Saw them live once. Simply amazing.
Josh Smith 😮omg he’s brilliant 🤩👍🏻 thanks again Josh 👍🏻
EL Macambo DVD is no joke, he is correct. It's been one of my prized possessions
And we all want to be like Josh Smith.
Holy crap besides the phenominal playing, this tone is just as on par.
Me to SRV changed my life with the music and he helped me get cleaned up when my life really was on the line❤️🇨🇦thank god for SRV
Love Josh his love for the guitar and the way he explains things. I was 13 when I first heard and watched live at the el macambo on vhs. I was more taken by my dads reaction to it cause he was blown away and for days following dad was playing full noise through the sound system lol. As I got older I come to love and appreciate that particular concert as I honestly believe that’s one of the best live gigs you will ever see and I still go back to it all these years later. Have been brought to tears at times watching Texas Flood from that gig and agree with Josh, Stevie put everything he had into that performance and you can see and feel it. And that guitar tone my goodness man does it get any better than that? Thanks Josh.
Your are an awesome Guitarist Josh Smith one of the best in the Planet 👍
Couldn’t Stand the Weather had some absolute fire on it. That was my first SRV record and never grew tired of it. Then I threw in Soul to Soul and “Say What!” stopped dead in my tracks.
After growing thinking of Clapton as the modern blues guy, my brain was just blown by the sheer size of his sound the ferocity in which he played. Like a tiny ADD kid going wild then landing right there on the turnaround and effortlessly back to the mic.
Man I’ve been listening to SRV since he came out and you’ve nailed his style !!!
Met Josh a couple of times on the Blue Cruises. Very approachable guy... and consistent personality. Never got an attitude or Aire from him. Thank you for that, sir. Great player. Human jukebox... is what I referred to him as. He could play anything.
"If you've never heard Stevie.. first off...I'm sorry?!?!" Ha I love it. Great video guys🤙🏽
Josh played the scuttle buttin' riff without even thinking about it. The 1st 12 bar cycle of the Ray Vaughn solo on Texas Flood, after the 1st vocal, on live at the Mocombo. Full on.
It's so cool to hear this story, I imagine those feelings and experiences are shared by legions of guitarists. I'll never forget the first time I saw/heard Live at the Elmo - life changing indeed!
After some years in the jazz wilderness, I'd forgotten how good some of this stuff is. Thanks.
Blues was the first jazz
dang boy I've been chasing that stuff for years you're good man
Josh Respect you become one of my favorite Guitarist really U understand me
I used to watch Josh as a teenager in a band called the Rhino Cats at a little place called Club M in downtown Hollywood, Fl a long time ago.
“That’s what I want to do with my life”. Yeah, that’s the feeling for sure. I remember it happening to me too, very vividly. I was lucky enough to see him live though after that.
Man… You’re really good!
SRV... the GOAT.
He plays so good
I love SRV and the way Josh Smith plays! I think Stevie would love to hear you play Josh! We have a Josh Smith tele at the shop I teach at, man it's a sweet guitar! Keep rockin'! Cheers!
🔥🔥🔥🔥Josh you nailed it.
listen to this fluidity
quick and fluid - great analogy
Hey josh! That’s a nice looking “Fender Strat”!!!lol you awesome bro!!!
Live at the El Mocambo is an amazing performance, but my favorite live performance recording of SRV I’ve seen is an old episode of Showtimes Coast to Coast when he plays with BB King and Albert Collins. It was clean SRV and his playing was just other worldly.
I still can't believe that SRV doesn't have a movie about his life yet! He has been so influential and he overcame a lot in his life.
Honestly, who could play him? Who could do justice to his unmatched ability and intensity? I wouldn't mind a biopic at all but I feel that books/documentaries about his life, his albums and the recorded footage of his live performances is all I need. :)
Non guitarist would not even know who he was
Lenny is a guitar lesson in itself.
Mine too bro you're a beast to still be playing those 13s though
Man, you‘re killin‘ it! Amazing! Tnx!🙏
I agree "you need them all"
Which amp does Josh play here? Sounds very much alike Stevie.
Josh should have been with me in 1975 at a new place called Antone's on 6th street. Al's Bamboo Club, an even smaller place in Dallas in 1981. Fair Park Band Shell in 1986, eight times in all and wished it had been more. You had to have heard him live, had that tone cut all the way to your backbone. I count the times I saw Stevie live as some of the very greatest of my life.
thanks maestro
can't believe I saw him at the end of the 80's at old montreal forum.
I can't help but think if Stevie was watching this he'd say "dang..this kid is better than me...sma". I see the old vids of Josh though, and his own style was in there. And it's there here too when doing some of those SRV examples - I've never heard these exact licks and phrases, but they totally sound like something Stevie would play. Josh is tuning into the same radio station he did.
One thing to get to Stevie's and your level of playing - being obsessed with the guitar haha
don't underestimate the influence his big bro had on him!
Did you used to live in Ft Lauderdale? When I on the road we played a rock club down from a place in a shopping center called I think Cheers. There was a little kid named Josh Smith playing SRV stuff was that you?
this is greattt
Great video. Are all licks shown in this video transcribed?
4:08, 5:15, 5:33
Do we know which leslie pedal has josh in this video?
What pick up do you have on your strat ? That the sound I’m looking for 😍 I’m also a huge fan of your music 😍😍😍
It's not the pickups, it's the amp!, And obviously, his fingers
Watching Jimi Plays Monterey for the first time did it for me.
Man you can play.
What amp is he using for this demo?
Your axe is sharp
Luckily I can say that I was wearing cowboy boots and hats way before he became my main influence 😂
He's just so good!
And the more I learn about Him, the more I realize how similar we are.
From our physical bodies, our spiritual life, to our personalities and how we look at the world and get the most out of even 1 empty and 1 full felt tip pen. (The bigger fans know the story)
I just can't get enough!
God must've given me a little bit of SRV in my veins 😂
Man I wish it was in my fingers ;-)
What is that Leslie pedal?
Eventide H9
I imagine there’s a lot of guys like that didn’t know about Josh ! So …. Hear me out ! Due to great inspirational person in my life iI was the Fillmore in San Fransisco alot ! Albert King … Freddie …… and BB ….Josh explains what all was … here
I must have missed something.. All Josh talked about is how good SRV was. I already knew that.. Where is the lesson? All he said was "lets get into SRV" and it ended. Is there a link I missed?
Thanks
Most TrueFire posts are adverts only... I can tell you many of the TrueFire courses, are very hard to follow, with guitarists, who are incapable of teaching adequately, unless you are already an expert player. Choose carefully if you go that route.
As a Texan when Texas Flood comes on I remove my hat.
Yeah but Josh, you don't need the heavy strings. Save your joints. You'll have arthritis. Even SRV started using lighter gages later on.
What did srv go down to, 12s? If you don't need heavy strings, can you name someone who sounds as good clean with 8s or 9s?
11s toward the end but don't quote me on that.Tuned down a half step feels like a 9-42 set , as far as ease of bending.Sounds better though!
Billy Gibbons from ZZ-Top plays with 7s and has for decades. Yngwie Malmsteen plays with 8s. So yes you can get a good tone from light strings too.
@@defkind BB king played on 8s... in an interview SRV admitted he did not feel the pain of the 13s due to his drug excess, once he became clean he went down to 12s then 11s
interesting how none of josh's stuff sounds like this, chose a different path i guess
I traded in a Les Paul for a second strat because of Stevie.....went through amp after amp to get that sound
Did you know the lick from cold shot is inspired by Buddy Guy
Which song of Buddy's
His intensity is difficult to match
Is this a lesson? Where is the part where you teach how to play?
If you’d actually pay attention you’d be picking up stuff and learning from this
Like Gary Moore SRV and Bonamessa are fast pentatonic players who do nothing special for me. meanwhile there are millions of fast pentatonic players. I´d rather listen to Jonny Winter, Robben Ford. SRV stole a lot from Hendrix, Albert King brutalized it and sped it up. That is all: no more no less. Nothing special musicwise.
You obviously have never really actually listened to garys music if you seem to think that he’s just a “fast pentatonic player” whats even funnier is you say you’d rather listen to johnny winter when johnny is known for his fast pentatonic lines
One guy shows off SRV licks for an entire vid. Yawn.
Likes to toot his own toon. Waste of time.
Dude, talk less'
Freaking gold. Thanks so much for your honesty. Dang, dude. You're a blues professor. If I retain 10 percent of this......I'm set for the rest of my life. Amazing. Still don't know what strat to get. Any suggestions guys. AVRI, MJT, Player Series, Jet, Am Pro ii, or a Tele, or G & L. Fortunately got an old strat I'm growing on. Killer channel. Killer chops.