"Family Style" is a blues-rock album by the Vaughan Brothers, released on September 25, 1990. The album features the brethren guitarists and vocalists, Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan, in their only studio collaboration. In his early years, Stevie Ray Vaughan often remarked that he would like to do an album with his brother. He fulfilled that wish in his very last studio performance, which was released nearly a month after his death. The liner notes end with "Thanks Mama V. for letting us play." With slick production from Nile Rodgers and employing neither guitarist's band (Double Trouble nor the Fabulous Thunderbirds), this is bluesy, but far from purist. Jimmie makes his vocal debut on "White Boots" and "Good Texan," and the brothers blur the lines between their expected guitar styles Stevie sometimes going for a less sustainy twang, Jimmie moving into Albert King territory. When standard blues is the order of the day (the slow instro "Brothers"), the key word is "standard" bordering on run-of-the-mill. Instrumentals "D/FW" and "Hillbillies from Outer Space" fare better offering ZZ Top crunch and Santo & Johnny steel, respectively. From the opening line from Stevie, "Roll, and I'll just feel something," the album is about feeling. Stevie's playing was effortless, and some even called him God's Radio, but his playing was always better when his big brother, Jimmie, was with him. Even though they weren't always in the studio together, laying down individual tracks to be mixed later, the magic is still there, and it shines when the brothers are playing together. Stevie reached the apex of his career with this album and "In Step" turning out the best music of his life, but lurking in the shadow, brother Jimmie came to his own here too. Jimmie voice makes its first appearance on an album as he sings. At times it is nearly impossible to tell which of the brothers is playing, but they each have a distinctive sound, which fit together perfectly as brothers should. Every song on this album is spectacular. From the opening "Hard to Be" with Stevie on lead vocals and a cool theme over Jimmie's rhythm. Upbeat and fun. Next, it's Jimmie's turn to sing on "White Boots", with a slight Country flare. Who knew he had such a great voice? Stevie steps in with his distinctive sound and plays a great solo. They repeat the formula again with "Good Texan". The best song on the album is "Tick Tock". Just perfect playing from the brothers, and Jimmie's spoken intro sets the tone of the song, and Stevie sings it beautifully. A strong message in today's world. The brothers rock out with "Telephone Song" pulling out Wah-Wah solos and excellent rhythm. The album ends with the appropriately named "Brothers", an instrumental played on one guitar being passed back and forth between the two Vaughans
Track listing
01. "Hard to Be" (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Doyle Bramhall) - 4:43
02. "White Boots" (Billy Swan, Jim Leslie, Deborah Hutchenson) - 3:50
03. "D/FW" (Jimmie Vaughan) - 2:52
04. "Good Texan" (J. Vaughan, Nile Rodgers) - 4:22
05. "Hillbillies from Outerspace" (J. Vaughan, S. R. Vaughan) - 3:42
06. "Long Way from Home" (S. R. Vaughan, Bramhall) - 3:15
07. "Tick Tock" (J. Vaughan, Rodgers, Jerry Lynn Williams) - 4:57
08. "Telephone Song" (S. R. Vaughan, Bramhall) - 3:28
09. "Baboom/Mama Said" (J. Vaughan, S. R. Vaughan, Denny Freeman) - 4:29
10. "Brothers" (J. Vaughan, S. R. Vaughan) - 5:05
Released: September 25, 1990
Recorded at: Ardent Sudios, Memphis TN ; The Dallas Sound Lab, Dallas TX
Genre: Blues-Rock
Length: 40:47
Label: Epic
Producer: Nile Rodgers
Personnel
Jimmie Vaughan - Guitar, lap steel guitar, Vocals, Organ
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Guitar, Vocals
Al Berry - Bass
Larry Aberman - Drums
Doyle Bramhall - Drums
Richard Hilton - Organ
Tawatha Agee - Vocals
Frank Simms - Vocals
George Simms - Vocals
Brenda White-King - Vocals
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