A clean and sober Stevie Ray Vaughan seemed poised for a new, limitless chapter of his life and career just a few years after his severe addiction to cocaine and alcohol almost killed him. Years of sibling rivalry with big brother Jimmie, his first and greatest musical hero, were behind him, and their first collaborative album was complete and on the verge of being released. His tumultuous marriage was over and he was deeply in love with a supportive, creative woman. His last album had been his most successful, both critically and commercially.

Instead, it all came screeching to a sudden end, when Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash on August 27, 1990, after that evening’s dynamic performance with Eric Clapton, leaving an endless stream of What Ifs. He was just 35 years old. In the ensuing 28 years, Vaughan’s legend and acclaim have only grown; he is an international musical icon. Despite the cinematic scope of Vaughan’s life and death, there has never been a truly proper accounting of his story. Until now.