Joe Perry reveals the blues legend he considers 'the best'

Joe Perry has named Stevie Ray Vaughan as one of the greatest blues guitarists he has ever heard.

The praise came during a recent interview, where he clarified that he did admire many famous guitar players, including Eddie Van Halen and Slash.

However, he believes Stevie Ray Vaughan stood out from the rest, particularly because of his ability to bring something fresh to a genre built on familiar foundations.

“It’s tough to work in such a finite space and do something new and interesting. I guess that’s why there aren’t too many fresh new blues songs. But you can’t be afraid to try it," he began in a recent interview with Far Out Magazine. 

"I think Stevie Ray Vaughan was one of the best guitarists to get something new out of that space. He knew his chops, obviously, and he’d paid his dues too. But he also wrote a lot of cool songs that crossed over into rock-land,” he added.

The Aerosmith guitarist noted that Vaughan earned his reputation through years of hard work, but also knew how to write memorable songs that appealed to a wider audience.

Perry further recognised that Vaughan’s success came from his ability to respect blues traditions while still making the music feel modern and exciting. 

He noted that Vaughan successfully blended blues and rock, helping him reach listeners beyond traditional blues fans.

Vaughan rose to fame in the 1980s with albums such as Texas Flood and Couldn’t Stand the Weather. 

Songs including Pride and Joy and Cold Shot helped introduce his music to mainstream audiences and earned him a reputation as one of the era’s most exciting guitarists.