Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughan’s ‘In Session (Deluxe Edition)’

Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughan’s ‘In Session (Deluxe Edition)’ in entirety on audio formats for the first time.
The remastered 1999 live album will complete on 3-LP, 2-CD, and HD Digital
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​Craft Recordings is thrilled to announce the Deluxe Edition release of In Session, the iconic collaboration between blues legends Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. This highly anticipated live album will be available in its entirety for the first time ever across 3-LP, 2-CD, and digital formats, including high-resolution audio. Set to arrive on October 18 and available for pre-order today, this release captures a pivotal moment in blues history, showcasing two guitar masters in mutual admiration and respect as they share the stage. This Deluxe Edition is a must-have for blues enthusiasts and a remarkable celebration of these two legendary artists.
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​Recorded live for television at CHCH-TV studios in Ontario, Canada, in 1983, In Session captures a historic performance by blues icons Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Supported by a world-class band featuring Tony Llorens on piano and organ, Gus Thornton on bass, and Michael Llorens on drums, this session is the only known recording of King and Vaughan playing together. The upcoming Deluxe Edition reissue includes the debut audio release of three tracks from the show: "Born Under a Bad Sign," "Texas Flood," and "I’m Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town." Fans can get an early taste of the expanded collection with "Born Under a Bad Sign (Live)," available to stream or download today.

When Vaughan and King took the stage in Ontario on December 6, 1983, Stevie Ray Vaughan was a rising star, while Albert King was embracing a new role as a mentor. Their relationship had begun a decade earlier in Vaughan’s hometown of Austin, TX. According to Billboard, King was initially hesitant about allowing a "skinny white kid" to join him on stage. Vaughan’s brother, Jimmie Vaughan, recounted the pivotal moment: “When Stevie was 19, we were at Antone’s and Albert King was playing. [Club owner Clifford Antone] says to Albert, ‘You’ve got to let this kid play, because he’s amazing.’”

Jimmie Vaughan continued, “Albert had heard it all, but he got Stevie up there, and Stevie started playing Albert King licks. There was silence at first. Everyone stood there with their mouths open. They couldn’t believe it. But Albert loved it. He put his arm around him, and from then on it was Albert and Stevie. Everybody went, ‘Whew, that was scary.’ I would never have tried that, but you’ve got to admire the audacity.”

This performance marked the beginning of one of the most exciting musical relationships in blues history. The concert recording captures a remarkable dialogue between the two, with Vaughan expanding upon King’s classic licks in his unique style. By 1983, Vaughan was well on his way to becoming as respected in the blues world as King. Reflecting on the original album, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that Vaughan had “become the hot blues guitarist of the year thanks to his debut Texas Flood, as well as his work on David Bowie’s hit ‘Let’s Dance.’”

The Ontario performance has since become one of the most celebrated live shows in blues history. Erlewine added, “Vaughan may have been the new news, but King was not suffering, either. He had a world-class supporting band and was playing as well as he ever had. In other words, the stage was set for a fiery, exciting concert, and that’s exactly what they delivered.”
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This Deluxe Edition release of In Session is a defining statement that celebrates the incredible prowess of these two blues giants. The album not only redefines the art of improvisational blues but also sets a new benchmark for live music, capturing a moment in time that is as electrifying as it is timeless.

Tracklist (3-LP):
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Side A:
1. Introduction
2. Born Under A Bad Sign
Side B:
1. Texas Flood
Side C:
1. Call It Stormy Monday
2. Old Times
3. Pride And Joy
4. Ask Me No Questions
Side D:
1. Pep Talk
2. Blues At Sunrise
3. Turn It Over
4. Overall Junction
Side E:
1. Match Box Blues
2. Who Is Stevie?
3. Don’t Lie To Me
Side F:
1. I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
2. Outro

Tracklist (2-CD):
Disc 1:
1. Introduction
2. Born Under A Bad Sign
3. Texas Flood
4. Call It Stormy Monday
5. Old Times
6. Pride And Joy
7. Ask Me No Questions
8. Pep Talk
9. Blues At Sunrise

Disc 2:
1. Turn It Over
2. Overall Junction
3. Match Box Blues
4. Who Is Stevie?
5. Don’t Lie To Me
6. I’m Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
7. Outro

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