Music Monday: Arc Angels

Spawned from the tragic death of guitar great Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Arc Angels may be one of the best bands many people have never heard of.

Consisting of Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon, Vaughan’s Double Trouble rhythm section, and guitarists and vocalists Charlie Sexton and Doyle Bramhall II, their self-titled 1992 debut album received critical acclaim.

The band’s success was short lived, however, due to tensions caused by Bramhall’s heroin addiction and general disfunction among the other bandmates. The band broke up shortly after the album was released, with Bramhall going on to work with Eric Clapton and Roger Waters, and Sexton playing with Bob Dylan. Both guitarists also put out several well-received solo albums.

Double Trouble continued to play as a duo, backing up a number of blues and rock acts, while also forming the group Storyville. The Arc Angels released the live album “Living in a Dream” in 2009, that also included two new studio tracks.