Stevie Ray Vaughan's career was established in Austin, Texas, but he was born in Dallas. Perhaps the most popular of all rock artists from Dallas, Vaughan is known as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. He utilized blues riffs, and often played with Eric Clapton. His style helped established the Texas blues genre, which is a fusion of blues and rock and roll. His 1983 album, Texas Flood, went double platinum and he won multiple Grammy awards.
Known as the Queen of neo-soul, Erykah Badu is the pride of urban Dallas. Combining multiple genres into her own style, Badu mixes rhythm and blues, hip hop, acid jazz and reggae into one eccentric sound. She had a role in the movie, Blues Brothers 2000, a film which celebrates blues musicians who have seen success in rock music. She learned music throughout her childhood in Dallas, attending Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in the city.
The indie scene in Dallas has grown as a result of bands like Toadies in the 1990s, and Neon Indian more recently. But the most popular Dallas group of the 2000s is the Polyphonic Spree. A choir of Dallas locals dress in gowns and sing uplifting songs. They appeared in the soundtrack of the Academy Award winning film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Perhaps the most successful solo project from the Polyphonic Spree is that of Annie Clark, a.k.a., St. Vincent.
Perhaps the proudest Dallas band is Reverend Horton Heat, one of the most popular rockabilly bands of the late 20th century. The band's music is high energy and loud, compelling some critics to refer to Reverend Horton Heat as punkabilly or psychobilly. Established in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas, Reverend Horton Heat has risen from their underground roots to commercial success by selling their songs to video games and film soundtracks. The name of the band is a play on the given name of the lead singer, Jim Heath.