“It was a lot of trial and error with Dave – a lot of just trying to find out what worked, fine-tune it and then do it again”: Jimmie Vaughan on the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ Top 40 hit that got Al Bundy – and Hollywood’s – seal of approval

By the mid-’80s, Jimmie Vaughan had been hammering away with the Fabulous Thunderbirds for four under-the-radar albums, garnering a cult following.

This, along with the fact that Robert Cray and Alligator Records artists Johnny Winter, Roy Buchanan and Albert Collins (not to mention Jimmie’s little brother, Stevie Ray Vaughan) were enjoying success, meant that blues and blues-rock were on the rise in an otherwise sparkling metal- and synth-laden era.

This leads us to 1986’s Tuff Enuff, the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ fifth long-player, produced by Dave Edmunds, recorded in London. It’s the album that took Vaughan and his cohorts in a decidedly more commercial direction.

Proof of this comes by way of the title track, which was featured in two 1986 films, Gung Ho and Tough Guys, as was its follow-up single, a cover of Sam & Dave’s Wrap It Up. But wait, there’s more! Tuff Enuff even made a few appearances in Married… with Children. What could be better than the Al Bundy seal of approval?

Pop culture crossovers aside, Tuff Enuff remains the Thunderbirds’ only Top 40 hit, cementing the album’s mainstream status. Vaughan dialed in with Guitar World to briefly discuss the record.

What was it like working with Dave Edmunds?

We had a good time! We rented an apartment in London, and we went to the studio every day. It was a lot of trial and error with Dave – a lot of just trying to find out what worked, fine-tune it and then do it again.

Dave is quite the guitar player himself. Did that impact your approach?

Dave is a fabulous guitar player. He plays more fingerstyle than I do, though. I just play with a pick and my fingers sometimes, but Dave is fabulous. He was also fabulous at mixing. But it’s been 40 years, so it’s really tough to remember all of it!

The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Tuff Enuff (Official Video) - YouTube

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What gear did you use while recording Tuff Enuff?

Fender Bassmans and Super Reverbs. That’s what I’ve always used – except for a Marshall every once in a while – because the Fenders sounded great. But back then I didn’t use flatwound strings; I converted to those about 10 years ago.

How did the title track come together?

That was Dave Edmunds. He was into the six-string bass, which he used on a lot of his records. That’s part of what the sound there is, and it’s overdubbed three or four times.

When you look back on Tuff Enuff, which is a big favorite among T-Birds fans, how do you feel about it?

I think it sounds great – it still sounds good. Once we figured out the mix, and we liked it, I thought it was fabulous. It sounds silly, but if you mix something the way you like it, you’ll always like it. I don’t know what else to say other than that!

• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.