Their success with overcoming long-term drug and alcohol addiction had been attained by entering a rehabilitation facility, where they stayed for four weeks.

Consisting of nine legs and 207 shows, the tour began in Towson, Maryland on November 22, 1986 and ended in New York City on December 31, 1988.

Allmusic describes him as "a rocking powerhouse of a guitarist who gave blues a burst of momentum in the '80s, with influence still felt long after his tragic death.

"[2] Despite a mainstream career that spanned only seven years, Vaughan eventually became recognized among musicians as the future standard for success and promise in blues.

[7] Soon afterward, he began playing gigs on the nightclub circuit, earning a spot in Marc Benno's band, the Nightcrawlers, and later with Denny Freeman in the Cobras, with whom he continued to work through late 1977.

He was taken by an ambulance to a nearby hospital, where he received medical treatment for near-death dehydration as a result of his long-term drug and alcohol addictions.

[16] He then checked into the London Clinic under the care of Dr. Victor Bloom, who warned Vaughan that if his destructive lifestyle continued, he would be dead within a month.

[15] Vaughan was ill, but gave a concert with Double Trouble in the town, which took place at Volkshaus, and was well enough to perform at the Hammersmith Palais, in London, on October 2.

[18] After staying in London for more than a week, Vaughan returned to the United States and began a substance abuse treatment program at a rehabilitation facility in Atlanta, Georgia; bassist Tommy Shannon followed suit by checking into rehab in Austin, Texas.

[24] Shannon later recalled the opening show: "I remember my first gig sober with Stevie and I was terrified, and I looked out there and saw those people...I was thinking God, boy I need a drink – but I went ahead and went out there and went through it.

[32] Following a month-long series of performances as the opening act for Robert Plant in May, which included six sold-out shows in Canada and the northeastern US, the band was booked for a European leg that began in the Netherlands on June 19, 1988.

[35] Although Vaughan and Double Trouble did not follow a fixed set list, the band played all thirteen songs from Live Alive at least once during the tour, and as many as eleven of them were included in each of their performances.

"[36] Lighting technician Trey Hensley commented on Vaughan's spontaneity and instinctual performances: "...It was never the same show...Stevie didn't believe in following a set list.

[40] "Willie the Wimp" was also performed, which was written by Ruth Ellsworth and Bill Carter after reading a newspaper article about a mobster from Chicago who was buried in a Cadillac-style coffin.

[41] Carter, who opened for the band during the fifth leg of the tour in April 1988, collaborated with Double Trouble during an extended break in the fourth leg of the tour, and wrote the song "Crossfire" (the song was ultimately included on Vaughan and Double Trouble's next LP In Step, released in 1989, and became their only number-one hit single).

[45] Guitar World′s Bill Milkowski wrote, "...He warns his young audiences about getting caught up in bad habits and making the kinds of mistakes with their lives that he made...he uses "Life Without You" as a moving, musical backdrop to his current crusade against the evils of drugs and alcohol.

"[48] Once the encores began, Vaughan and Double Trouble often performed original material such as "Love Struck Baby", "Rude Mood", and "Pride and Joy".

[49] They also performed covers including The Isley Brothers' "Testify", Larry Davis' "Texas Flood", Jimmy Reid's "Tin Pan Alley", Lonnie Mack's "Wham!

[50] On November 29, 1986, the horn section from Roomful of Blues appeared on-stage in Providence, Rhode Island to perform the encores with the band, which Vaughan and Double Trouble had frequently done for past tours up to that point.

Milkowski wrote that by the time they started playing "Stormy Monday", the audience gave him a well-received response: "Some will no doubt head to their local record stores the next day and peruse the blues bins looking for Otis Rush albums.

[52] As the tour progressed, Vaughan was longing to work on material for his next LP, but in January 1987, he filed for a divorce from his wife Lenny due to the demise of their relationship, which restricted him of starting any projects until the proceedings were finalized.

[59] The album was the band's fourth and final studio work before Vaughan's death in a helicopter accident in August 1990.

[60] Mason Ruffner The Crusaders Henry Lee Summer Clifford Jordan and the Vernel Fournier Trio Charlie Watts Orchestra Dash Rip Rock John Anderson Gregg Allman Band Gregg Allman Band David Lynn Jones Voodoo Cats Jr. Walker & the All-Stars Henry Lee Summer The Smithereens Robert Plant Robert Plant John Kay & Steppenwolf Love Construction Fabio Treves Tom Principato Band