STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN WITH DAVID BOWIE
THE 1983 REHEARSAL BROADCAST

In January 1983, David Bowie invited Stevie Ray Vaughan to record guitar for six new tracks he’d written for his upcoming album, Let’s Dance. Vaughan’s powerful and unique guitar work brought a fresh sound to Bowie’s music, most famously on songs like ‘China Girl’ and the record’s title track. With the album a success, Bowie was keen for Vaughan to join his group for the subsequent Serious Moonlight Tour. However, with Vaughan reluctant to leave Double Trouble (who had just finished recording their debut album, Texas Flood), David’s management offered to let the group open the show on select tour dates. However, just four days before the tour began, Bowie's team reneged, telling Vaughan’s manager, Chesley Millikin,that the band would not be included and, furthermore, Vaughan wasn't allowed to talk about the group or its new record in interviews. With the offer pulled, Milikin understandably took Vaughan off the tour. And although both artists still achieved huge critical and commercial success during the 1980s, what they might have gone on to do together remains one of rock's great "What Ifs". No video footage of Bowie and Vaughan performing together is known to exist. However, rehearsals for the tour, which took place at the Las Colinas Soundstage in Dallas - Stevie Ray’s hometown - on 26th April 1983, were not only recorded but broadcast on local radio too, thus allowing these legendary sessions to be heard again today.