Which blues guitarist played on David Bowie's Let's Dance album?

Stevie Ray Vaughan played guitar on David Bowie’s Let’s Dance album.

The Texas blues guitarist supplied lead guitar for the 1983 record, which Bowie co-produced with Nile Rodgers. Vaughan was still relatively unknown when the sessions took place, but his expressive, blues-rooted playing gave the album’s polished dance-rock sound a distinctive edge.

Bowie first saw Vaughan perform at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Impressed by the young guitarist, Bowie recruited him for the New York recording sessions at the Power Station. Vaughan contributed to the album’s songs, including the title track, “China Girl” and “Cat People (Putting Out Fire).”

The album marked a major change in Bowie’s working method: for the first time on one of his albums, he sang but played no instruments. Nile Rodgers handled rhythm guitar, while Vaughan’s lead work helped define the record’s biggest singles. Vaughan’s own debut album with Double Trouble had not yet been released when Bowie hired him.