Part 15 - Side Projects

As well as the recordings that Stevie made with his own bands, he found time to guest on other artists' projects.
This is a list of known collaborations he made with these other artists.

1979 - W.C. Clark - My Song / Rough Edges (7”)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - WC Clark Rough Edges

“Rough Edges”

Stevie played guitar on the B-side of this single. Clark recorded Rough Edges 3 times, but Stevie only played on this version.


1983 - David Bowie - Let’s Dance (LP, CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - David Bowie Let's Dance


"China Girl"
"Let's Dance"
"Without You"

"Ricochet"
"Criminal World"
"Cat People (Putting Out Fire"
"Shake It"

Stevie played on seven of the eight tracks on this album. Modern Love was the only exception. He recorded his parts in just 2.5 hours of studio time in January 1983.


There is also a remix of “Shake It” (3:49) that appeared on the B-side of some versions of the single of China Girl and an extended version (5:25) on the B-side of some 12” releases.

Stevie Ray Vaughan - David Bowie Let's Dance

 “Cat People” is a re-recording and not the same version as appeared in the film. Stevie did not play on the film version. 


1983 - Johnny Copeland - Texas Twister (LP)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Johnny Copeland Texas Twister

"Don't Stop By the Creek, Son"
"When the Rain Starts Fallin’”

‘When the Rain Starts Fallin’ was dropped from the CD version of Texas Twister, but was released in 1987 on the CD" When the Rain Starts Fallin".

“Don’t Stop By the Creek Son” was later released on the SRV Box Set in 2000 and “Solos, Sessions & Encores” in 2007.

Note that the CD of the same name, is a compilation album with a different tracklisting, despite have the same title and artwork.

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Johnny Copeland Texas Twister

Both tracks appeared together on the Blues Collection Volume 56 CD, given away with the Blues Collection partwork. 

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Johnny Copeland Texas Twister


1984 - Marcia Ball - Soulful Dress (LP, CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Marcia Ball Soulful Dress

"Soulful Dress”

Subsequently released on “Solos, Sessions & Encores” in 2007.


1985 - Lonnie Mack - Strike Like Lightning (LP, CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Lonnie Mack Strike Like Lightning

"Hound Dog Man"
"Satisfy Susie"
"Double Whammy"
"If You Have to Know"
"Oreo Cookie Blues"

“If you Have to Know” was later released on the SRV Box Set in 2000. A live version of “Oreo Cookie Blues”  (from Fox Theater 31/12/1986) was later released on “Solos, Sessions & Encores” in 2007.


SRV also produced this album.


1985 - Roy Head - Living for a Song (LP)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Roy Head - Living for a Song

"Louisiana Back Road"

(and possibly others)

There are no credits anywhere on the artwork. 


1985 - James Brown - Living in America (7”, 12”)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - James Brown Living in America

"Living in America”

Taken from the soundtrack for 'Rocky IV' in 1986 and released as a single.


There were many different versions of the song released eg extended R&B remix, extended dance version, instrumental version, rock and roll version. Most of these mixes used variants of the same cover.

The R&R version (GER: 120·14·019) is the one where SRV is highest in the mix. On hearing it SRV was dissatisfied with the final results ofthis recording and tried to have his name removed from it. 

After repeated takes and spending nearly the whole day in the studio, SRVs playing was virtually indiscernible in most mixes, the rock’n’roll mix being the exception.

Stevie Ray Vaughan - James Brown Living in America

The song appeared on James Brown’s “Gravity” album a year later, in 1986. 


1985 - Bennie Wallace - Twilight Time (LP, CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Bennie Wallace Twilight Time

"All Night Dance"
"Trouble In Mind"

“All Night Dance” also appeared on the 1988 “Bull Durham” movie soundtrack. 


1986 - Don Johnson - Heartbeat (LP, CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Don Johnson Heartbeat

"Heartache Away"
"Love Roulette"

Don Johnson was a big enough name, as the star of Miami Vice to get the likes of SRV, Bonnie Raitt, Ron Wood, Willie Nelson, to play on his album.


SRV plays on 2 tracks on this album and a third track on the 12 inch single (see below).

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Don Johnson Heartbeat

Don Johnson also made an hour long video called Heartbeat. It is a surrealistic journey into the experiences and reflections of a documentary filmmaker (played by Johnson) as he evaluates the people and places that have made up his life.

There is no dialogue, just the music from the “Heartbeat” album. 


1986 - Don Johnson - Heartache Away (12”)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Don Johnson Heartache Away

"Heartache Away"
"Love Roulette"
"Streetwise"

Streetwise is on the B-side of the European 12” single of “Heartache Away” and does not appear on the album.


1986 - Gung Ho (Movie)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Gung Ho Movie

Stevie plays on just under 10 minutes of instrumental music during the course of the film, although he does not play on the theme tune.

The soundtrack also includes“Tuff Enuff” by The Fabulous Thunderbirds. No official soundtrack was ever released.

The film was released on VHS and DVD. 


1986 - Teena Marie - Emerald City (LP, CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Teena Marie Emerald City

"You So Heavy” 


1986 - Stevie Wonder - Characters (LP, CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Stevie Wonder Characters

"Come Let Me Make Your Love Come Down”

BB King also appears on this track.


1986 - Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat (LP, CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat

"First We Take Manhattan” (LP Version)  (3:44)

The 7” (Radio Remix) single of this track was an edited version at 3:32.

Stevie also appears in the video for this track playing No 1. 


1986 - Jennifer Warnes - First We Take Manhattan (12”)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Jennifer Warnes First We Take Manhattan

"First We Take Manhattan” (extended remix) (3:59)

The extended remix only appears on the Cypress Records US promo (CYPRO 111) and removes the spoken word intro, places SRV's playing further forward in the mix and extends the song by 15 seconds.

Also known as the “Stevie Ray Vaughan Extended Remix”.


1987 - A.C. Reed - I’m in the Wrong Business (LP, CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - AC Reed I'm in the Wrong Business

"I Can't Go on This Way"
"These Blues Is Killing Me"
"Miami Strut"

“These Blues is Killing Me” was later released on the SRV Box Set in 2000.

“Miami Strut” was released on “Solos, Sessions & Encores” in 2007. 


1988 - Brian Slawson - Distant Drums (LP. CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Brian Slawson Distant Drums

"Bumble Bee Blues"

SRV also provides vocals on this song. 


1988 - Bill Carter - Loaded Dice (LP)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Bill Carter Loaded Dice

"Loaded Dice"
"Na Na Ne Na Nay"
"Chain of Fools"

“Na Na Ne Na Nay” was later released on Solos, Sessions & Encores” in 2007. The other 2 are still not available on CD.

JLV also plays on the album. Carter co-wrote “Crossfire” and ‘Willy the Wimp”. 


1990 - Bob Dylan - Under the Red Sky (LP, CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Bob Dylan Under the Red Sky

"10,000 Men"
"God Knows"
"Cat's in the Well"

Jimmie Vaughan also plays on this album. 


1994 - Doyle Bramhall - Bird Nest on the Ground (CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Doyle Brammal Bird Nest on the Ground

"Too Sorry"

Recorded in 1981 this song also featured Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon, making it the first ever studio recording by SRV and Double Trouble, albeit with a different vocalist.  


1996 - Jerry Lynn Williams - The Peacemaker (CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Jerry Lynn Williams The Peacemaker

"Just How You Play the Game"

Recorded in 1990 and thought to be SRV’s last ever studio recording. 


2004 - Zucchero - Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime (CDS)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Zucchero Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime

"Mama" (Madre Dolcissima)"

Originally recorded in 1989 but not released until 2004 when it was reworked and released on the "Everybody’s got to Learn Sometime" CD single.

There was also a limited edition CD released in Italy with bonus DVD which included a (slightly shortened) video of the song, featuring SRV in the studio.

The video appeared again in 2005 on the "Zu and Co Live at the Royal Albert Hall" DVD.

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Zucchero Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime

In 2006 a 2CD + DVD set of this album was released which was essentially the Italian version of the album 
bundled with the Zu & Co concert DVD (without the SRV video), and including a bonus CD of the various international versions and non-album tracks (including the SRV song). 


2005 - Marc Benno and the Nightcrawlers - Crawlin’ (CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Marc Benno and the Night Crawlers Crawlin'

"Last Train"
"Coffee Cup"
"8 Ball"
"Take Me Down Easy"
"Love Is Turnin' Green"
"Hot Shoe Blues"
"Crawlin'"
"Friends"
"Whole Thang"
“Slammer Jammer”
"World Keep Spinnin"
"Long Ride Home" 

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Marc Benno and the Night Crawlers Crawlin'

Limited to 1000 copies and released in Japan in 2005 to coincide with Marc Benno’s 2005 Japanese tour, this is the previously unreleased album recorded for A&M records in 1973 which features SRV and Doyle Bramhall.

Seven of the eight recorded tracks are included, plus five "bonus" tracks that also feature SRV which were recorded some months later for Benno’s planned solo album after A&M scrapped the Nightcrawlers album.


Crawlin' was released in the US in 2006 with new cover art, but without "Slammer Jammer". The master tapes for this song had degraded and this can be heard on the Japanese release, which is maybe why it was dropped for the 2006 US release. 


2017 - Midge Marsden - The Midge Marsden Collection (2CD)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Midge Marsden Collection

"Travelin’ On Europa"

Official release on CD of the soundtrack to the 1988 New Zealand Europa Oil TV commercial featuring SRV on guitar.


Only released in New Zealand.

(see also reference to this in "Videos" section.)


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