Jake Brennan

Plus, David Bowie's big plans for Stevie were growing smaller by the day.

First, it was the opening slot for the whole tour.

But then it got reduced down to just opening shows in America.

And then further reduced to just opening shows in the South.

And then it just got to be that they were only opening for David Bowie for two shows in Texas.

David Bowie's PR team suddenly didn't want to help promote Stevie Ray Vaughan.

They made him agree to not talk about his own music in interviews.

It was ridiculous.

The whole thing made Stevie laugh.

He looked at his Stratocaster leaning against the hotel bed.

All he did for David Bowie was spray some Albert King licks all over a few tracks.

It wasn't any big deal.

He'd been doing that since he was a teenager.

Back in the 1970s, when Albert King pushed open the door to Antone's, one of the best blues clubs in Austin, Stevie Ray Vaughan's eyes went wide.

Albert King was Stevie's favorite guitar player.

But he was more than that.

He was a blues giant.

He was also, like, a real giant.

Albert King was easily a foot taller than Stevie.

He weighed close to 300 pounds.