Remembering When a David Bowie Album Featured a Future Superstar on Backing Vocals in 1975

David Bowie often referred to the music he made on the 1975 album Young Americans as “plastic soul.” It was his modest way of saying that he didn’t think he could quite capture the same authentic R&B vibes as Black artists of the day could do.

But Bowie had some ringers on the sessions who certainly helped in that department. One of them was a then-unknown who eventually went on to become one of the most renowned soul singers of all time.

Bowie’s Soul Turn

David Bowie captivated the rock world with his Ziggy Stardust period in the early 70s. Albums like The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars and Diamond Dogs combined the flash of glam rock with Bowie’s candid observations of the deteriorating world around him.

But like all musical shapeshifters, Bowie began to tire of that particular look and style. He also disliked the fact that his live shows were regimented to the point that there was little variance from night to night.

Around that time, Bowie, like so many music fans of the day, became obsessed with the R&B, funk, and soul sounds that were dominating the music world in America. He decided to record an album in that vein. And he even headed to Philadelphia, home of the “Philly Soul” sound, to lay it down.

An Unknown Talent

Bowie’s initial intent was to record with MFSB, the band who backed up so many of those Philly Soul hits. He couldn’t get them. But he did secure time at Sigma Studios, the Philly location where many top R&B artists recorded.

He also knew that he wanted to make extensive use of backing vocalists to get a call-and-response feel in his new songs. Among those he hired was Ava Cherry, whom he was dating around that time. Robin Clark, the wife of Bowie’s guitarist Carlos Alomar, also came along.

Clark brought a 23-year-old friend of hers with whom she’d been singing in various groups since their teens. This young man not only sang backup on most of the songs on the album, later named Young Americans, but he also arranged those backing vocals. The man’s name was Luther Vandross.

Luther’s Influence

Vandross’ influence can be heard on the smash single “Young Americans”, as he came up with the “He was the Young American” refrain that sits alongside Bowie’s ad-libs in the choruses. Album tracks like “Can You Hear Me?” benefit greatly from Vandross’ skills.

On top of that, Vandross even walked away with a songwriting credit. Bowie borrowed the melody of a song that Vandross had written and created the track “Fascination” out of it. That writing credit must have helped pay some bills for Vandross when the Young Americans album became a smash hit.

We all know that Luther Vandross eventually took charge of his own career and became a worldwide superstar. Listen closely to Young Americans, and you’ll hear the first evidence of his monumental talent.

(Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

The post Remembering When a David Bowie Album Featured a Future Superstar on Backing Vocals in 1975 appeared first on American Songwriter.