Catherine Russell

Catherine Russell is an American Grammy-winning jazz and blues singer who was a core touring band member for David Bowie from 2002 to 2004.

During Bowie’s Heathen and Reality tours, Russell performed not only as a backing vocalist, but also as a multi-instrumentalist, contributing keyboards, guitar, and percussion on stage at concerts around the world.

Key facts

Name: Catherine Russell
Role with Bowie: Touring band member
Instruments: Vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion
Years with Bowie: 2002–2004
Key tours: Heathen Tour, Reality Tour
Primary career: Jazz & blues singer (solo artist)

Where Catherine Russell fits in Bowie’s timeline

Catherine Russell belongs to the final touring chapter of David Bowie’s career. After years of studio experimentation in the 1990s, Bowie returned to large-scale touring in the early 2000s with Heathen (2002) and Reality (2003).

Russell was recruited into Bowie’s band during this period, becoming part of the close-knit ensemble that would accompany him on his last major world tours before he permanently stopped touring in 2004.

Role in the touring band (2002–2004)

Unlike many backing vocalists, Catherine Russell occupied a multi-functional role on stage. In addition to singing, she played keyboards, guitar, and percussion, contributing to the layered, organic sound Bowie favored during this era.

She performed nightly at major arenas, theaters, and festivals across Europe, North America, and beyond, becoming a visible and audible presence in Bowie’s live performances.

The Heathen and Reality tours

The Heathen tour presented a mature, reflective Bowie, while the Reality tour combined new material with deep catalog selections. Russell’s versatility allowed Bowie to expand arrangements without relying on large backing sections.

These tours would later gain additional historical weight: they became Bowie’s last sustained period of live performance.

Relationship with Bowie

Russell has spoken warmly of her time with Bowie, describing him as kind, generous, and deeply supportive of his musicians. She became part of what many band members have described as Bowie’s extended “musical family.”

This sense of trust and camaraderie is evident in the relaxed yet precise performances captured during the Reality tour recordings and broadcasts.

Beyond Bowie: solo career and other collaborations

Outside her work with Bowie, Catherine Russell has built an acclaimed solo career as a jazz and blues vocalist. She is a Grammy Award winner and is widely respected for albums such as Harlem on My Mind.

She has also collaborated and toured with major artists including Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, and Cyndi Lauper, further cementing her reputation as a versatile and in-demand musician.

Why Catherine Russell matters in Bowie’s story

Catherine Russell represents the final generation of Bowie collaborators who shared the stage with him on a global scale. Her musicianship helped shape the sound and feel of Bowie’s last tours—an era now viewed with particular reverence.

In that sense, her contribution is not peripheral but historically significant: she was there at the end of Bowie’s life as a touring artist.