Dave Stewart is dusting off Eurythmics classics Sunday at the Spokane Arena

A quarter-century has passed since “Peace,” the last Eurythmics album, was released. The iconic duo of singer-songwriter Annie Lennox and guitarist-songwriter-producer Dave Stewart toured behind the album, but 1999 was essentially the end for the band.

Their timeless smash hit “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” topped the U.S Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, and propelled their career. Over a decade later, Lennox focused on a solo career, because she was never fond of touring. And Stewart, meanwhile, worked on significant side projects.

Stewart’s production credits are akin to a who’s who of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which enshrined the Eurythmics in 2022. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Mick Jagger, Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin and Hall & Oates, are just a few of the legends who worked with Stewart.

The Eurythmics tunes were in the rearview until Nile Rodgers, who was curating London’s Meltdown Festival in 2019, asked Stewart to dust off some old hits for the event.

“I wasn’t thinking about the Eurythmics until Nile asked if I would close out the Meltdown Festival,” Stewart said, while calling from Nashville. “He said, ‘Why don’t you play Eurythmics songs with guests and I’ll play too?’ It was good fun.”

Stewart planned to hit the road in 2020 with guest singers, but the pandemic nixed his plans.

After the Eurythmics were enshrined in the Rock Hall, Stewart put together his “Eurythmics Songbook: Sweet Dreams” 40th anniversary tour, which is part of Bryan Adams’ “So Happy It Hurts Tour,” on stage Sunday at the Spokane Arena. Vanessa Amorosi, RAHH and Stewart’s daughter, Kaya Stewart, will belt out such Eurythmic hits as “Here Comes the Rain Again,” “Love is a Stranger” and of course, “Sweet Dreams.”

“I have three singers with me who possess different qualities and tones,” Stewart said. “Vanessa is one of the greatest singers in the world. RAHH is incredible and my daughter is amazing.”

It’ll be literal when Stewart and his band play “Sisters are Doing it For Themselves,” since the Grammy Award winner will be flanked by an all-female band. Keyboardist Hannah Koppenburg, bassist Julia Lamb, drummer Ellie Eat and harmonica player Indiara Sfair will perform with Stewart while opening for Adams.

“I’ve always been attracted to powerful women and that describes everyone playing with me,” Stewart said.

Lennox gave Stewart her blessing for the jaunt.

“Annie sent me a lovely note the first day of the tour in Europe,” Stewart said. “She wrote, ‘You’re probably going to go onstage and I’m thinking of you and I hope all goes well.’ When we played (London’s) Royal Festival Hall, Annie sent flowers and champagne.”

The grind has prevented Lennox from touring.

“Annie never liked going on the road,” Stewart said. “She always found it to be super stressful. It’s grueling and it was rough on her voice. I understand it.

“Annie tried her best not to get the flu or a cold and little things, like control of an air-conditioner, makes it difficult for a singer.”

The Eurythmics were labeled by some critics as a synth-pop band but there is much more to their sound.

“Sisters are Doing it For Themselves” is an R&B feminist anthem, which was buoyed by a gospel choir, the Charles Williams Singers and the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty’s band, which includes guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench and drummer Stan Lynch.

“We were more multi-faceted than people give us credit for,” Stewart said. “We had trumpet solos, guitar solos and I would play slide guitar. We were more than an electronic band.”

Stewart has been much more than a member of the Eurythmics.

“It’s been a fascinating career working with so many amazing recording artists,” Stewaert said. “I have had so many amazing experiences.”

While producing Petty and the Heartbreaker’s “Southern Accents” in 1985, Stewart added another element to an autobiographical album. The quirky “Don’t Come Around Here No More” came from Stewart.

“I wrote part of that song in a hotel well before ‘Southern Accents,’” Stewart said. “I was playing sitar and a synthesizer bass and I was singing ‘Don’t Come Around Here No More,’ and I thought it would be good for Stevie Nicks. But by accident it ended up in Tom’s hands.

“It didn’t fit at all with ‘Southern Accents.’ But Tom was going through a lot of turmoil in his life, and he just went with it, since he liked the song.”

“Don’t Come Around Here” became one of Petty’s biggest hits.

“That’s the job of a producer-songwriter,” Stewart said. “You try to make a difference. I remember suggesting at the end of the song that the Heartbreakers come in and play at double time and then Mike Campbell comes in with that wah wah (guitar) solo at the end and it’s just brilliant. It was a pleasure working with Tom, since he took chances.”

Stewart has had a myriad of surreal moments during his venerable career.

“While producing an Irish recording artist, the receptionist told me that I had a call from Bob Dylan,” Stewart said. “I thought it was a joke. I thought it was the guy I was working with. I picked up the phone and said, ‘Yeah,’ and it was Dylan. Nobody can sound like him. Dylan asked about meeting up and we met at a Thai restaurant to talk about working on a project.

“Another random memory was having Diana Ross say to me backstage at a concert that she wanted to go to the loo, but the lock didn’t work. She asked if I could stand there while she went to the loo. It’s been a fascinating life.”

One of Stewart’s favorite production gigs was working on Mick Jagger’s “Primitive Cool” solo album.

“People don’t realize that Mick can do it all,” Stewart said. “He’s a great songwriter as well as being an incredible singer and unbelievable frontman. It’s so difficult for him to make solo albums, since he does all that he can to not sound like the Rolling Stones. It’s tough because as soon as he opens his mouth, he sounds like the Stones.

“He and I wrote a bunch of songs that were never used for that album because he said they sounded too much like the Stones. But we made the album and it was an incredible time working with Mick. I’m so thankful for all of those opportunities I’ve had in this business.”

If the Eurythmics didn’t break, the odds are Stewart wouldn’t be the producer of some of the biggest stars in the industry.

“It all goes back to the Eurythmics,” Stewart said. “I’m thankful every night about the collaboration with Annie. The bonus is that the music lives on live with this tour, which I never would have believed would happen a few years ago.”