When a Guitar Plays the Blues is the ninth solo studio album by American musician Roy Buchanan. It was released in July 1985 through Alligator Records, marking his first release for the label. Recording sessions took place at Streeterville Studios in Chicago. Production was handled by Buchanan himself together with Bruce Iglauer and Dick Shurman. It features contributions from singers Otis Clay and Gloria Hardiman, Criss Johnson on rhythm guitar, Bill Heid on keyboards, Larry Exum on bass guitar, Morris Jennings on drums, and Steele "Sonny" Seals on saxophone. In the United States, the album peaked at number 161 on the Top Pop Albums chart. At the 28th Annual Grammy Awards held in 1986, it received a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album nomination.