The Bob Dylan Band

Bob Dylan and The Band in 1974.

**Bob Dylan's Band** (mostly labelled as **Bob Dylan and His Band**) is the band that backs up Bob Dylan either in-studio or on tours. This article is not to be confused with The Band, originally an iteration of The Bob Dylan Band but became their own band. The first band to back up Dylan was the band for the single "Mixed-Up Confusion" in November 1962. The most recent iteration is the 2019 band that backed up Dylan for the 2019 tours.

## Background

Bob Dylan got his start in bands in Minnesota before he discovered folk music, bands like The Jokers and The Golden Chords in the late 1950s. After Dylan discovered folk music in 1959, he dropped rock 'n' roll altogether until July 1965. However, Dylan recorded a single with an electric band in November 1962 called "Mixed-Up Confusion". Rarely, an acoustic band was utilized on the song "Corrina, Corrina" (both the B-side version and the album version), but Dylan did not use a band until 1965. Dylan performed with an electric band at the Newport Folk Festival and were banned quickly afterwards. Ever since 1965, Dylan had used acoustic or electric bands for tours and albums.

## Personnel

### 1950s

The Jokers (1955 – 1958)

* Robert Zimmerman – piano, vocals
* Howard Rutman – vocals
* Larry Kegan – vocals

The Golden Chords (1958 – 1959)

* Bob Zimmerman – vocals, piano
* Monty Edwardson – guitar
* LeRoy Hoikkala – drums

### 1960s

*"Mixed-Up Confusion"* Band (October 1962 – November 1962)

* Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, harmonica
* George Barnes – guitar
* Bruce Langhorne – guitar
* Dick Wellstood – piano
* Gene Ramey – bass
* Herb Lovelle – drums

*"Corrina, Corrina"* Band (October 26, 1962)

* Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, harmonica
* Howie Collins – guitar
* Bruce Langhorne – guitar
* Leonard Gaskin – double bass
* Herb Covelle – drums
* Dick Wellstood – piano

*Bringing It All Back Home* Band (January 13, 1965 – January 15, 1965)

* Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica
* Al Gorgoni – guitar
* John Hammond, Jr. – guitar
* Bruce Langhorne – guitar
* Kenny Rankin – guitar
* Bill Lee – bass
* Joseph Macho, Jr. – bass
* John Sebastian – bass
* Paul Griffin – piano, keyboards
* Frank Owends – piano
* Bobby Gregg – drums

Newport Folk Festival 1965 Band (July 25, 1965)

* Bob Dylan – vocals, guitars, harmonica
* Michael Bloomfield – guitar
* Jerome Arnold – bass
* Al Kooper – bass, organ
* Barry Goldberg – organ
* Sam Lay – drums

*Highway 61 Revisited* Band (June 15, 1965 – August 4, 1965)

* Bob Dylan – vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, piano, slide whistle
* Michael Bloomfield – electric guitar
* Charlie McCoy – acoustic guitar
* Harvey Brooks – bass
* Joseph Macho, Jr. – bass
* Russ Savakus – bass
* Bobby Gregg – drums
* Paul Griffin – piano, organ
* Al Kooper – piano, organ
* Frank Owens – piano
* Bruce Langhorne – tambourine

*Blonde on Blonde* Band (October 2, 1965 – March 10, 1966)

* Bob Dylan – vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, piano
* Robbie Robertson – lead guitar, backing vocals
* Jerry Kennedy – guitar
* Wayne Moss – guitar, backing vocals
* Rick Danko – bass
* Charlie McCoy – bass, guitar, harmonica, trumpet
* Joe South – bass
* Henry Strzelecki – bass, guitar
* Kenneth Buttrey – drums
* Bobby Gregg – drums
* Bill Aikins – keyboards
* Paul Griffin – piano
* Al Kooper – organ, piano
* Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
* Wayne Butler – trombone

Bob Dylan and The Hawks
1966 World Tour: First Leg (February 2, 1966 – March 26, 1966)

* Bob Dylan – vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, piano
* Robbie Robertson – lead guitar
* Rick Danko – bass, backing vocals
* Garth Hudson – organ
* Richard Manuel – piano
* Sandy Konikoff – drums

1966 World Tour: Second and Third Legs (April 9, 1966 – May 27, 1966)

* Bob Dylan – vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, piano
* Robbie Robertson – lead guitar
* Rick Danko – bass, backing vocals
* Garth Hudson – organ
* Richard Manuel – piano
* Mickey Jones – drums

*John Wesley Harding* Band (October 17, 1967 – November 29, 1967)

* Bob Dylan – vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano
* Charlie McCoy – bass guitar
* Kenneth Buttrey – drums
* Pete Drake – pedal steel guitar

*Nashville Skyline* Band (February 12, 1969 – February 21, 1969)

* Bob Dylan – vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, keyboards
* Norman Drake – guitar, resinator
* Charlie Daniels – bass
* Kenneth Buttrey – drums
* Bob Wilson – piano, organ
* Fred Carter, Jr. – guitar
* Charlie McCoy – guitar, harmonica
* Pete Drake – pedal steel guitar
* Johnny Cash – vocals, acoustic guitar ("Girl from the North Country")
* Bob Wootton – electric guitar ("Girl from the North Country")
* Marshall Grant – bass guitar ("Girl from the North Country")
* W.S. Holland – drums ("Girl from the North Country")