Category Archives: Country

Blues, Bob Dylan, Country, Cover versions, Music Calendar

March 02: Alvin Youngblood Hart was born in 1963 – here playing Dylan’s Just like a woman




Alvin Youngblood Hart (born Gregory Edward Hart, March 2, 1963 in Oakland, California, United States) is a Grammy Award-winning American musician.

Hart was born in Oakland, California, and spent some time in Carroll County, Mississippi, in his youth, where he was influenced by the Mississippi Country Blues performed by his relatives.  Hart is known as one of the world’s foremost practitioners of country blues. He is also known as a faithful torchbearer for the 1960s and 1970s guitar rock of his youth, as well as Western Swing and vintage country. His music has been compared to a list of diverse artists ranging from Lead Belly, Spade Cooley to acoustic and electric guitar as well as banjo and sometimes the mandolin. Bluesman Taj Mahal once said about Hart: “The boy has got thunder in his hands.” Hart himself said, “I guess my big break came when I opened for Taj Mahal for four nights at Yoshi’s.”
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Bob Dylan, Country, Cover versions, Johnny Cash

November 8: Bob Dylan Big River (Johnny Cash) Baltimore 1999

bob dylan baltimore 1999

Well I taught that weeping willow how to cry cry cry,
Taught the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
Tears I cried for that woman are gonna flood you big river,
And Im a gonna sit right here until I die.

Baltimore Arena
Baltimore, Maryland
8 November 1999

Musicians:

  • Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar)
  • Charlie Sexton (guitar)
  • Larry Campbell (guitar, mandolin, pedal steel guitar & electric slide guitar)
  • Tony Garnier (bass)
  • David Kemper (drums & percussion)

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Bob Dylan, Country, Johnny Cash, List, Video

Top 10 country versions of Bob Dylan songs

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Top 10 country versions of Bob Dylan songs

People sometimes seem surprised that Bob Dylan looks more and more as a country artist, but they forget that country and folk were essentially the same genre once, and rock’n roll began as the rockabilly side of country. Bob Dylan’s connection to country music should not be a surprise to anyone.

“Even at a young age, I identified with Hank Williams. I’d never seen a robin weep but could imagine it and it made me sad. When he sang ‘the news is out, all over town’ I knew what that was, even though I didn’t know. When he died it was like a great tree had fallen. Hearing about Hank’s death caught me squarely at the shoulder. The silence of outer space never seemed so loud.” – Bob Dylan

I have picked my favourite country versions of his songs, some I found only audio of. Some of the songs are by other artists and some are collaborations between Bob Dylan and other artists.

“I keep a close watch on this heart of mine . . . I must have recited those lines to myself a million times. Johnny’s voice was so big it made the world grow small.” – Bob Dylan

10. Kris Kristofferson – Quinn the eskimo, from the recently released Chimes Of Freedom in honor of 50 years of Amnesty International, wonderful and rough version:

9. Every grain of sand – Emmylou Harris, from her album Wrecking Ball (1995) my favourite Emmylou album.

Emmylou Harris live May 24 2016:

8. It Ain’t Me, Babe – Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, released on Orange Blossom Special in 1965. We have chosen a version from an Australian TV-show in 1973:

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Bob Dylan, Country, Indie, List, Rock, Singer Songwriter

13 great Americana versions of Bob Dylan songs

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Dylan_Bob_280_1973.jpg

13 great Americana versions of Bob Dylan songs

Americana is an amalgam of roots music formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influences. Americana, as defined by the Americana Music Association (AMA), is “contemporary music that incorporates elements of various American roots music styles, including country, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues, resulting in a distinctive roots-oriented sound that lives in a world apart from the pure forms of the genres upon which it may draw. While acoustic instruments are often present and vital, Americana also often uses a full electric band.”

A while ago I did a post on my top 10 country versions of Bob Dylan songs (soon to be updated), since then I’ve been made aware of a lot more songs from people who read the original post. Then most of my pickings where of classic country leaning on outlaw country, in this post I will concentrate on the new generation of country/ alt. country.

Dylan Outlaw Cowboy

Here are 13 favourite Bob Dylan songs performed by Americana artists. Lets start with a great live version:

Bobby Long & John Fullbright – It’s Not Dark Yet:

What a wonderful sound and such a great performance. These guys are just so good!

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Bob Dylan, Country, Cover versions, Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash covers Bob Dylan – part 2

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Redirecting to a newer version of this post….

“I love Bob Dylan, I really do. I love his early work, I love the first time he plugged in electrically, I love his Christian albums, I love his other albums.”
~Johnny Cash

In this series of post I’ll present all the Dylan covers by Johnny Cash I could find. They will be presented chronologically with facts related to the recording.

PS! duets are not included, rather check out:

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Here is part 1: Johnny Cash covers Bob Dylan – part 1

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One Too Many Mornings
Date: October 29, 1965
Location: Columbia Studio, Nashville, TN.
Producers: Don Law – Frank Jones.
Released: Johnny And June (1979), Bootleg Volume II: From Memphis To Hollywood   (2011) & The Man In Black 1963-1969, Plus   (1995)

bootleg_volume_2_from_memphis_to-13606238-frntl

Continue reading Johnny Cash covers Bob Dylan – part 2 →