Anyway, on Nashville Skyline you had to read between the lines. I was trying to grasp something that would lead me on to where I thought I should be, and it didn’t go nowhere – it just went down, down, down.
~Bob Dylan (to Jonathan Cott, Sept 1978)
Historic event
Feb 13, 1961
Dylan turns up at Gerdes Folk City with his birth certificate and gets to play. It is very likely that he now starts to play every Monday night at the Gerdes hootenannies, until Porco finally books him for a paying gig.
~Clinton Heylin (Bob Dylan: A Life in Stolen Moments Day by Day 1941-1995)
Well, Jann, I’ll tell you something. There’s not too much of a change in my singing style, but I’ll tell you something which is true… I stopped smoking. When I stopped smoking my voice changed… So drastically, I couldn’t believe it myself. That’s true. I tell you, you stop smoking those cigarettes (laughter)… and you’ll be able to sing like Caruso.
~Bob Dylan (to Jann Wenner Nov 1969)
Anyway, on Nashville Skyline you had to read between the lines. I was trying to grasp something that would lead me on to where I thought I should be, and it didn’t go nowhere – it just went down, down, down.
~Bob Dylan (to Jonathan Cott, Sept 1978)
The first recording session for “Nashville Skyline” was held on February 12, 1969 – but no recordings sheets are available from this session. The second session took place the day after – February 13, 1969. Dylan landed 3 master versions this evening.
At every point in my life I’ve had to make decisions for what I believed in. Sometimes I’ve ended up hurting people that I’ve loved. Other times I’ve ended up loving people that I never thought I would.
~Bob Dylan (to Karen Hughes, May 21, 1980)
Historic event
Feb 12, 1961
Dylan sends a second postcard to the Whitakers. In it he states that he visits Guthrie four times a week and that he has been playing The Commons
“where people clap for me.”
~Clinton Heylin (Bob Dylan: A Life in Stolen Moments Day by Day 1941-1995)
Dylan receives the Grammy for Best Vocal Performance 1979 (for his “Gotta Serve Somebody” single) at the 22nd Grammy Award at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In his acceptance speech he thanks “The Lord, Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett who believed”.
