Rock History

2011 – Suzi Rotolo, Bob Dylan’s former girlfriend dies on This Day In Rock! After meeting backstage at one of his gigs, Dylan was overcome by Suzi’s raw beauty.

From Dylan’s 2004 memoir, he described her as one of the most charming spectacles he has ever seen:

“She was the most erotic thing I’d ever seen. She was fair skinned and golden haired, full-blooded Italian. The air was suddenly filled with banana leaves. We started talking and my head started to spin. Cupid’s arrow had whistled past my ears before, but this time it hit me in the heart and the weight of it dragged me overboard.”

She was immortalized on Dylan’s “The Freewheelin’”. The rendition above is taken from that cover.

2009 – Bob Dylan went to No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Together Through Life’ his seventh UK No.1 album. It was the singer, songwriter’s 33rd studio album, he last topped the UK chart with ‘New Morning’ in 1970. His first No.1 in 1964, was ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’. Dylan now held the record, (previously held by Tom Jones), for the longest gap between solo number one albums.

2009 – Bob Dylan mingled unnoticed with other Beatles tourists during a minibus tour to John Lennon’s childhood home. He was one of 14 tourists to examine photos and documents in the National Trust-owned home, where Lennon grew up with his aunt Mimi and uncle George. Dylan who was on a day off on a European tour paid £16 for the public trip to the 1940s house in Woolton, Liverpool.

2005 – “Like a Rolling Stone” was at the top of a poll of Rock and Film stars on This Day in Rock! The poll was gauging music, movies, TV shows, and books that changed the world. Other winners:

2. Heartbreak Hotel | Elvis Presley 1965

Sir Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher, Robert Downey Jr, Rolling Stone Keith Richards and Lou Reed were among those who gave their opinions.

2004 – Bob Dylan was awarded an honorary degree by the University of St. Andrews Scotland’s oldest University and made a “Doctor of Music.”

2001 – two security guards were sacked after refusing to allow Bob Dylan into his own concert. Dylan who had demanded that security on his ‘Love and Theft’ tour should be tighter than ever didn’t have a pass when he arrived backstage.

1999 – The Las Vegas House of Blues opens with a performance by Bob Dylan. U2′s Bono joins him to sing “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.”

Bob Dylan

1998 – Bob Dylan wins three Grammys at this year’s ceremony, including Best Album for his career renaissance Time out of Mind. While performing a song from the album, he is interrupted by a rogue performance artist with the words “soy bomb” painted on his chest. The freewheelin’ one doesn’t flinch.

1990 – Bob Dylan unexpectedly joins Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman and David Crosby to sing “Mr. Tambourine Man” at a Los Angeles tribute to the late Roy Orbison. It is the first time in 25 years that the three former Byrds perform together onstage.

1987 – Neo-bluesman Taj Mahal plays Hollywood’s Palimino Club. By the end of the gig, he’s been joined onstage by George Harrison, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, and Jesse Ed Davis.

1978 – during a European tour Bob Dylan played the first of six sold out nights at London’s Earl Court.

1977 – Sara Lowndes Dylan files for divorce from Bob Dylan in Santa Monica, Calif.