Age ain’t nothing but a number—just ask Bob Dylan and Elvin Bishop. Universally regarded among the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has never had to grasp for relevance throughout his 60-year career. Bishop also came by his place in the blues pantheon honestly, getting his start in 1963 as the Butterfield Blues Band’s lead guitarist. When the two share a stage, you can expect magic to happen. And “magic” is the best way to describe the legends’ recent duet.
Elvin Bishop Joins Bob Dylan Onstage
Bob Dylan took a dark turn with his 35th studio album, 2012’s Tempest. One critic called the album’s lead single, “Early Roman Kings,” a “late Dylan masterpiece” with its wry lyrics (I ain’t dead yet / My bell still rings / I keep my fingers crossed / Like them early Roman kings.)
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The “Blowin’ in the Wind” singer is currently making the rounds with Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Brittney Spencer on the 2024 Outlaw Music Festival Tour. On Saturday (Aug. 3,) the tour stopped at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. There, special guest Elvin Bishop joined his fellow blues legend onstage for a rendition of “Early Roman Kings.”
“Elvin, how you doing?” said Dylan, 83, characteristically dressed down in a black jacket and stocking cap. The Nobel Prize winner then cracked the barest of smiles and said, “I don’t think he’s paying attention.”
Once the song began, however, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, 81, was clearly paying attention to his guitar. “Just a few octogenerians absolutely BRINGING IT!” wrote one YouTube user.
The Outlaw Music Festival’s next stop is today (Sunday, Aug. 4) at Toyota Amphitheatre in Wheatland, California.
Dylan Goes Off Script With Outlaw Set
Even at 83 years young, Bob Dylan is still full of surprises. Fans showed up for his Outlaw Music Festival set expecting to hear mostly songs from his 2020 album, Rough and Rowdy Ways. Instead, the June 22 crowd in Alpharetta, Georgia, was treated to a bevy of ’50s covers, including Chuck Berry’s “Little Queenie” and Willie Dixon’s “My Babe.”
The blues icon offered no explanation for the switch-up. Perhaps this ability to keep things fresh is the reason for Dylan’s musical longevity.
Featured image by Richard Isaac/Shutterstock
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