Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan are certainly two of the most influential and successful musicians of all time. For more than six decades, both of them not only were part of the evolution of Rock, Folk and Blues, but also had the chance to see the music business change completely many times. The American artist started his career in 1957, releasing his debut album in 1962, the same year Clapton started his musical career.
Clapton did not always talk about other artists but he gave his opinion on the legendary American Folk Rock artist Bob Dylan a few times.
Eric Clapton’s opinion on Bob Dylan
Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan have deep respect for each other and played together many times. Clapton said that he had the chance to meet the American artist still in the 60s but he really started to like him after he listened to the 1966 album “Blonde on Blonde”. In an interview with Classic Rock in 2016, the British guitarist praised the Folk Rock artist, calling him a “fantastic mysterioso”. “I’m trying to think. I do it about Dylan to a certain extent. He manages to create that ethos about himself; he’s a fantastic mysterioso… I like the way he keeps that going, and I will follow that. I’m as guilty as anyone of falling for that.”
As pointed out by Jama’s Alphabet Soup, Eric once defined Bob as a poet and more, although Dylan doesn’t believe in that all the time. “He’s a poet. Basically he’s a poet. He does not trust his voice. (Bob) doesn’t trust his guitar playing. He doesn’t think he’s good at anything, except writing—and even then he has self-doubts.”
He continued:
“Have you heard that thing he wrote about Woody Guthrie? That to me is the sum of his life’s work so far. Whatever happens, that is it. That sums it up,” Eric Clapton said.
Both musicians know each other for decades and had the chance to see each other and also play together many times. In 1975, for example, Clapton released the album “No Reason to Cry”, which had the track “Sign Language”. That song was written by Bob Dylan, who played the guitar in the track. That same year, Clapton was part of Arthur Louis’ version of Dylan’s “Knockn’ On Heaven’s Door“, which gave a Reggae touch to the track.
Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton played together many times
Three years later, they both were part of the historical final The Band concert (In the 70s). That show became the famous concert movie “The Last Waltz”, directed by Martin Scorsese. They were both good friends of the late guitarist Robbie Robertson, who was part of Dylan’s band for a few years.
Clapton and Dylan performed live a few times over the years. Like in 1993 when a celebration concert happened to celebrate Dylan’s 30th anniversary as a recording artist. Eric performed that day the song “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”. A few years later they would perform “Crossroads” together in 1999.
The performance happened at the charity concert, made by Clapton. The revenue being donated to the Crossroads Centre Foundation, which is s a substance-abuse rehabilitation centre for drug and alcohol addiction. The centre is located on the Caribbean island of Antigua in Antigua and Barbuda. It was founded with the support of Eric Clapton in 1998.
In 1998 Clapton covered the Bob Dylan song “Born in Time” on his album “Pilgrim” in 1998. That track was originally released by the American artist on his 1990 record “Under the Red Sky”.