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Key developments
Bob Britt says Dylan exit was voluntary
Guitarist Bob Britt, who had played with Bob Dylan since 2019 and appeared regularly on the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour, said he left Dylan’s live band by choice and was not fired. Reports from WTYE and American Songwriter say Britt cited private reasons, denied animosity toward Dylan or the touring group, and plans to return to session work, including finishing Etta’s gospel record.
Why it matters
Britt’s statement directly addresses speculation around a sudden lineup change during Dylan’s active North American summer tour.
Sources & driving stories
WTYE
WTYE coverageAMERICAN SONGWRITER
American Songwriter coverageJoel Paterson joins Dylan touring band
Chicago guitarist Joel Paterson joined Dylan’s band in Austin, Texas, after recent guitar-slot turnover involving Doug Lancio, Julian Lage, and Bob Britt. Mark Guarino reported in the Chicago Sun-Times that Paterson, known for more than 25 years in Chicago and a Green Mill Monday-night residency, told bandmates he had to work with someone named “Bob” after being scheduled with The Western Elstons in Andersonville. Paterson is expected at Dylan’s upcoming Northerly Island show in Chicago, while his status for October dates in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark remains unconfirmed.
Why it matters
The hire gives Dylan a new onstage guitarist during an ongoing tour, but the duration and stability of the lineup remain unclear.
Sources & driving stories
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES · Mark Guarino
Chicago Sun-Times coverageFLAGGING DOWN THE DOUBLE E'S · Ray Padgett
Flagging Down the Double E's coverageWorth noting
WORTH NOTING
1986 Akron sit-in revisited
Jesse Jarnow’s Flagging Down installment details Dylan’s first onstage performance with the Grateful Dead at the Rubber Bowl, including the three-song sit-in and surviving local TV footage.
WORTH NOTING
Yondr debate cites Dylan precedent
Far Out’s Matthew Ingate uses Dylan’s long resistance to audience photography and recent Rough and Rowdy Ways Yondr enforcement as a case study in the current phone-free concert debate.
Still unclear
OPEN QUESTION
Is Paterson temporary or long-term?
Chicago coverage says Paterson is expected for the upcoming Northerly Island show, but his role for Dylan’s October Scandinavian dates is not confirmed.
OPEN QUESTION
Will lineup churn reshape the set?
Recent reports note rare setlist returns and arrangement changes amid guitarist turnover, raising the question of whether the band changes are affecting performance choices.