Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
Dylan Hails Bloomfield As Top Guitarist
Coverage from Flagging Down The Double E's, Far Out Magazine, and others
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Executive Summary
Bob Dylan credits Mike Bloomfield as his top guitarist, highlighting how Bloomfield shaped Dylan's electric shift on Highway 61 Revisited.
- Dylan said Bloomfield was the best guitar player he had ever heard
- Bloomfield played on Highway 61 Revisited and Like a Rolling Stone
- Dylan valued feeling and expression over technical virtuosity
- Bloomfield's raw blues tone fit Dylan's move from folk to rock
- Bloomfield came from Chicago blues scenes and studied acoustic folk too
- Dylan also worked with The Band, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, and later the Grateful Dead
- Bloomfield's playing helped define Dylan's mid-1960s electric sound
Quick Facts
- What: Dylan praised Bloomfield as his greatest guitar influence
- Where: Chicago and recording sessions for Highway 61 Revisited
- Why: Bloomfield matched Dylan's shift to electric rock
- Who: Bob Dylan and guitarist Mike Bloomfield
- When: Mid-1960s, especially 1965
Coverage Timeline: 1386 Days
Featured Article
Flagging Down the Double E's presents an online playlist feature where Bob Dylan collaborators recount notable performances from concerts, tours, television, and special events.
Additional Articles
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Bob Dylan credits Mike Bloomfield as his greatest-heard guitar player for his mid-1960s electric recordings, including Highway 61 Revisited and Like a Rolling Stone.
An article published on Far Out Magazine profiles Bob Dylan’s emphasis on songwriting and spotlights Mike Bloomfield’s guitar role on Highway 61 Revisited.
In a 2025 retrospective article, The Aquarian recounts Mike Bloomfield's collaborations with Bob Dylan and Bloomfield's rise and decline from the 1960s onward.
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The article compiles five songs featuring Michael Bloomfield to illustrate his influence on 1960s blues-rock and notable collaborations.
In Chicago in the early 1960s, Bob Dylan met Michael Bloomfield and later used Bloomfield in Highway 61 Revisited studio sessions.
Roger McGuinn discusses jamming with George Harrison, teaching Mike Bloomfield, and the Byrds' evolution in a Guitar Player interview.
Dylan named Mike Bloomfield the best guitarist he heard, and Bloomfield performed with Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
Bob Dylan discusses guitarists Mike Bloomfield and George Harrison in interviews and Rolling Stone features between 2000 and 2009.