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EP. 149 Bob Dylan’s Country Roots Explain More Than You Think
Description
Bob Dylan gets labeled a hundred different ways, but one connection keeps coming back: COUNTRY.
On this episode of The Ben Maynard Program, I sit down with author, producer, and longtime music business professor Don Cusic to talk about his book Country Bob: Dylan and Country Music and the surprising musical thread connecting Dylan to Hank Williams, Nashville, Johnny Cash, and the storytelling heart of American music.
We talk about why Hank Williams was Dylan’s “first hero,” what he learned from Woody Guthrie, and how the folk and country worlds were never as separate as people sometimes think. Don also explains the cultural divide between New York and Nashville—and how Dylan moved between those worlds.
From the Blonde on Blonde sessions with Nashville’s top musicians to Dylan’s relationship with Johnny Cash and country-influenced albums like John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline, we explore the country roots running through Dylan’s career.
We also talk songwriting, albums vs. singles, modern listening habits, and what has allowed Dylan to remain relevant for generations.
If you love Bob Dylan, country music, Nashville history, songwriting, Americana, and music history, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear.
Subscribe to The Ben Maynard Program, share this episode, and tell me your favorite Dylan song or era in the comments!
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