Country Bob

As one of the most iconic American singer-songwriters in history, Bob Dylan has been a major figure in music and one of the best-selling artists for over sixty years. Coming out of the Greenwich folk scene in the 1960s, Dylan’s music has evolved over the years and defies musical genres. While countless books have been written about Dylan, none have focused on how country music shaped his songwriting, performance style, and musical evolution.
From his earliest years, Dylan was drawn to the country sounds he heard on the radio and on records. As he once said, Hank Williams was his first musical hero. Music historian Don Cusic traces this deep connection from Dylan’s childhood through his folk years, his Nashville recordings, and into his later work—revealing how country music has remained a consistent thread throughout Dylan's long and restless career.
Now in his eighties and still performing, Dylan continues to draw from the well of country music, learning new songs and incorporating them into his live sets and recordings. This book offers fresh insight into Dylan’s artistry by examining the genre that has inspired and sustained him for decades.

Don Cusic is one of the premier historians of country music and an internationally known scholar and writer. As an author, teacher, historian, songwriter, record producer, and executive, Cusic has been actively involved in the music business since 1973. He is a 2022 inductee into the Western Music Hall of Fame. He is also author of Saved by Song: A History of Gospel and Christian Music, published by University Press of Mississippi.

Introduction Chapter 1: Bobby Meets Hank Williams—On the Radio Chapter 2: Out in the Cold: The Minnesota Years Chapter 3: Country Music: In the Beginning Chapter 4: Woody Guthrie Enters the Scene Chapter 5: New York vs. Nashville Chapter 6: Freewheelin’ Rolls In Chapter 7: Country Music Goes to College Chapter 8: Hail, Hail Rock ’n’ Roll Chapter 9: Once Upon a Time Like a Rolling Stone Chapter 10: The Real McCoy and Charlie Is His Name Chapter 11: Blonde on Blonde: Nashville but Definitely Not Country Chapter 12: Retreat to Woodstock: Family Man Chapter 13: Down to the Basement Chapter 14: Great White Wonder on the Basement Tapes Chapter 15: John Wesley Harding Arrives Chapter 16: Nashville Skyline Drive Chapter 17: The Johnny Cash Show Starring Bob Dylan Chapter 18: Obviously Self-Portrait Chapter 19: A Gallery of Country Singers Chapter 20: Strapped to a Tree That Has His Roots Chapter 21: Rolling Thunder and the Thunder Rolls Conclusion Notes Bibliography Selected Bob Dylan Discography Index