1 G.E. Smith guitar and occasional backup vocal Kenny Aaronsson bass Christopher Parker drums After just a couple of shows in Europe in 1989, Kenny Aaronson had to return to the US for a skin disease operation. Band 1 played a total of 75 concerts. 2 G.E. Smith guitar and occasional backup vocal Tony Garnier bass Christopher Parker drums This band played the rest of 1989 and most of 1990. G.E. Smith's last show was in New York City at the Beacon Theatre, October 19, 1990. This band played 165 concerts. 3 John Staehely guitar Cesar Diaz guitar Tony Garnier bass Christopher Parker drums During the fall of 1990 a number of guitarists played with the band in a kind of live auditions. Among these were Steve Ripley and Steve Bruton. Cesar Diaz, Dylan's guitar technician, together with John Staehely formed the band that were to end the 1990 touring. The band played just 22 shows together. 4 John Jackson guitar Cesar Diaz guitar Tony Garnier bass Ian Wallace drums After 1990 Christopher Parker also left the band as the last of the original band members. He was replaced by Ian Wallace who played all the shows during the 1978 World Tour. An hitherto completely unknown guitarist, John Jackson replaced Staeheley. This band only played the second Fastbreak Tour in 1991, 21 concerts. 5 John Jackson guitar Tony Garnier bass Ian Wallace drums Cesar Diaz left and this line-up played the rest of the 1991 shows, 79 shows. 6 John Jackson guitar Bucky Baxter assorted guitars (steel, slide, dobro etc) Tony Garnier bass Ian Wallace drums Charlie Quintana second drums & percussion replaced by Winston Watson second drums & percussion In 1992 Dylan added the multi-instrumentalist Bucky Baxter, thus giving the band a softer, more country like sound. This band played all of 1992, a total of 92 shows. Charlie Quintana were added as a second drummer in Seattle, April 27, and stayed till September 6, when he was replaced by Winston Watson, who played his first show in Kansas City. 7 John Jackson guitar Bucky Baxter assorted guitars (steel, slide, dobro etc) Tony Garnier bass Winston Watson drums Ian Wallace left the band after the rehearsals in January 1993 and the remaining members made up the 1993 band, 80 shows. The Never-Ending Musicians -------------------------- G.E. Smith guitar June 1988-October 1990 218 shows Kenny Aaronson bass June 1988-June 1989 75 shows Christopher Parker drums June 1988-November 1990 263 shows Tony Garnier bass June 1989-November 1993 461 shows John Staehely guitar October-November 1990 22 shows Cesar Diaz guitar October 1990-March 1991 43 shows John Jackson guitar January 1991-November 1993 273 shows Ian Wallace drums January 1991-November 1992 193 shows Bucky Baxter guitars January 1992-November 1993 172 shows Charlie Quintana drums April 1992-September 1992 44 shows Winston Watson drums September 1992-November 1993 106 shows This makes Tony Garnier the musician who has played most shows with Dylan ever, followed by Ian Wallace with 308 shows (115 in 1978).
Date: Wed, 20 Mar 1996 16:23:12 +0900 From: Matthew Zuckerman (zook@GOL.COM) Subject: Bob's band Lineup -- The Never-Ending Tour Band >Question, folks: > >What relation does Bob's present band have to the '88 band, at the start >of the Never-Ending Tour? Specifically, how did he get this band? Did >it evolve from the GE Smith band through a process of incremental >replacement, or did Bob just recruit an all-new band one day? If so, >when? If it was incremental replacement, does anybody know all the names >and when they joined? (I seem to remember the bassist changing between >the shows I saw in 1988 and the show I saw in 1989. . .) How long has >the present band been with Bob? (I'm assuming that GE Smith was with Bob >at least through the 30th anniversary concert, as Smith was the >bandleader for that. . .) And where did they all come from? > >In short, I guess I'm wondering if there's anyone out there who can give >a short history of Bob's backing band from 1988 to the present. > 1988 The Never-Ending tour kicked off in June 1988 with the following lineup: Bob Dylan: guitar G.E. Smith: guitar Kenny Aaronson: bass Christopher Parker: drums Guests in 1988 included: Neil Young Joe Walsh The Alarm Tracy Chapman Doug Sahm 1989 In 1989, the band started off with the same lineup, the only difference being that Bob took up the harmonica again. Kenny Aaronson played bass from May 27 to June 8, when he was replaced (due to skin cancer, which was successfully operated on) by Tony Garnier, who has continued on bass ever since. So the lineup for that year was: Bob Dylan: guitar G.E. Smith: guitar Kenny Aaronson/Tony Garnier: bass Christopher Parker: drums Guests in 1989 included: Bono Ringo Starr Van Morrison Mike McAdam (of Steve Earle's band) Kelly Looney (of Steve Earle's band) Bucky Baxter Roger McGuinn 1990 The band remained the same in 1990 until October 19, when G.E. Smith left. The October/November leg saw Cesar Diaz (Bob's guitar roadie) as rhythm guitarist as well as John Staehely from Oct. 17 till the last concert Nov. 18. The musicians for this year, then, were: Bob Dylan: guitar G.E. Smith/Cesar Diaz/John Staehely: guitar Tony Garnier: bass Christopher Parker: drums Guests in 1990 included: Ronnie Hawkins Flaco Jimenez Miles Joseph Steve Ripley Steve Bruton Karl Denson (sax player in Lenny Kravitz's band) Lenny Kravitz (& members of his band) 1991 Christopher Parker also decided to call it a day at the end of 1991, and Ian Wallace (who played on the 1978 tour) was pulled in as a quick replacement. The new tour started (pretty roughly) in January with Cesar Diaz and newcomer John Jackson on guitars. After March 2, Cesar dropped out, though he continued his backstage duties (to this day, I believe). The band in 1991 was: Bob Dylan: guitar John Jackson/Cesar Diaz: guitar Tony Garnier: bass Ian Wallace: drums Guests in 1991 included: Van Morrison Ron Wood Jo-El Sonnier Charlie Sexton Jimmy Dale gilmore Steve Ripley Martin Gross Csear Diaz (in November) 1992 This year kicked off in Australia with Buck Baxter (who had guested in 1989) joining the band. From April 27 to September 5, Charlie Quintana (who played with Dylan memorably on the David Letterman show in 1984) joined as a second drummer. From Oct. 9 to Nov. 15, Winston Watson joined as second drummer, and in the case of the Oct. 12 Binghampton show, he was the sole drummer. This show was so exceptional that it might have been the thing that prompted Wallace's departure. The lineup for this year was: Bob Dylan: guitar John Jackson: guitar Tony Garnier: bass Ian Wallace/Charlie Quintana/Winston Watson: drums Guests in 1992 included: Jerry Garcia T-Bone Burnett Cesar Diaz Dave Stewart Billy Lee Riley (one of Bob's old rockabilly heroes)Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 15:13:00 GMT From: Mark Withrow (mwithrow@MCS.COM) Subject: Re: Bob's band Lineup -- The Never-Ending Tour Band A wonderful post! Thanks, Matthew. One small correction, however. I was lucky enough to attend the September 6, 1992, concert in Kansas City (thanks to a "friends fly free" deal). The concert was free! There was a small charge ($5) to enter Liberty Park, where a weekend festival was taking place. There were two drummers: Ian Wallace and Winston Watson. I assume that Winston played every show from 9.6.92 on, but can't be certain. Mr. Dundas is not clear on this transition. Any information on the drummer(s) for concerts from 9/8 to 9/13 (there were no concerts from 9/14 to 10/8) would be appreciated.1993-95 After Ian Wallace's departure, the band has seem no changes in personnel, though rumours abound about what is going to happen in 1996 (I have heard it said that John Jackson is leaving, but have no idea whether this is true). The lineup for the past three years, then, has been: Bob Dylan: guitar John Jackson: guitar Tony Garnier: bass Winston Watson: drums Guests in these three years have included: 1993 Cesar Diaz Dave Stewart Dickie Betts Van Morrison Neil Young 1994 New Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra (in Nara) Ry Cooder (in Nara) The Chieftains (in Nara) Neil Young Bruce Springsteen Carl Perkins Brendan O'Brien (Unplugged) 1995 Elvis Costello Van Morrison Carol King Chrissie Hynde Alison Krauss The Rolling Stones (actually, Bob was the guest) Jerry Garcia Sheryl Crow Dickie Betts Charlie Sexton Ian Moore Doug Sahm Stevie Nicks Patti Smith _________________ Matthew Zuckerman