--- 1 9 6 1 --- C O N T E N T S INTRODUCTION 1. CALENDAR 2. RECORDINGS 3. SONGS 1961 4. SOURCES 5. SUGGESTED READINGS INTRODUCTION First professional year as a musician starts with Dylan hitch-hiking into New York in January without a home and ends with his triumphant return home to Hibbing with a Columbia recording contract and the first LP recorded. 1. CALENDAR January 24 Dylan arrives in New York accompanied by his friend Fred Underhill, heads for "Cafe Wha?" where he performs a couple of songs, after which the compere asks the audience for a plays to stay for "Bob and Fred" that night. January 25 Dylan visits Guthrie's family in Howard's Beach. Meets young Arlo and teaches him some harmonica. January 29 Dylan performs at Izzy Young's Folklore Centre. Meets Woody Guthrie at the home of Sid and Bob Gleason in East Orange, New Jersey. February A second (or third) "home-tape" is recorded by Sid and Bob Gleason, while Dylan is singing to their daughter Kathy. Dylan starts to accompany folk singers like Fred Neil, Mark Spoelstra, Ramblin' Jack Elliot and Dave van Ronk on harmonica. He is also performing at "Cafe Wha?", "The Gaslight", "The Limelight", "The Lion's Head" and "Mill's Tavern". February 13 Dylan starts performing regularly at Gerde's Folk City on the Monday night hootenanny. February 14 In February The Gleasons are given a dated handwritten copy of a new Dylan composition called "Song To Woody". March 27 Mike Porco, the owner of Gerde's Folk City, offers Dylan to be support act to John Lee Hooker for a fortnight in April. April 5 First paid concert at the Loeb Music Center for the University of New York Folk Society. In the audience is a young Suze Rotolo. April 11-25 Dylan plays a five song set as support to John Lee Hooker at Gerde's Folk City. May Dylan tries to get a recording contract first with Folkways records, then with with Elektra and Vanguard. None of them are interested. May The writing of the second recorded composition, "Talkin' New York". May 6 At the Indian Neck Folk Festival in Branford, Connecticut, Dylan performs three songs and meets Bob Neuwirth for the first time. Mid May Dylan returns to Minneapolis and a number of home recordings are made. June A hand-written manuscript shows that Dylan wrote a song called "East Colorado Blues". No known recording exits. June First studio recording takes place when Dylan plays harmonica on "Midnight Special" a track on Harry Belafonte's album with the same name. July 29 Dylan is part of a 12-hour radio broadcast from Riverside Church, Manhattan, NYC, a "Hootenanny Special". September 6 Dylan's set on Gerde's Folk City is recorded. September 26 New York Times reporter Robert Shelton attends the opening night of another two-week Dylan residency at Gerde's Folk City. Dylan is supporting The Greenbriar Boys and plays two sets each night. After his first set Shelton interviews Dylan and then writes an enthusiastic review concentrating on Dylan. September 30 Second studio experience. Dylan this time joins a Carolyn Hester session. He plays harmonica on three songs later released on Hester's debut album. Producer is John Hammond. October 20 Izzy Young conducts a written interview with Dylan. In this he mentions his own composition "California Brown Eyed Baby", which he is performing at the time. October 23 Izzy Young conducts another written interview with Dylan. October 26 Dylan signs for Columbia Records. October 29 Dylan appears on Oscar Brand's radio show "Folksong Festival" November 4 Izzy Young books Dylan at the Carnegie Recital Hall. Only 53 people attend. November 20, 22 Recording of BOB DYLAN. November 23 Thanksgiving Day is spent with Suze Rotolo at the home of Eve and Mac McKenzie. After the dinner Dylan plays a number of songs that are recorded by the hosts. December 22 On his way home to Hibbing for Christmas celebrations, he gives a private performance, this time in Minneapolis at the house of Bonnie Bleecher. It is recorded by Tony Glover. The tape is often referred to as the Minneapolis Hotel Tape and is the basis for the first bootleg "Great White Wonder" and later "A Rare Batch Of Little White Wonder". 2. RECORDINGS Febr- East Orange Tape March ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Recorded at the home of Sid and Bob Gleason. 1. San Francisco Bay Blues (Jesse Fuller) 2. Jesus Met The Woman At The Well (trad.) 3. Gypsy Davey (trad., arr Woody Guthrie) 4. Pastures Of Plenty (Woody Guthrie) 5. Trail Of The Buffalo (trad., arr Woody Guthrie) 6. Jesse James (trad.) 7. Car, Car (Woody Guthrie) 8. Southern Cannonball (R. Hall/Jimmie Rodgers) 9. Bring Me Back, My Blue-Eyed Boy (trad.) 10. Remember Me (Scott Wiseman) 7,8,9 fragments only. Mono recording, approximately 27 minutes. May 6 Indian Neck Festival ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Montowesi Hotel, Branford, Connecticut 1. Talkin' Columbia (Woody Guthrie) 2. Hangknot, Slipknot (Woody Guthrie) 3. Talking Fish Blues (Woody Guthrie) Mono audience recording, approximately 16 minutes. May Minnesota Party Tape ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bonnie Beecher's apartment in Minneapolis 1. Railroad Bill (trad.) 2. Will The Circle Be Unbroken (A. P. Carter) 3. Man Of Constant Sorrow (trad.) 4. Pretty Polly (trad.) 5. Railroad Boy (trad.) 6. James Alley Blues (Richard Brown) 7. Why'd You Cut My Hair? (trad.) 8. This Land Is Your Land (Woody Guthrie) 9. Two Trains Running (McKinley Morganfield) 10. Wild Mountain Thyme (trad.) 11. Howdido (Woody Guthrie) 12. Car Car (Woody Guthrie) 13. Don't Push Me Down (Woody Guthrie) 14. Come See (Woody Guthrie) 15. I Want My Milk (Woody Guthrie) 16. San Francisco Bay Blues (Jesse Fuller) 17. A Long Time A-Growin' (trad.) 18. Devilish Mary (Bess Lomax Hawes) 19. Ramblin' Round (Woody Guthrie) 20. Death Don't Have No Mercy (Reverend Gary Davis) 21. It's Hard To Be Blind (trad.) 22. This Train Is Bound For Glory (Woody Guthrie) 23. Harp Blues (instrumental) 24. Talking Fish Blues (Woody Guthrie) 25. Pastures Of Plenty (Woody Guthrie) Mono recording, approximately 78 minutes. June Harry Belafonte recording session ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New York City 1. Midnight Special (trad.) Bob Dylan on harmonica. Released on Harry Belafonte: "Midnight Special", March 1962 July 29 Riverside Church ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New York City 1. Handsome Molly (trad.) 2. Naomi Wise (trad.) 3. Poor Lazarus (trad.) 4. Mean Old Railroad (Danny Kalb) 5. Acne (Eric von Schmidt) 4 Danny Kalb vocal. 6 Bob Dylan and Ramblin' Jack Elliot shared vocal. Broadcast by WRVR-RM radio in the program "Saturday Of Folk Music" - a 12 hour "Hootenanny" Saturday Special, July 29, 1961. Mono radio broadcast, approximately 27 minutes. Sept 6 First Gaslight Tape ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gaslight Cafe, New York City 1. Man On The Street 2. He Was A Friend Of Mine (trad., registered as Bob Dylan) 3. Talking Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues 4. Song To Woody 5. Pretty Polly (trad.) 6. Car, Car (Woody Guthrie) Mono PA recording, approximately 26 minutes. Sept Gerde's Folk City ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New York City 1. Ranger's Command (Woody Guthrie) 2. San Francisco Bay Blues (Jesse Fuller) 3. The Great Divide (Woody Guthrie) 4. See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (Blind Lemon Jefferson) 5. Ain't No More Cane (Go Down Old Hannah) 6. Dink's Song (trad., arr. John & Alan Lomax) 7. He Was A Friend Of Mine (trad., registered as Bob Dylan) 8. Pretty Boy Floyd (Woody Guthrie) 9. In The Pines (Huddie "Leadbelly" Leadbetter) 10. Sally Girl (Woody Guthrie) 2,3 Rambling Jack Elliot (shared vocal & guitar). 8 Jim Kweskin (shared vocal & guitar). Mono PA recording. NOTE!!! Except for a very rough version of Ranger's Command, this tape is NOT in circulation. Sept 30 Carolyn Hester recording session ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Columbia Studios, New York City 1. I'll Fly Away (Albert E. Brumley) 2. Swing And Turn Jubilee (trad.) 3. Come Back, Baby (trad.) Carolyn Hester (guitar & vocal), Bruce Langhorne (guitar & violin), William E. Lee (bass), Bob Dylan (harmonica). Stereo studio recording. Released on the album "Carolyn Hester", 1962. Nov 4 Carnegie Chapter Hall ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New York City 1. Pretty Peggy-O (trad.) 2. In The Pines (Huddie "Leadbelly" Leadbetter) 3. Gospel Plow (trad.) 4. 1913 Massacre (Woody Guthrie) 5. Backwater Blues (Big Joe Williams) 6. A Long Time A-Growin' (trad.) 7. Fixin' To Die (Bukka White) An incomplete, continuous mono PA recording, appr. 39 minutes. Nov 20 The BOB DYLAN sessions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Columbia Studio A, New York City 1. You're No Good (Jesse Fuller) 2. Talkin' New York 3. In My Time Of Dyin' (Blind Willie Johnson) 4. Fixin' To Die (Bukka White) 5. Baby Let Me Follow You Down (Eric von Schmidt) 6. House Of The Risin' Sun (trad.) 7. Song To Woody Nov 22 8. Man Of Constant Sorrow (trad. arr Bob Dylan) 9. Pretty Peggy-O (trad. arr Bob Dylan) 10. Highway 51 (Curtis Jones) 11. Gospel Plow (trad. arr Bob Dylan) 12. Freight Train Blues (John Lair) 13. See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (Blind Lemon Jefferson) Released on BOB DYLAN, March 19, 1962 8 released on MASTERPIECES, March 1978. 6 released on BIOGRAPH, October 28, 1985. Produced by John Hammond. Stereo studio recordings, 37 minutes. Nov 23 First MacKenzie Tape ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Recorded at the home of Eve and Mac MacKenzie. 1. Hard Times In New York Town (trad.) 2. Wayfaring Stranger (trad.) 3. A Long Time Man Feel Bad (trad.) 4. Lonesome Whistle Blues (Hank Williams/Jimmie Davies) 5. Worried Blues (Hally Wood) 6. Baby Of Mine (?) 7. Instrumental 8. Baby Let Me Follow You Down (Eric von Schmidt) 9. Fixin' To Die (Bukka White) 10. San Francisco Bay Blues (Jesse Fuller) 11. You're No Good (Jesse Fuller) 12. House Of The Risin' Sun (trad.) 13. Instrumental 14. This Land Is Your Land (Woody Guthrie) Dec 4 15. Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms (trad., arr Buster Carter/P. Young) 16. Bells Of Rhymney (Idries Davies/Pete Seeger) 17. Come All You Fair And Tender Ladies (trad.) 18. Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms (trad., arr Buster Carter/P. Young) 19. Bells Of Rhymney (Idries Davies/Pete Seeger) 20. Instrumental 21. Instrumental 22. Highway 51 (Curtis Jones) 23. This Land Is Your Land (Woody Guthrie) 15-21 have vocal by others and Dylan on back-up guitar. 1-3, 5-7, 9, 14-16, 21 and 23 are fragments. Incomplete mono recording, approximately 40 minutes. Dec 22 Minnesota Hotel Tape ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Recorded at the apartment of Bonnie Bleecher 1. Candy Man (trad., arr Reverend Gary Davis) 2. Baby Please Don't Go (Big Joe Williams) 3. Hard Times In New York Town (trad.) 4. Stealin', Stealin' (trad., arr Memphis Jug Band) 5. Poor Lazarus (trad.) 6. I Ain't Got No Home (Woody Guthrie) 7. It's Hard To Be Blind (trad., arr Reverend Gary Davis) 8. Dink's Song (trad., arr by John & Alan Lomax) 9. Man Of Constant Sorrow (trad., arr Bob Dylan) 10. Naomi Wise (trad.) 11. Wade In The Water (trad.) 12. I Was Young When I Left Home (trad.) 13. In The Evening (Brownie McGhee) 14. Baby Let Me Follow You Down (Eric von Schmidt) 15. Sally Girl (Woody Guthrie) 16. Gospel Plow (trad.) 17. Long John (trad.) 18. Cocaine (trad.) 19. See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (Blind Lemon Jefferson) 20. Ramblin' Round (Woody Guthrie) 21. VD Blues (Woody Guthrie) 22. VD Waltz (Woody Guthrie) 23. VD City (Woody Guthrie) 24. VD Gunner's Blues (Woody Guthrie) 25. Black Cross (Lord Buckley) 26. The Story Of East Orange, New Jersey (monologue) Mono recording, approximately 75 minutes. 3. SONGS 1961 February Song To Woody [1,2] May Talkin' New York [1] June East Colorado Blues [3] August Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues [4,5] September He Was A Friend Of Mine [6,7] Man On The Street [7,8] Talkin' Hava Nagilah Blues [5] Fall California Brown Eyed Baby [3] November Hard Times In New York Town [7,9] December Ballad Of The Ox Bow Incident [3] I Was Young When I Left Home [10] Strange Rain [3] Notes ~~~~~ [1] Released on BOB DYLAN. [2] Performed live twice in 1974 and 1986 and a number of times on the never-ending tour, [3] Rumoured composition. [4] First performed at Gerde's Folk City in June, 1961. [5] A studio version was recorded in April, 1962 for the FREEWHEELIN' album. [6] Arrangement by Bob Dylan. [7] Later recorded as a Leeds Music Demo. [8] Covered by Dave van Ronk on the album "No Dirty Names" [9] An adaptation of the traditional "Ketty's Farm" [10] Adaptation/derivation from two songs, "900 Miles" and "Detroit City" 4. SOURCES Clinton Heylin: Bob Dylan Stolen Moments The Ultimate Reference Book. Wanted Man 1988. Michael Krogsgaard: Master Of The Tracks. The Bob Dylan Reference Book of Recording. October 1988. Glen Dundas: Tangled Up In Tapes Revisited A Collector's Guide to the Recordings of Bob Dylan. SMA Services 1990. Tim Dunn: I Just Write 'Em As They Come. An Annotated Guide to the Writings of Bob Dylan A Not-A-Ces Publishing Venture 1990. 5. SUGGESTED READINGS General background: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anthony Scaduto: Bob Dylan An intimate biography. New American Library 1973 Robert Shelton: No Direction Home The Life and Music of Bob Dylan New American Library 1986 Eric von Schmidt: Baby, Let Me Follow You Down & Jim Rooney The Illustrated Story of the Cambridge Folk Years Anchor Books 1979 Articles: ~~~~~~~~~ Hard Times In New York Town - John Bauldie in The Telegraph #24 Portrait of the Artist as a Younger Man - interview by Billy James reprinted in Stephen Pickering's "Praxis: One" ___________________________________