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Bob Dylan ends US tour by adding extra guitarist to live band
Bob Dylan wrapped up the US leg of his 2026 "Rough And Rowdy Ways" tour by bringing guitarist Jimmie Vaughan on stage for a special guest appearance at the final show. The move caps a turbulent few months for Dylan's touring band, which has seen several line-up changes as long-standing members departed and new guitarists stepped in throughout the run.
Guitarist Doug Lancio, part of the band since 2021, stepped back in June and was seemingly replaced by jazz guitarist Julian Lage, while acoustic guitarist Bob Britt, a member since 2019, also left, later confirming on social media that he had not been fired but chose to depart for personal reasons. Blues guitarist Joel Paterson and R&B guitarist Jad Tariq subsequently joined to cover shows Lage could not attend, and now Jimmie Vaughan, brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan and a past Dylan collaborator, joined for three songs at the Nashville finale on 1 August. It remains unclear which guitarists will join Dylan for the UK and European leg, which begins in Norway in October.
In short
- Bob Dylan added guitarist Jimmie Vaughan for his final US tour date.
- The tour saw several guitarist departures and additions in recent months.
- UK/European leg starts in Norway in October; line-up still unconfirmed.
Explained simply
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter whose career spans more than six decades. His “Rough And Rowdy Ways” tour takes its name from his 2020 album, and his live band has included several guitarists alongside him.
The guitarists mentioned in this story have different backgrounds and histories with Dylan. Doug Lancio and Bob Britt had played with the band for several years, while Julian Lage, Joel Paterson and Jad Tariq took on shows during the tour; Jimmie Vaughan, a blues guitarist and brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, has also worked with Dylan before.
Changes to a touring band can affect who performs at each show and how the music sounds. The line-up for the European dates matters to fans following the tour, but it has not been announced.
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