Bob Dylan sustained his withdrawal from public life throughout the early 1970s, declining offers to perform at major festivals—including the 1973 Summer Jam at Watkins Glen, which attracted an estimated 600,000 attendees. Organisers had made Dylan their top priority but received the same refusal they'd faced from him regarding Woodstock in 1969. The Canadian-American backing group The Band, known for their prior work with Dylan in early 1972 performances, were similarly expected to decline the festival's booking.

The Band surprised organisers by accepting the Summer Jam engagement in exchange for a $75,000 fee (roughly $565,000 in current dollars). Bandleader Robbie Robertson attributed their decision squarely to financial motivation, revealing that compensation was the sole reason for their participation. This decision underscored a material contrast between Dylan's continued reluctance to perform publicly and The Band's pragmatic, commercially-driven approach to performance opportunities during this period.