The “best” guitarist Bob Dylan always wanted to join him: “He should have stayed with me”
Bob Dylan said blues guitarist Mike Bloomfield was the best guitarist he had heard and wished he had stayed with him rather than joining Paul Butterfield’s band. Bloomfield’s playing helped shape the sound of Dylan’s electric recordings, including *Highway 61 Revisited*, at a time when Dylan’s move from folk to rock drew strong reactions.
Bloomfield brought blues licks and a feel for what each song needed, helping give the recordings their sharp, forceful sound. Dylan said he could think of no one else to bring in for his record, while acknowledging Bloomfield had his own path to follow. Later, Robbie Robertson and The Band became close musical partners, including during work on *The Basement Tapes*.
- Dylan called Mike Bloomfield the best guitarist he had heard.
- Bloomfield helped shape the sound of Dylan’s electric recordings.
- Dylan later found a close musical partner in Robbie Robertson.
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Bob Dylan was a leading figure in American folk music before he began recording with electric instruments in the mid-1960s. The change drew strong reactions from some folk fans and helped bring blues and rock into his music.
Mike Bloomfield was an American blues guitarist who played on Dylan’s 1965 album Highway 61 Revisited. His playing helped shape the album’s sound; he was also a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Later, guitarist Robbie Robertson and his group, The Band, became regular collaborators with Dylan, including on recordings known as The Basement Tapes.