Rolling Thunder Revue bass player and bandleader Rob Stoner on Jacques Levy, Emmylou Harris, Sam Shepard and how he “made out with Joan Baez on a motel room balcony” for Renaldo & Clara. Rob also sets the record straight on the Scorsese Netflix film: “I got a beef with that Van Dorp character!” and alerts us to his uncredited harmony vocal on Abandoned Love.

What was it like playing live with Bob? “Sink or swim. If you’re good enough, you ought to be able to swim”. Did Bob actually never speak to Mick Ronson on the Rolling Thunder tour? “It was written into the contract”. The Fort Collins concert, where Hard Rain was recorded? “Bob was in a foul mood, man.”

Other insights include how Elvis miffed Bob, rehearsal details for the 1978 Alimony Tour and John Lennon’s “Dylan imitation” on Ticket To Ride. Roll up, roll up - for an historic episode.

While still in school, Rob Stoner was signed to a songwriting contract by Leiber and Stoller. As a session musician, he played and sang on classic recordings including American Pie. His albums with Dylan include Desire, Hard Rain, Bob Dylan At Budokan and Live 1975. Following his stint with Bob, Rob released a critically-acclaimed album of original songs on MCA Records. He also became the first non-Southerner to release an album on Sun Records. His songs have been recorded by Link Wray, Johnny Winter and Robert Gordon. He has played with Chuck Berry, Ringo Starr, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughan and countless others. Rob lives in Rockland County, New York, where he remains active on the music scene.

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Recorded 3rd June 2020

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Rob Stoner

Is It Rolling, Bob? Talking Dylan