Pledging My Time: Conversations With Bob Dylan Band Members

Bob Dylan is an enigma. A mystery wrapped inside a riddle. He rarely gives interviews and when he does you come out more confused about who he really is than when you began. Even his own autobiography has a questionable relationship to the truth.

Maybe it’s better that way. Maybe that’s the way it should be.

I’ve never been one to obsess over an artist’s life. It is about the art – or in this case the music. That’s what’s important.

Still, Bob Dylan is a fascinating human. He’s arguably the greatest songwriter of his generation, or any if we’re being honest. He’s performed live and on stage more than just about any person ever. If we can’t get to know Dylan through the man himself, then what better way to at least try and understand him, than with the people who have played with him on that stage?

Ray Padgett, through his wonderful newsletter Flagging Down the Double E’s has been chronicling Dylan’s career show by show, song by song, and interview by interview. I don’t think he’s ever interviewed Dylan, but he’s interviewed dozen upon dozen of people who know – or knew – him. As much as anyone can really know Dylan, anyway.

Many of those interviews, with musicians who have played with Dylan throughout his career, can now be found in Mr. Padgett’s new book, Pledging My Time: Conversations With Bob Dylan Band Members. Thanks to a generous contribution from a fan of The Midnight Cafe, I was able to purchase the book and it is wonderful.

I’m not even halfway through it, but I just had to share it with you all. It works, more or less chronologically with Padgett interviewing people who knew Dylan back in his early folk days and moves forward through most of his career. It begins with Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul, and Mary fame) who arguably helped launch Dylan’s career, and ends with Benmont Tench who played on a couple of tracks from Dylan’s 2020 album Rough and Rowdy Ways.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Bob Dylan book if it didn’t wander in and out of that chronology. Many of the interviewees met and performed with Dylan numerous times, at different stages of his career and Padgett lets them talk about everything.

Padgett mostly lets them talk. He’s not one of those interviewers that injects himself into the conversation, but he hangs back letting his subjects tell their stories. It is a fascinating, wonderful read. Like I said I haven’t finished it. I’m taking my time, soaking it in.

I don’t know that I’ll know Bob Dylan any better when I do finish it, but I’ll know those who have played with him quite a bit. And that’s something. Something pretty cool. Maybe that’s the way it should be.

You can purchase the book in a variety of formats here.