“I've never written a political song. Songs can't save the world.”
- Bob Dylan
On this day in 1969, in one of his many reinventions, Bob Dylan released his ninth studio album, Nashville Skyline. It was a complete stylistic about-face from any of his previous work. On Skyline, Dylan fully embraced country music and the influence of Hank Williams was felt all over it.
There was confusion and anger among some Dylan fans. For many youth of the 60s, country music represented the conservatism of their parents' generation. What was Dylan doing? As if anyone paying attention didn't know by then, Bob's gonna do what Bob wants to do.
In Nashville, Dylan and producer Bob Johnston recruited some of Nashville's most skillful session players. One, unknown to Dylan but a friend of Johnston's, was a struggling young musician named Charlie Daniels. Daniels knew Dylan was in town and he asked Johnston if he could possible play on just one of the tracks. Johnston agreed and Charlie showed up for the 6:00 p.m. session.
In Charlie's memoir, Never Look at the Empty Seats, he explains what happened that evening:
I was the hungriest musician in the studio. I hung on every note that Bob Dylan sang and played on his guitar and did my best to interpret his music with feeling and passion. When the session was over, I was packing up my guitars to head to my club gig, and Bob Dylan asked Bob Johnston, “Where is Charlie Going?” Bob told him I was leaving and that he had another guitar player coming in.
Then Bob Dylan said nine little words that would affect my life from that moment on. He said, “I don't want another guitar player. I want him.”
And there it was. After all the put downs, condescension, and snide remarks, after all the times I'd driven to the hill above my house and shook my fist at Nashville and said, “You will not beat me.” After all the rejection, none other than legendary Bob Dylan was saying I might be worth something after all.
Charlie played guitar on nine of the ten tracks on the album, and his own career as a major star was launched. He never looked back. Thanks for that and everything else, Bob.