Bruce Springsteen praises Bob Dylan autobiography and says two musicians are his favourite writers

High praise from legendary performer Bruce Springsteen was handed out to Bob Dylan and two other musicians.

The Boss noted their books during an interview with The New York Post, where he shared the reading experiences that had influenced him the most. Flannery O’Connor was confirmed by Springsteen as a huge influence on the early years of his writing, but fellow musicians had also affected his approach to music. A clear influence would be Bob Dylan, whose book, Chronicles: Volume One, was cited as a favourite of Springsteen’s. The Born to Run hitmaker credited Dylan’s autobiography as being the reason he is “proud” of his work as a musician. Further praise was given to The Rolling Stones‘ Keith Richards, and Layla mastermind, Eric Clapton.

He said: “I’m not familiar with the musician/novelist, but as far as memoirs, it’s hard to beat Keith Richards’s love of music that shines through in Life. I also found Eric Clapton’s autobiography to be surprisingly revealing and very moving. Of course, I loved Bob Dylan’s Chronicles. It made me proud to be a musician.

Richards released his autobiography, Life, in 2010. Co-written by James Fox, the book is an overview of his early life, his relationship with The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, and his relationship with drugs. Springsteen also praised Clapton: The Autobiography, which was released in 2007.

Springsteen holds Dylan in high regard, not just for his writing but his influence on music. A statement released by Springsteen shortly after Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature praised the Mr. Tambourine Man songwriter, calling him the “father of my country”.

Springsteen wrote: “Bob Dylan is the father of my country. Highway 61 Revisited and Bringing It All Back Home were not only great records, but they were the first time I can remember being exposed to a truthful vision of the place I lived. 

“The darkness and light were all there, the veil of illusion and deception ripped aside. He put his boot on the stultifying politeness and daily routine that covered corruption and decay. The world he described was all on view, in my little town, and spread out over the television that beamed into our isolated homes, but it went uncommented on and silently tolerated. He inspired me and gave me hope.”

The Boss would later recall a moment shared with Dylan at a Kennedy Centre Honours event dedicated to the Like a Rolling Stone performer. Springsteen recalled: “I had the opportunity to sing The Times They Are A-Changin’  for Bob when he received the Kennedy Centre Honours.

“We were alone together for a brief moment walking down a back stairwell when he thanked me for being there and said, ‘If there’s anything I can ever do for you…’ I thought, ‘Are you kidding me?’ and answered, ‘It’s already been done.'”