Bob Dylan has drafted in a new guitarist for his shows after the departure of Bob Britt.
Britt, who had been a member of Dylan’s touring line-up since 2019, cited private reasons as his decision to quit the tour. Both Julian Lage and now Joel Patterson have been on hand to perform with Dylan. The latter made his first appearance at a show last night (June 29) and filled in for Britt. Lage was also absent due to prior commitments in New York. Patterson, a musician who specialises in guitar and steel guitar, has 20 years of experience behind him and has released several of his own albums. Covers of The Beatles and session work with Kelly Hogan and Deke Dickerson feature across his two decades in the music industry, as does a Christmas album that featured on Rolling Stone Magazine’s top Christmas albums of 2018.
Patterson joined Dylan on the June 29 performance and it is not known whether this appearance was a one-off or a permanent addition to the stage. A profile of Patterson on his website reads: “Originally from Madison, WI, guitar and steel guitar wizard Joel Paterson has been a mainstay of the Chicago roots music scene for over twenty years, playing with many bands and showcasing his unique blend of jazz, blues, rockabilly, country and western swing.
“In addition to solo shows that delve into the history of all-things-guitar, Joel’s current projects include: The Joel Paterson Trio; The Joel Paterson Quartet (seen weekly at the world-famous Green Mill Cocktail Lounge); and The Western Elstons (Chicago honky tonk favorites). He is also known for his instrumental recordings reminiscent of Les Paul and Chet Atkins—Joel’s album, Hi-Fi Christmas Guitar has become a holiday cult classic, even making the Rolling Stone list of top Christmas albums of 2018.
“As a studio musician, Joel can be heard on the recordings of the Cactus Blossoms, JD McPherson, Kelly Hogan, Pokey LaFarge, and Deke Dickerson.” Patterson has six solo albums listed on his Bandcamp website, with covers of The Beatles, a Christmas album, and a collaboration with Annie Dolan listed. His full discography can be found below.
- Steel is Real (2008)
- Handful of Strings (2013)
- Hi-Fi Christmas Guitar (2017)
- Let It Be Guitar! (2019)
- Let It Be Acoustic Guitar! (2020)
- Another Someday Blues (2020)
- Wheelehouse Rag (2023)
- The More the Merrier (2023)
- Atta Boy Girl (2024)
A description of Patterson’s work, listed on his Bandcamp, reads: “Guitar and steel guitar wizard Joel Paterson has been a mainstay of the Chicago roots music scene for over twenty years, playing with many bands and showcasing his unique blend of jazz, blues, rockabilly, country and western swing. In addition to solo shows, his projects include The Joel Paterson Trio; The Western Elstons; The Joel Paterson Quartet (seen weekly at The Green Mill in Chicago).”
Patterson joins the line-up after Britt confirmed he had quit the band in a post to his Facebook page that has since been shared by Dylan fans. The surprise departure comes amid speculation that Doug Lancio has also left the group, replaced by jazz guitarist Julian Lage. Britt, who has been a touring member of Dylan’s band since October 2019, confirmed he had quit the tour on June 28.
He took to Facebook and wrote: “Sayonara Bobby.” When pressed for further detail, he confirmed: “I quit.” Lancio is also believed to have been removed from the tour, though whether he left of his own volition or was fired is yet to be confirmed. Fans have wished both guitarists well, as their roles look set to be filled by jazz guitarist Lage and Patterson.
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