Bob Dylan performed his final show of June and his second with new guitarist Joel Paterson last night (June 30). The veteran songwriter has seemingly weathered a stormy few days on the road with both Bob Britt and Doug Lancio dropping out of the tour. Lancio is rumoured to return at a later date while jazz guitarist Julian Lage, who featured briefly in the latter portion of June, has prior commitments across North America.
It left Dylan in need of a guitarist to plug a hole left by Britt, who had been on tour with Dylan since 2019. Joel Paterson was drafted in to play with Dylan and long-serving band member Tony Garnier at a show in Austin, Texas. He has since been kept on for the New Braunfels performance a day later, and is expected to keep his post on the tour for the foreseeable. Lucinda Williams and The John Doe Folk Trio served as the opening act to the show.
Dylan fans were left wondering how the show would come together after Britt and Lancio both departed the tour. Both guitarists were hailed by fans upon news of their departure, though Paterson has also received plenty of praise from attendees.
A full setlist for Dylan’s performance at the Whitewater Amphitheatre can be found below.
- Watching the River Flow
- Man in the Long Black Coat
- It Ain’t Me, Babe
- I Contain Multitudes
- False Prophet
- I Can Tell (Bo Diddley cover)
- Black Rider
- Share Your Love With Me (Bobby Bland cover)
- When I Paint My Masterpiece
- I’ll Make It All Up to You (Jerry Lee Lewis cover)
- Crossing the Rubicon
- Soon After Midnight
- Under the Red Sky
- I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You
- Goodbye Jimmy Reed
- Every Grain of Sand
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.
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.
Britt would later add write: “Apparently there are quite a few threads out there with people speculating about my departure from the Bob tour. I’d like to clear it up. I was not fired but left of my own accord for reasons I would prefer to keep private. I will miss my bandmates and crew. I am looking forward to getting back to doing sessions (give me a call) and also finishing up Etta’s gospel record. As far as any touring goes, we will see what the future holds. Meanwhile, I have some flower beds to weed.”
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