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of it by, I'm sure you've heard them, R.L. Burnside and Sheryl Crow and with Bonnie Raitt, and
lots of others. What made you choose that song?

RB: I had never heard of the song until my executive producer mentioned it. He wanted to steer
me towards blues songs written by Dylan, so I looked it up and loved it right away. I wasn’t aware
anyone else had recorded it.

BiTS: Oh really?

RB: When I’m recording someone else’s songs, I invariably go to the originals. If for instance I do
a Robert Johnson tribute, a Son House
tribute, any country blues for that matter, I
go to the original performances. The place I
would start regarding a Dylan song is with
his original version.

BiTS: R.L. Burnside has got a version which
actually indicates that the song could well
have come from the hill country.

RB: While I know there are always going to
be many great interpretations out there, for
my process, I start with the earliest version
available—the original recording. But
because you mentioned it I looked it up-
great version by R.L.

After starting my home broadcasts, I began
branching out a lot in response to viewer
requests. It broadened my knowledge and
appreciation for what’s out there—an
The album cover features a photograph of Dylan with
amazing amount of talent and styles. That
Suze Rotolo. Dylan and Rotolo walk in the middle of said I've always listened to Bonnie Raitt. I
Jones Street, approximately 50 feet from West 4th think she’s one of the greatest artists out
Street in the West Village, New York City. there. But generally speaking, I don't

research who else has covered a given song
before doing a tribute.

BiTS: Okay, that's fair enough.

BiTS: That's perfectly understandable. Talk to me about what, I guess, is probably one of Dylan’s
best-known songs, ‘Like A Rolling Stone’.

RB: What made me choose that one?

BiTS: Yes.

RB: I chose it because it was a fabulous song, along with ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ and ‘Positively 4th
Street’. These life changing songs became huge hits right when I really needed something to give
me a sense of identity and purpose. They became a part of my psyche. They were anthems,
carrying an entire generation forward, giving us hope, and joy. This was a time when I was
running away from home. My parents had gotten divorced, no one wanted me to live with them-
I was paying no attention in school—all I cared about was music. So when ‘Like A Rolling Stone’
came on the radio it was as if I was no longer lost. I thought yeah, I know the neighborhood. I grew