Backing Bob: 4 Memorable Guest Vocalists on Bob Dylan Songs

While no one would ever call it mellifluous, Bob Dylan’s voice has rung out as one of the most influential in music history. Sneering, croaking, haranguing, and mewling, Dylan has brought invigorating life to his incredible songs with his vocals.

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That said, he has occasionally leaned on some special guests to sing on his records. These four individuals brought something special to Dylan’s work.

Johnny Cash on “Girl From The North Country”

Before it became popular to do so, Bob Dylan was blurring the lines between rock and country music. For example, he recorded a good chunk of his landmark 1966 album Blonde On Blonde with session musicians in Nashville. In 1969, he went all-in with the album Nashville Skyline, writing concise yet affecting songs that sound like they came straight from Music Row. He did reach into his back catalog for “Girl From The North Country”, first released on The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan album in 1963. And he got his good buddy Johnny Cash to do a duet with him on the track. The two artists trade lines, harmonize, and generally seem to get lost in the prettiness of the song.

Emmylou Harris on “One More Cup Of Coffee”

In addition to being an imposing artist in her own right, Emmylou Harris has conducted a sidelight career as a harmony vocalist to the stars. Harris’ voice graces classic albums from artists ranging from Gram Parsons to Elvis Costello, from Mark Knopfler to Conor Oberst. Perhaps her most high-profile gig ever came when she sang on most of Dylan’s excellent 1976 album Desire. Released when Dylan was once again at the top of the singer-songwriter heap, the album featured theatrical, epic songs that benefited greatly from Harris’ presence riding alongside the main vocal. On “One More Cup Of Coffee”, the pair conduct a haunting duet in the refrain.

The Grateful Dead on “Silvio”

Not too many people would list Down In The Groove, released in 1988, among Dylan’s finest work. For the first time in his career, he seemed to be struggling to compose viable songs to fill out albums. (Luckily, Oh Mercy, released a year later, proved that he still had it.) One factor that recommends Down In The Groove is that it’s filled with guest stars who pop in on the various tracks. Dylan, who toured extensively with The Grateful Dead in the late 80s, used the band’s Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and Brent Mydland as his backing vocalists on “Silvio”. The chugging, playful track, co-written with Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, stands out as an undeniable highlight from the album.

Jennifer Warnes on “Every Grain Of Sand”

We’re cheating a little bit with this one because Dylan didn’t choose the version of “Every Grain Of Sand” we’re citing for the version he officially released on Shot Of Love in 1981. Instead, he released this alternate take as part of his first batch of Bootleg Series recordings. On the song, you can hear Dylan kind of finding his way with the melody as a female vocalist tentatively starts chiming in with harmonies. That voice belongs to Jennifer Warnes, a hitmaker in the late 70s and early 80s. There’s something about hearing a voice supporting Bob’s on a song of such tender vulnerability that raises it a few levels. The barking dog that also makes an unexpected appearance on this take is quite charming as well.

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