Bob Dylan and the Green Pastures of Harvard University
Charles Cherney
Passionate about teaching after graduating from Harvard, I ultimately found myself drawn into the world of real estate in Cambridge and Somerville...
Passionate about teaching after graduating from Harvard, I ultimately found myself drawn into the world of real estate in Cambridge and Somerville...
Bob Dylan in Cambridge
Bob Dylan's debut studio album Bob Dylan (1962) features Dylan singing and playing a song by Eric Von Schmidt titled "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down."
On the recording, Dylan says, “I first heard this from Rick von Schmidt. He lives in Cambridge. Rick’s a blues guitar player. I met him one day in the green pastures of Harvard University.” Click here to listen to this timeless classic right now.
The essay below shares some of the history of Bob Dylan in Cambridge in the early 1960s.
From today's vantage point, it's hard to believe that when a 19-year-old Bob Dylan first came to gig at the famous Club 47 on Mount Auburn Street in Harvard Square in 1961, he was turned down! Eventually, he did perform at Club 47 – to standing room only crowds.
Imagine seeing Bob Dylan perform songs for impromptu crowds on the banks of the Charles River.
Or picture a twenty-something Bob playing his guitar in the green pastures of Harvard University.
Or see Bob Dylan and Joan Baez in your mind's eye hanging out at an after hours party in Harvard Square. Glory days!
What Bob Dylan learned in Harvard Square
The scene in Cambridge at the beginning of Bob Dylan’s career.