Charlie McCoy on Dylan, Elvis, and Cash

About this episode

Charlie McCoy discusses his extensive musical career and collaborations with iconic artists.

Charlie McCoy has an incredible musical CV to look back on. His relationship with Bob Dylan began when he was asked, at rather short notice, to join the session for “Desolation Row”. He went on to assemble the core band when Dylan decamped to Nashville to record his masterpiece “Blonde On Blonde”. He went on to play on “John Wesley Harding” and “Nashville Skyline” too. Add to that, the many sessions he did for Elvis Presley, the work with Johnny Cash, and countless other sessions, you have a musical legacy few can match. For 19 years he was music director for the Nashville TV show “Hee Haw”, and in 2022 he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. At age 85 he shows little sign of slowing down, and I was delighted he agreed to join me for the show.

People in this episode

Guest: Charlie McCoy

Topics covered

• Bob Dylan
• Elvis Presley
• Johnny Cash
• Nashville
• music legacy

Keywords

• music director
• Hee Haw
• Grand Ole Opry
• session musician

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Blonde On Blonde, John Wesley Harding, Nashville Skyline

Books & works: Desolation Row, Blonde On Blonde, Nashville Skyline, Hee Haw

Places: Nashville

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