Hear Bob Dylan Perform Poignant ‘Stella Blue’ Cover For 1st Time In America

After Bob Dylan debuted and dusted off a series of Grateful Dead covers in Japan this past spring and Europe over the summer, he’s turned to trotting out geographically-appropriate songs by other artists during the current North American leg of his Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour. Yet the last three shows of the run have seen Dylan return to the Grateful Dead catalog to offer his first takes on “Stella Blue” and “Brokedown Palace” of the leg.

Bob Dylan premiered his “Stella Blue” cover in Barcelona on Friday, June 23. The performance came on what would have been Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter’s 82nd birthday. “Stella Blue” was among many songs Hunter co-wrote with Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia.

Dylan’s arrangement of “Stella Blue” in Barcelona was delicate and fully fleshed out as opposed to the more loose versions of other GD songs Bob unveiled earlier this year such as “Brokedown Palace” and “Truckin'”.

Surprisingly, Bob Dylan didn’t play “Stella Blue” at the last few stops in Europe following Barcelona or during the first 14 shows of the current leg. Dylan finally gave American fans a chance to witness his delightful version of the Hunter/Garcia classic on Tuesday night at Auditorium Theatre in Rochester, New York and then played “Stella Blue” again last night in Canada at Toronto’s Massey Hall.

The return of “Stella Blue” followed Dylan offering the U.S. debut of his “Brokedown Palace” cover on Monday night in Erie, Pennsylvania. Each of the Grateful Dead songs was played in the same slot as the 15th tune of the evening, a place Dylan has throw in alternate numbers. Bob Dylan on piano and vocals is backed on the tour by a band consisting of guitarist Doug Lancio, bassist Tony Garnier, drummer Jerry Pentecost, multi-instrumentalist Donnie Herron and guitarist Bob Britt.

Stream an audience recording of Bob Dylan’s “Stella Blue” performance in Rochester below:

Bob Dylan returns to Massey Hall in Toronto tonight.