The Guitar Behind: Ron Cornelius, Charlie Daniels, Bill Donovan

Chapter Five, The Guitar Behind Dylan & Cohen

Introduction:

For many years, over, and over, people have told me that I should write a book about my life experiences in the music industry. Never gave that much thought until, at a point in time, the concept of individual “short-stories” came to mind. To write a book that’s not a “tell-all” but one of true experiences that could appeal to music lovers and fans the world over. A book for people interested in knowing what it would be like to run in the fast lane as a guitar player.

To record with Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, Charlie Daniels, Willie Nelson, Hoyt Axton, Louden Wainwright and on and on. To take the stage of sold out venues like The Royal Albert Hall in London, The Vienna Opera House, The Olympia Theater in Paris, or Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. To be part of a headline act at big concerts with thousands in attendance—and even the ultimate challenges like The Isle Of White with over 600,000 people in the audience.

But more over, and especially in my case, it’s the life events that have gone on around all of this that can be unbelievable—unbelievable, but absolutely true.

The title of this book, “The Guitar Behind Dylan and Cohen,” was the title of a two-page newspaper article that was written about me. I chose to use it because the stories (in this book) take place during the portion of my career at which time I was simultaneously recording albums with Bob Dylan and recording albums and touring with Leonard Cohen.

Most of the people in this book are known to be, and recognized as, great songwriters as well as being artists. However, Cohen and Dylan, and their use of music as a way to speak to the masses are a very different world. Being part of all that led me in and out of some of the dambdest situations imaginable.

As I share these stories with you, and as you read, put yourself in my shoes and let yourself become … the guitar behind Dylan and Cohen.