This recording from the Montreal Forum features most of the non-Dylan segments of the show, with a guest segment by Joni Mitchell. Mitchell, who only did a handful of appearances with the Rolling Thunder Revue, opted to feature mostly new material that much of the audience was unfamiliar with. “Woman of Heart and Mind,” “Shadows and Light,” “Coyote,” and “Don't Interrupt the Sorrow,” are some of the best songs Mitchell ever wrote and recorded, and her set is the highlight of this segment of the show. Included in the show is an early version of Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves Of London” (sung by…entire summary

Joni Mitchell - vocals, guitar
T-Bone Burnett - guitar
J. Steven Soles - guitar
Mick Ronson - guitar
Bob Neuwirth - vocals, guitar
David Mansfield -steel guitar, violin, mandolin
Scarlet Rivera - violin
Rob Stoner - bass
Howie Wyeth - drums, piano
Luther Rix - drums, percussion
Ronee Blakley - vocals
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott - vocals, guitar

Dylan was coming off his highly successful and acclaimed reunion with the Band in 1974 when he came up with the idea of the Rolling Thunder Revue. It featured folk icon Joan Baez and former Byrds leader/vocalist Roger McGuinn as the headliners, and sported a solid house band that featured singer/songwriter Bob Neuwirth, producer/guitarist T-Bone Burnett, and former David Bowie guitarist, Mick Ronson, famous for being part of the Ziggy Stardust combo.

This recording from the Montreal Forum features most of the non-Dylan segments of the show, with a guest segment by Joni Mitchell. Mitchell, who only did a handful of appearances with the Rolling Thunder Revue, opted to feature mostly new material that much of the audience was unfamiliar with. “Woman of Heart and Mind,” “Shadows and Light,” “Coyote,” and “Don't Interrupt the Sorrow,” are some of the best songs Mitchell ever wrote and recorded, and her set is the highlight of this segment of the show. Included in the show is an early version of Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves Of London” (sung by the entourage) and a beautiful tribute to the baseball great Catfish Hunter, simply entitled “Catfish”, sung by the ensemble’s bass player, Rob Stoner. Bob Neuwirth’s heartfelt goodbye to Janis Joplin is an added highlight; he contributes “Mercedes Benz,” which he was writing with Joplin at the time of her tragic death. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott’s segment wraps up the set, with renditions of “San Francisco’s Bay Blues,” “House of the Rising Sun” (made famous by the Animals), “Salt Pork, West Virginia” and “I’m A Rich And Ramblin’ Boy.”

It has been rumored that Bob Dylan got the idea for 1975’s Rolling Thunder Revue from attending the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. The idea of touring with a roving troupe of friends and musicians was incredibly appealing to him. In retrospect, it was one of the first of the big-event theme tours before the days of Lollapalooza and Ozzfest.

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