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The singer Bob Dylan said should have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Sat 9 September 2023 15:30, UK

Even the best songwriter of all time learned his trade somewhere. In his early climb to success as a folk singer, Bob Dylan made it clear where his influences came from. Before he became enamoured with folk, Dylan would front several school bands playing the piano on foot in the style of his hero, Little Richard. As the 1960s approached, all roads led to Woody Guthrie.

As the years wore on, Dylan became the biggest name in folk music, spearheading an unsettled generation with political themes expressed throughout much of his early work. As he became more successful in his own right, Dylan was less liberal when naming the artists he admired, seemingly unwilling to feed the egos of his peers until they reached a certain standard. This new stance added a touch more conviction when, on occasion, he did express admiration for his peers.

Dylan has, of course, been somewhat blatant in his affection for the likes of George Harrison, “them British bad boys The Rolling Stones,” and Mark Knopfler. Top-flight musicians such as these have been closely associated with Dylan in the past and received notable flattery during interviews. However, the Nobel Prize winner has also spared some love for unsung heroes in the industry.

One artist whom Dylan felt was criminally underrated and should have been honoured by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was Willy DeVille. Many readers won’t be familiar with the name but will recognise ‘Spanish Stroll’, the beloved hit single released by Willy’s first and most successful band, Mink DeVille.

In a rare 2015 interview with Bill Flanagan, Dylan sang DeVille’s praises, lamenting his absence from the Rock Hall. “He stood out; his voice and presentation ought to have gotten him in there by now.”

DeVille’s 35-year career was marked by several chapters of varied style and acclaim. At his finest, DeVille fronted Mink DeVille through the late 1970s when he became a regular at the famous CBGB club alongside the likes of Talking Heads and Ramones. The band’s distinctive style blended a wealth of genres, including punk, soul, blues and Latin rock.

DeVille’s lyrical style and delivery have often been compared to that of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground. In a quote that appeared in the liner notes for Mink Deville’s second album, Return to Magenta, the legendary songwriter Doc Pomus said: “Mink DeVille knows the truth of a city street and the courage in a ghetto love song. And the harsh reality in his voice and phrasing is yesterday, today, and tomorrow — timeless in the same way that loneliness, no money, and troubles find each other and never quit for a minute.”

DeVille’s commercial success ebbed and flowed over the years, reaching notable peaks in collaborations with Jack Nitzsche, Pomus, Dr. John, Mark Knopfler and Allen Toussaint. All the while, his career and personal life were plagued by addiction and marital struggles. On August 6th, 2009, DeVille sadly passed away at the age of 58 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Listen to Mink DeVille’s biggest hit, ‘Spanish Stroll’, below.