Lucinda Williams reveals Bob Dylan’s reaction to her being labelled the “female Bob Dylan”
Lucinda Williams has opened up about Bob Dylan‘s wholesome reaction to her being labelled as the “female Bob Dylan” in the press.
Williams cites Dylan as one of her all-time greatest inspirations, and over the past summer, she had the opportunity to share a stage with him, as well as Willie Nelson, as part of their Outlaw Music Festival tour in North America.
While being on the same bill as Dylan for a run of shows is awe-inspiring enough, it was made even sweeter when word arrived to Williams that Dylan wanted to personally speak to her, which turned out to be in regards to the comparisons between them.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Williams noted how “I’ve been singing his praises since I first discovered his music when I was 12 years old”, and described the opportunity to tour with him as “great”.
She explained of their interaction, “He wanted to say hi to me. He sent the message. His people talked to my people and said, ‘Bob would like to say a few words to Lucinda.’ It’s funny: At a certain point somebody in the press over the last few years started referring to me as the ‘female Bob Dylan’ and Bob Dylan heard about that.”
Before the tour, Williams and Dylan’s mutual friend Mavis Staples had told her that “Bob had been going around telling his bandmates and crew guys, ‘Hey, there’s a female Bob Dylan out there, apparently.’ Like he got a big kick out of it.”
Williams continued, “So, when he came up to say hi, I said, ‘I know you know about this female Bob Dylan thing.” And he smiles real big and he goes, ‘Is that you?‘ I said yes. I was kind of embarrassed, because it’s kind of silly. And then — this is what blew my mind — he goes, ‘Well, who else would it be?’ I thought, ‘Oh my god, that has to mean he’s heard my stuff before.'”
The singer-songwriter also noted how she remains “still so in awe of him”, which was likely increased even more due to their sweet interaction.
Additionally, in a new interview with The Observer, Williams said her conversation with Dylan backstage at Outlaw Music Festival was “the highlight of my year”.
Williams’ new album, World’s Gone Wrong, arrived on January 23rd, 2026.
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