Bob Dylan Quietly Parts Ways With Two Longtime Band Members Mid-Tour

Back in May, Bob Dylan celebrated his 85th birthday. Looking back on his career, the singer sold millions of albums, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Add that to the numerous Grammys he currently holds, and Dylan was nothing short of a musical icon. But even with all the success, he continues to expand his stardom. Recently, Dylan hit the road for his Long Hot Summer tour. A fitting name for the current heatwave scorching the United States, the singer made headlines when two longtime members of his band quit. 

Lineup changes are nothing new for Dylan. Again, after spending decades in the spotlight, the hitmaker knew how to adapt to change. But what made the exit of Bob Britt so unusual was how quickly and quietly it happened. The guitar player for Dylan since 2019, the musician has spent the last seven years with the band. That came to an end over the weekend when Britt wrote on social media, “Sayonara Bobby.” 

Adding to the caption, Britt shared an image showing a plane leaving from Austin and heading to Nashville. When fans commented on the post, the musician only replied, “I quit.” Adding to the confusion, the post was later deleted. 

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Bob Dylan Faces Several Lineup Changes

The exit of Britt comes after Dylan found himself without his eclectic guitarist, Doug Lancio. Much like Britt, Lancio joined the band in 2021 for the Rough and Rowdy Ways world tour. Although departing the lineup, it wasn’t until June 17 that fans noticed Lancio wasn’t there when Dylan took the stage in Santa Barbara. 

Not sharing any comments on the exit of Lancio, the band welcomed jazz guitarist Julian Lage. Lage has routinely accompanied Dylan and the group since being added. With Dylan not speaking on the departure of Lancio or Britt, fans are left with more questions than answers. 

As for the future, Dylan continues to push forward with his Long Hot Summer tour. Kicking off in June, the icon will travel the country throughout the summer before wrapping up the tour on August 1 in Nashville. Although the recent lineup changes have left fans speculating about what happened behind the scenes, Dylan appeared focused on the shows ahead.  

(Photo by Getty Images)

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