Beginning in 1967, Bob Dylan and his Columbia stable-mate EARL SCRUGGS (with his long-time partner LESTER FLATT) shared a common producer, Bob Johnston, who urged substantial changes in the Flatt & Scruggs traditional bluegrass repertoire.

"Basically, Bob Johnston, with his emphasis on the new breed of singer-songwriters (as opposed to the staunch-traditional country and bluegrass songwriters) contributed to the break-up of Flatt & Scruggs. While Earl Scruggs expressed a growing boredom with traditional bluegrass ("I was playing the same thing over and over every night. I just couldn't stand it any longer."), Lester Flatt felt uneasy with Bob Johnston: "He also cuts Bob Dylan and we would record what he would come up with, regardless of whether I liked it or not. I can't sing Bob Dylan stuff, I mean. Columbia has got Bob Dylan, why did they want me?"

Neil V. Rosenberg, Liner notes for "Flatt & Scruggs", Time-Life Records TLCW-04, 1982

• Mama, You Been On My Mind (May 16, 1966)
• Girl From The North Country (May 15, 1967 - unissued/lost)
• Don't Think Twice It's All Right (September 21, 1967)
• Blowin' In The Wind (September 21, 1967)
• It Ain't Me Babe (September 21, 1967)
• Down In The Flood (September 26, 1967)
• Mr. Tambourine Man (October 20, 1967)
• Like A Rolling Stone (July 18, 1968)
• I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (September 09, 1968)
• Rainy Day Women No. 12 And 35 (September 09, 1968 - unissued/lost)
• The Times They Are A-Changin' (September 16, 1968)
• Rainy Day Women No. 12 And 35 (September 17, 1968)
• Nashville Skyline Rag (August 21, 1969)
• Maggie's Farm (August 21, 1969)
• Wanted Man (August 21, 1969)
• One More Night (August 21, 1969)
• One Too Many Mornings (August 22, 1969)
• Girl From The North Country (August 22, 1969)
• Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance (August 22, 1969)
  
  All tracks released on 1964-1969, Bear Family Records 6-CD set (BCD 15879).

  Earl Scruggs continued to experiment with new styles and musical directions. On "Nashville's Rock" (again produced by Bob Johnston), he recorded instrumental versions of "Love Is Just A Four-Letter Word" and "Nashville Skyline Rag" (also covering the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Women" and The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends" and "Something").

  Some of the Bob Dylan songs covered by THE EARL SCRUGGS REVUE (a rather rock-oriented group comprising Earl Scruggs and his sons Earl, Gary and Randy) include:

  • "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry"
  • "Down In The Flood"
  • "Tomorrow's A Long Time"
  • "Watching The River Flow"
  and a terrific (IMO) version of
  • "Song To Woody"
  (featuring -- among others -- Johnny Cash and Ramblin' Jack Elliott).

  In Dec 1970, Dylan recorded two songs,

  • "East Virginia Blues"
  • and "Nashville Skyline Rag,"
  with Earl Scruggs and his sons Randy and Gary.

  Both songs were broadcast in an NBC Documentary in Jan 1971; "Nashville Skyline Rag" was subsequently officially released on the album "Earl Scruggs Performing With His Family And Friends" (COLUMBIA KC-30584, mid-1971).

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