THE MUSICIANS

Charlie McCoy - Bass guitar.

Charles Ray "Charlie" McCoy (born March 28, 1941) 

"Kenny and I were amazed at the change from Blonde on Blonde to John Wesley Harding. The recording was different. Of course, he sounded different. He looked different… when he first came for Blonde on Blonde, it was the wild fright wig. The next time he came back his hair was a lot shorter. His voice sounded different…we just flew through that stuff... did John Wesley Harding in nine-and-a-half hours, the whole record!”

 

Kenny Buttrey - Drums

Aaron Kenneth Buttrey (April 1, 1945 – September 12, 2004)

“We went in and knocked ’em out like demos. It seemed to be the rougher, the better. He could hear a mistake, laugh a little bit to himself as if (to say), ‘Great, man, that’s just what I’m looking for.’"

Pete Drake - Pedal Steel

Pete Drake (October 8, 1932 – July 29, 1988)

"You know, the steel wasn't accepted in pop music until I had cut with people like Elvis Presley and Joan Baez. But the kids, themselves, didn't accept it until I cut with Bob Dylan. After that I guess they figured steel was all right. I did the John Wesley Harding album, then Nashville Skyline and Self Portrait. Bob Dylan really helped me an awful lot. I mean, by having me play on those records he just opened the door for the pedal steel guitar, because then everybody wanted to use one. I was getting calls from all over the world. 

One day my secretary buzzed me and said, "George Harrison wants you on the phone." 

And I said, "Well, where's he from?" 

She said, "London." 

And I said,. "Well, what company's he with?" 

She said, "The Beatles." 

The name, you know, just didn't ring any bells-well, I'm just a hillbilly, you know (laughter). Anyway, I ended up going to London for a week where we did the album All Things Must Pass."

                                     - talking to by Douglas Green, Guitar Player Magazine