Original album

A Nod To Bob - Various Artists

Superb Dylan covers album. Stand-out tracks :

Restless Farewell -- Norman Blake & Peter Ostroushko

Clothes Line Saga -- Maggie & Suzzy Roche

Delia (Traditional) -- Spider John Koerner & Dave Ray . The definitive version of this traditional song.

Honorable mention : Any Day Now - Joan Baez


Compilation album

I Shall Be Unreleased - Various Artists

Prior to The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 being released, all songs were unreleased by Dylan.
7 of them still have not been released by Dylan.
Stand-out tracks :
Wallflower - Doug Sahm & Bob Dylan (shouldn't count as a cover since it is a Sahm-Dylan duet)
Love Is Just A Four-Letter Word -- Joan Baez
Wanted Man -- Johnny Cash
Dusty Old Fairgrounds -- Blue Ash
Farewell -- Dion
Paths Of Victory -- Pete Seeger

Honorable mention :
The Byrds Play Dylan

All worthy choices.

I will add:

Hugues Aufray - Aufray Chante Dylan

The first album of Dylan translations, has been reissued many times since 1965.

The Songs of Bob Dylan

One of the best archival collections, like the later "I Shall Be Unreleased" it contained many then unreleased Dylan songs. Unfortunately the CD deleted 12 tracks - including many of the rarities - to fit on one disc. So my nomination is limited to the LP & MC versions.

More to come...

Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration

This would have to be in the HoF, I think.

Often, being the first of anything is historical enough to be included in a Hall of Fame, but in the case of Dylan Cover Albums the earliest dated album is the Barbara Mason LP, released in 1964. I don't consider this album a Hall of Fame candidate.

Barbara Mason - How Many Seas Must A White Dove Sail


Other early Dylan Cover Albums:
1965
The 4 Seasons (split LP)
Dorinda Duncan
Golden Gate Strings
Odetta
The Silkie

1966
Duane Eddy
Gotham String Quartet
Gene Norman Group

1967
Sebastian Cabot
Fontana Concert Orchestra
Metropolitan Pops Orchestra

1968
Joan Baez / Any Day Now

Most of the albums cited above (1964-1968), are not very good, IMO.

The 30th Ann. Concert Celebration album has never been one of my favorites.

I would nominate : May Your Song Always Be Sung Again: The Songs of Bob Dylan Vol. 2

This, of course, falls into the comp category, unlike the 30th Ann. Con. Cel.

The album was obviously assembled with great care, from the graphics, to the liner notes, to the choice of material used.

Personal favorites :

Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window -- The Vacels
I Want You -- Gary Burton
T.V. Talkin' Song -- Heartland
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues -- Nina Simone
Come Una Pietra Scalciata (Like A Rolling Stone) -- Articolo 31
Million Dollar Bash -- Stone Country

Did not mean to imply any of that list was HoF worthy, was just listing early DCAs by year.

Besides Baez, which was already mentioned, one could make a case for Odetta, the first DCA by an established performer, although it's not a favorite of mine.
Less so, but a case could also be made for Gene Norman/Dylan Jazz, because it presented Dylan songs in an entirely new genre, and perhaps influenced later covers by established jazz performers.
It'd be difficult to nominate any of the other instrumental albums, as most were schlock. Maybe the first Jewels & Binoculars?
Duane Eddy can't be considered IMO because it contained too many non-Dylan songs, despite the Eddy Does Dylan title. To me it's also not up to par musically with Eddy's best.


Agree with your May Your Song... choice, any of the 3 volumes could be considered.

I started this thread with the uspoken idea of adding a "Hall Of Fame" page to the website, or at least marking the concensus nominees, but apparently there isn't much interest, once again

dylcol: Thanks for your interest & input.

How about The Hollies?
Not a popular album in the Hollies discography, but it was one of the first DCAs by an established rock band... has been reissued many times in many countries and has been in print most of the time since 1969.
Musically I'm undecided, but strictly from a collector's point of view it's one of the more interesting DCAs.
All the variations HERE

Perhaps "Hall Of Fame" / HoF has no meaning outside of North America... let's change it to nominations for "Essential Dylan Cover Albums."

It's unfortunate that there is not more interest, and more active participants .

Re : The Hollies.
From a collector's point of view, it holds some interest, and is one of the "must gets", but musically I find it very weak.
Much more interesting, musically speaking, is CDMF's Lo & Behold.
Ditto : The Grateful Dead's Postcards Of The Hanging

Both good choices.
If GD is included, Garcia Plays Dylan would have to be considered too.

This is a very interesting discussion !

There are so much tributes to Bob I love that I will be never able to give three or four CDs to be arisen from the collection.

The only thing that I can make is to say which my are preferred. I do not know if they are essential or if they must enter the " Hall of Fame" but I know that I like them very much. Obviously, they are numerous. I would be able to select others of them, for example in the translations ones, but I believe that I overflow already so much of the initial framework given by Dave that I will stop there.

Sorry for this too big list, I know that I do not make advance the question, once again, but this is my way of taking part in this survey which I find really interesting. I would be very interested in the opinion of the others collectors.

Joan Baez -- Baez Sings Dylan
Bill Camplin -- Bob Dylan Project - One
Phil Carmen -- Bob Dylan's Dream
Coulson, Dean, McGuinness, Flint -- Lo & Behold
Julie Félix -- Starry Eyed and Laughing... Songs by Bob Dylan
Bryan Ferry -- Dylanesque
Fernando Goin -- Sings Dylan
Andy Hill and Renée Safier -- It Takes A Lot To Laugh
Hooch Gang -- Shelter From The Storm - Hooch Gang plays Bob Dylan Vol. 2
Barb Jungr -- Every Grain Of Sand: Barb Jungr Sings Bob Dylan
Jamie Saft Trio -- Trouble: The Jamie Saft Trio Plays Bob Dylan
Maria Muldaur -- Heart of Mine: Maria Muldaur Sings Love Songs of Bob Dylan
Moses Wiggins -- Troubadour
Odetta -- Odetta Sings Dylan
Tim O'Brien -- Red On Blonde
Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
Bob Dylan Uncovered
Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan
May Your Song Always Be Sung: The Songs of Bob Dylan Vol. 1/2/3
A Nod To Bob: An Artists’ Tribute to Bob Dylan on His Sixtieth Birthday
Positively 12th & K - a Bob Dylan Tribute
The Times They Are A Changin'... A Tribute To Bob Dylan - Volume 1/2/3

Hi Jean - thanks for joining the discussion.

Certainly some good albums there, some are favorites of mine, too.

Other than those already mentioned in previous posts, a case can be made for Tim O'Brien and Gospel Songs, as each presented Dylan songs in their respective genres.
It's likely that later string-band/blugrass covers were influenced by Red On Blonde.
Gospel Songs put a "stamp of approval" on Dylan's work by established Gospel artists.
Some of them are too obscure to fit my "Hall Of Fame" concept: Bill Camplin, Phil Carmen, Fernando Goin, Hooch Gang, etc.
Jungr, Muldaur, Ferry will have to prove they have staying power, if they're still available in a few years they might deserve consideration.

Going over the different sections of DCA, here are the albums that I think are the "best", by category/section. Are they all HOF worthy? Don't know.

"Nominations should consider historical significance as well as musical content"

VOCAL

Any Day Now - Joan Baez
The Byrds Play Dylan (20 track version)
Lo & Behold - Coulson Dean McGuiness Flint
Postcards Of The Hanging - Grateful Dead
Garcia Plays Dylan - Jerry Garcia
Odetta Sings Dylan

INSTRUMENTAL

Dylan Jazz - Gene Norman Group

SHARED

Songs Of The Poets - Nina Simone

TRANSLATIONS

Aufray Chante Dylan - Hugues Aufray

NEAR MISSES

Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds
In The Wind - Peter Paul & Mary

VARIOUS ARTISTS

A Nod To Bob
I Shall Be Unreleased
The Songs Of Bob Dylan (32 track version)
May Your Song Always Be Sung Again : The Songs Of Bob Dylan Vol. 2
Doin' Dylan 2

MAGAZINE CD'S

Highway 61 Revisited Revisited


I have left out some personal favorites, because I don't think they would qualify.
Listen To Bob Dylan - A Tribute is a favorite. Listen to it all the time.
Dylan covers approaced from a different angle.

Tangled Up In Blues is another favorite of mine.

The Hollies Sing Dylan I think should not be included. Too light-weight musically. I have several editions of it, but have only listened to the album once. Don't plan on a 2nd spin anytime soon.

Another album that I have only listened to once is Dylanesque by Bryan Ferry. Got the CD (& DVD), and it was difficult to sit through and listen in one sitting. I know I will never listen to it again. Hands-down my least favorite Dylan covers album.
I would rather listen to Michel Montecrossa than Bryan Ferry.

Just my opinions, others may obviously think otherwise.