Delaware
Bob Dylan’s ex-wife is from Delaware? He has family history with the First State
Billie Eilish signs a fan’s chest during Firefly set
The fan held a sign asking Billie Eilish to sign their chest.
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Bob Dylan’s new biopic, “A Complete Unknown,” is a reminder that an ex-wife of the music legend is from Delaware, although she doesn’t appear to be in the film.
But more than that, Dylan, who is now 83, has also performed in the Small Wonder multiple times, and his son has gigged here, too.”A Complete Unknown” hits theaters Christmas Day. Whether or not you plan to see the film, here’s a look at Dylan’s history with Delaware.
Bob Dylan takes Firefly record from Paul McCartney
Most Delawareans probably recall Dylan’s last concert in the First State, held at Firefly Music Festival in The Woodlands of Dover on June 17, 2017. Dylan became the oldest performer to headline the festival at age 76, a title previously held by Sir Paul McCartney, who played Firefly on June 19, 2015, just one day after his 73rd birthday.
Bob Dylan’s ex-wife Sara Dylan is from Delaware
Just like Dylan’s new movie is titled “A Complete Unknown,” very little is “known” about his ex-wife Sara Dylan. But we do know she was born in Wilmington as Shirley Noznisky and married the folk legend in 1965. The couple divorced in 1977, according to People.com. The pair had four children together, including The Wallflowers frontman Jakob Dylan and director Jesse Dylan.His ex-wife inspired songs such as “Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” from Bob Dylan’s landmark double-album “Blonde on Blonde” and “Sara” from 1976’s “Desire.”
Sara Dylan was directed by Bob Dylan in his movie
Sara Dylan played the role of Clara in the 1978 film that Bob directed and starred in titled “Renaldo and Clara.” The film is described on IMDB as “Bob Dylan on tour with the Rolling Thunder Revue in 1975; concert footage, documentary interviews and bizarre improvised character scenes.”
Jakob Dylan followed in Bob Dylan’s Delaware footsteps
Like father like son, Jakob Dylan’s band The Wallflowers also performed on the main stage at Firefly (although they didn’t headline it as the elder Dylan did). But Jakob has bragging rights for being the first Dylan in the family to play Firefly because he was there in the festival’s inaugural year, which is the first and only year it was held in July. The Wallflowers played Firefly on opening day: July 20, 2012.
Bob Dylan played other Delaware concerts before Firefly
Although Firefly was Dylan’s biggest concert in the First State, it certainly wasn’t his first rodeo here. The superstar graced the stage at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark on Nov. 20, 1999, and April 12, 2013. Sandwiched between those shows, he played a concert at the legendary Kahunaville in Wilmington on June 8, 2004, per Setlist.fm.
What is Bob Dylan’s ‘A Complete Unknown’ about?
“A Complete Unknown” is a biopic about Bob Dylan starring Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning. The film follows Dylan’s four key years from 1961-1965. According to IMDB’s cast list, it looks like Sara Dylan isn’t featured in the film.
The project includes footage shot nearby in Cape May, New Jersey, this past May. Vintage cars took over the streets for the film, and signage changed the Jersey city into the scene of the 1965 Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island.
That Folk Festival scene was inspired by Dylan’s historic moment when he famously flipped the script and played an electric set at the festival, a move that was met with a chorus of boos from the crowd, History.com reported.
Where can I watch Bob Dylan’s ‘A Complete Unknown?’
For theater locations, visit fandango.com.
News Journal reporter Ryan Cormier contributed to this report, and so did Kaitlyn McCormick of the Cherry Hill Courier-Post, a sister publication of The News Journal.
If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters.