Bob Neuwirth

Neuwirth was born in Akron, Ohio on June 20, 1939. His father, Robert, was employed as an engineer; his mother, Clara Irene (Fischer), worked as a design engineer. He initially studied at Ohio University, before moving to Boston in 1959 when he was awarded an arts scholarship to study at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts. After dropping out of college, he briefly relocated to Paris and took up the banjo, guitar, and harmonica during this time. This eventually paved the way to the folk scene of the early 1960s in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He also went busking with Ramblin' Jack Elliott during his sojourn in the French capital. Neuwirth later went back to Boston and was employed at an art supply store. ==Career==

Neuwirth first met Bob Dylan in 1961, He soon became Dylan's friend and associate, as well as his road manager. After moving to Los Angeles during the 1970s, Neuwirth released his debut album Bob Neuwirth (1974) with Asylum Records. It was not commercially successful, which was characterized as a wholehearted effort at fusion between folk and blues with Cuban music. Neuwirth was involved in concerts at a church in Brooklyn and the Royal Festival Hall in 1999, which were organized by Hal Willner as a tribute to the Anthology of American Folk Music released almost 50 years before. A year later, Neuwirth produced the documentary Down from the Mountain, with Pennebaker as one of the directors and highlighting artists whose music was included in O Brother, Where Art Thou? by the Coen brothers. He also took part in music projects involving various artists at the turn of the millennium, namely Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo and ''Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys. He was interviewed by Martin Scorsese for No Direction Home (2005), and featured in Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese'' fourteen years later. ==Personal life==

Neuwirth was in a domestic partnership with Paula Batson until his death. He lived in Santa Monica, California, during his later years. He carried on painting throughout this time at a studio in the Meatpacking District in New York, and identified Jackson Pollock as his main inspiration that guided Neuwirth's colourful and abstract style. His artwork was displayed at Track 16 Gallery in a 2011 exhibition titled "Overs & Unders: Paintings by Bob Neuwirth, 1964–2009". Always known for being fiercely supportive and defensive of artists he believed in, Neuwirth was also known for being a provocateur and fan of instigation during the 60’s and 70’s. He got sober in the later 1970’s and stayed that way until his death, helping a lot of friends, associates, and would be strangers get and stay sober over the last 40 plus years of his life. Neuwirth died on the evening of May 18, 2022, in Santa Monica. He was 82, and had heart failure before his death. ==Discography==

Solo • 1974: Bob Neuwirth (Asylum) • 1988: Back to the Front (Gold Castle) • Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo – "Rosalie" (Independent release, 2004) • ''Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys'' – Various Artists, 2006 • The Kropotkins – Portents of Love, producer, 2015 • Vince Bell – Ojo, producer, 2018 ==Bibliography==