Having joined
the band in March 1997, Larry Campbell further propelled the band's
sound in a country direction. His quiet and restrained stage demeanor
was often offset by his dazzling guitar runs and rhythm fills.
Though
a more subtle and flexible player than Dylan's previous guitarists,
Campbell's fleet-footed country approach is both understanded
and rhythmically full. His playing spirals and winds around the
songs' melodies, but never mauls over it.
He
can also play the crunching rock riffs for "Silvio,"
or slip on fingerpicks for some high-speed picking on "Maggie's
Farm."
Campbell
is also quick to switch to a supporting role, playing a masterful
rhythm part, when Dylan takes lead guitar.
Campbell
is also a multi-instrumentalist and in his early years with the
band, he played violin and bouzouki onstage.
But
after Bucky Baxter left the band in June 1999, Campbell took his
spot as the band's utility man. Though Campbell was now playing
mandolin, pedal steel, lap steel and slide guitar, he's continued
to play a majority of the lead guitar work.
In
doing so, Campbell now has a more prominent role in the band,
their sound now driven by Campbell's guitarwork.
Before
joining the band, Campbell played with Happy Traum, Greg Trooper,
Kinky Friedman, k.d. Lang, Shawn Colvin, Edie Brickell and Cyndi
Lauper. He reportedly got his shot with the band through his friendship
with Tony Garnier. |