BOB DYLAN - FOLK MUSICIAN SPOELSTRA DIES

MARK SPOELSTRA, a folk and blues performer who played with BOB DYLAN, has died. He was 66. Spoelstra died of pancreatic cancer on Sunday (25FEB07) at his home in Sacramento, California. He became friends with Bob Dylan and the two performed together at New York City coffee houses and clubs in the 1960s. Dylan reminisced about their friendship in his 2004 memoir, CHRONICLES, VOL.1 and included Spoelstra in the 2005 documentary NO DIRECTION HOME. Spoelstra recorded two albums of traditional blues and folk songs for Folkway Records before being signed by Elektra Records. His 1964 he released FIVE AND TWENTY QUESTIONS and that, along with his next album STATE OF MIND, reflected the anti-war political stance he had taken in music. Spoelstra performed occasionally in his final years and recorded a new CD, OUT OF MY HANDS, in 2002.