Kyle Hollingsworth turned 53 on Tuesday and has an eventful birthday week planned. On Sunday, his eponymous solo outfit will perform a doubleheader at Colorado’s Boulder Theater, something of an annual tradition for the String Cheese Incident keyboard player. Before that, however, Hollingsworth surprised fans on Thursday with a cover of Bob Dylan‘s “Subterranean Homesick Blues”.
Premiered via Relix, Hollingsworth’s rendition puts a unique spin on the Bringing It All Back Home track. Instead of the iconic, 1965-era rock n’ roll sound found on the original recording, the keyboardist eschews that style in favor of a 1970s, funk/R&B flavor. The song abounds with clavinet and wah wah-infused electric guitar.
Meanwhile, Hollingsworth is still tasked with delivering the motormouth lyrics, albeit at a much different rhythm, that have been studied for over half a century. Some things are still sacred, however, as the song’s thumbnail makes reference to the iconic music video taken from D.A. Pennebaker‘s 1965 documentary Don’t Look Back, long before anyone had heard the words “music video.”
“I grew up listening to Bob Dylan and I had fun reinterpreting this song,” Hollingsworth told Relix. “I hope it’s not sacrilege to treat it in this fashion, but I love all the imagery in the lyrics. And it is a mouthful to try to get them all out and keep in time! I might have to break it out for my socially-distanced birthday shows here in Boulder on Sunday.”
Listen to Kyle Hollingsworth put his own unique spin on the Bob Dylan classic, “Subterranean Homesick Blues”. Streaming bundles are still available for Hollingsworth’s sold-out birthday concerts.
Kyle Hollingsworth – “Subterranean Homesick Blues” (Bob Dylan)
[Video: HollingsworthFilms]
[H/T Relix]