Peter, Paul and Mary's Noel Stookey Feels ‘Saddened’ by Bob Dylan's Busy Tour Schedule at Age 85: ‘That’s All He’s Got'

Raven BrunnerTue, June 23, 2026 at 6:27 PM UTC

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Noel Stookey; Bob Dylan.Credit: Andrew Toth/Getty; Kevin Mazur/WireImage -

Noel Stookey said he feels "saddened" that Dylan performs as much as he does at 85

The Peter, Paul and Mary band member recalled not enjoying one of Dylan's recent shows in Boston

Stookey's folk trio with Peter Yarrow and Mary Travers covered several of Dylan's songs, including, "Blowin' in the Wind"

Noel Stookey isn't a fan of Bob Dylan's touring habits.

The Peter, Paul and Mary band member, 88, said he feels "saddened" that Dylan performs as much as he does at age 85 in an interview with Rolling Stone published on Tuesday, June 23.

Stookey said the last time he spoke with Dylan was at a television event in 1986. However, he recently attended one of his concerts in Boston.

When asked about the "Blowin' in the Wind" singer performing nearly 100 shows a year, Stookey said, "I'm saddened by it."

Bob Dylan performs at Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center on Sept. 23, 2023 in Noblesville, Ind.Credit: Gary Miller/Getty

"Because that's all he's got. I mean, that's all he's got. He hides behind a piano when he plays. I saw him recently in Boston. It must be really, really difficult for him to have a real relationship with somebody. I mean, unless he's got a separate little place that he runs to, in which case, God bless you, Bob Dylan," Stookey continued.

The "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" musician continued to say that he did not enjoy the show in Boston.

"No, because he wasn't there. I mean, his body was there, but he didn't reach out to me. I didn't feel — he was just doing — it's like he was doing a show in spite of the fact that we were there rather than because we were there," Stookey told Rolling Stone.

PEOPLE reached out to a rep for Dylan for comment.

Stookey was a singer and master of ceremonies at the Gaslight Cafe before joining Peter Yarrow and Mary Travers to form Peter, Paul and Mary in 1961. The folk trio covered several of Dylan's songs, including "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right."

He also recalled his early memories of seeing Dylan perform at the infamous cafe in New York City.

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"The first time he came in, he had that nasal set to his vocal cords, and he did basically Woody Guthrie tunes. It was nothing really great, and he asked if he could do a guest set, and I said, 'Sure,' because part of being an emcee was also kind of arranging the talent so that two singers didn't go in a row," Stookey told Rolling Stone.

Peter, Paul and Mary in 1978.Credit: Owen Franken/Archive Photos/Getty

"So I worked Bob in. And then he was gone for two weeks, maybe three weeks. He was moderately well received, but not — certainly — how shall I say, no more excitedly received than Ramblin' Jack Elliott, who basically was doing the same kind of material, or Van Ronk, who touched on the blues, or Len Chandler. These were all names of pretty regular guys that worked at the Gaslight." he continued.

When Dylan returned three weeks later, Stookey noticed a change. He then performed a complex song about a folk singer who gets a job at a chess club in New Jersey.

"That was to me the beginning of the appreciation of how rich Dylan's writing was, is, and could be. Because of that, I was already starting to work with Peter and Mary, and I knew Albert Grossman because he had put the trio together, and I said to Albert, 'You've got to come down and hear this guy. He's pretty remarkable,' and that was the beginning of Dylan's relationship with Grossman," the guitarist said.

Noel Paul Stookey attends 'Living History Live: Noel Paul Stookey' at The Grammy Museum on April 22, 2022 in Los Angeles.Credit: Alison Buck/Getty

Dylan signed with Grossman in 1964, and the two worked together for several years.

The "Murder Most Foul" singer embarked on his Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour in support of his 39th studio album Rough and Rowdy Ways in 2021.

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He has also been actively performing on his Never Ending Tour, which started in 1988.

Dylan has dozens of upcoming tour dates in the United States scheduled through August. Stookey has five events scheduled for the remainder of the year.

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”