Fifty-one years ago, on February 8, 1963, Bob Dylan played a set at Gerde’s Folk City in Greenwich Village.

It was two years after Dylan had arrived in New York, nearly two years since he got one of his first breaks playing at Gerde’s, which was probably the most important folk club in the country at that time.

It was a review in the New York Times by Robert Shelton of Dylan opening for the Greenbriar Boys at Gerde’s that helped Dylan to get the attention of Columbia Records’ legendary A&R man John Hammond.

By February of 1963, Dylan had signed a record deal with Columbia Records, taken on manager Albert Grossman, secured a publishing deal with Whitmark and recorded his debut, Bob Dylan, and had it released to less than minor success.

He was six months away from his first hit, a version of “Blowin’ in the Wind” that Peter, Paul and Mary would take to #2 on the pop charts, setting the stage for one of the most long-lasting and successful careers in popular music.

Below are recordings of the songs Dylan recorded at Gerde’s in the order they were performed.

1 “Lonesome River Edge”:

2 “Back Door Blues”:

3 “Bob Dylan’s Dream”:

4 “You Can Get Her”:

5 “Farewell”:

6 “All Over You” (with Happy Traum):

7 “Masters Of War”:

8 Instrumental

9 “Keep Your Hands Off Her”:

10 “Honey Babe”:

11 “Goin’ Back To Rome”:

12 “Stealin’, Stealin’,” (with Happy Traum):

-– A Days of the Crazy-Wild blog post: sounds, visuals and/or news –-