Bob Neuwirth Death: Obituary, Cause Of Death, Wife, Children

Bob Neuwirth—the musician, songwriter, and visual artist arguably best known for his collaborations with Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and John Cale died Wednesday, May 18, 2022 aged 82.

Bob died of heart failure.

Bob was in a domestic partnership with Paula Batson until his death.

Bob initially studied at Ohio University, before relocating to Boston in 1959 when he was awarded an arts scholarship to study at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts.

After a sojourn in Paris, Bob went back to Boston and was employed at an art supply store.

Bob also took up the banjo and guitar during this time, which paved the way for him to become a mainstay of the folk scene of the early 1960s in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Bob subsequently became a friend and associate of Bob Dylan alongside whom he appeared in D.A. Pennebaker’s documentary Dont Look Back and Dylan’s own self-referential romantic fantasy/tour film Renaldo and Clara.

Bob assembled the backing band for Dylan’s 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue.

With Janis Joplin and poet Michael McClure, Bob co-wrote the song “Mercedes Benz”.

Bob also introduced Kris Kristofferson to Janis Joplin, who would have a major (posthumous) hit single with Kristofferson’s song “Me and Bobby McGee” (which Neuwirth first played for Joplin.)