Bob Dylan, the iconic American singer-songwriter, has had a number of romantic partners over the years, some of whom he had children with. Dylan has been married twice and has had several other relationships that produced children.
Dylan’s marriages and children
Bob Dylan married his first wife, Sara Lownds, in 1965. They had four children together:
- Jesse Byron Dylan – born January 6, 1966
- Anna Dylan – born July 11, 1967
- Samuel Dylan – born July 30, 1968
- Jakob Dylan – born December 9, 1969
Dylan and Sara Lownds divorced in 1977 after being married for 11 years. In 1986, Bob Dylan married his backup singer Carolyn Dennis. They had one daughter together:
- Desiree Gabrielle Dennis-Dylan – born January 31, 1986
Bob Dylan and Carolyn Dennis divorced in October 1992.
Children with other partners
In addition to the children from his two marriages, Bob Dylan has three other children with different partners:
- Maria Lownds (born October 21, 1961) – with Joan Baez
- Isaac Dylan (born July 30, 1968) – with Carolyn Hester
- Wolfgang “Lonnie” Dylan (born August 15, 1969) – with someone from Minnesota
Bob Dylan had a relationship with folk singer Joan Baez in the early 1960s, during the time they performed together. Their relationship was closely followed by the media and fans. It is widely believed that Bob Dylan’s song “Lay Lady Lay” was written for Joan Baez.
Maria Lownds was born in October 1961 from Dylan’s relationship with Baez. At the time, Bob Dylan refused to publicly acknowledge that Maria was his daughter, but it was confirmed in the early 1990s after an investigation into child support payments.
In the summer of 1964, Bob Dylan had a short-lived affair with singer Carolyn Hester. This resulted in the birth of Dylan’s son Jakob Dylan on July 30, 1968. Initially, Hester did not publicly name Bob Dylan as the father of the child. Dylan’s paternity was established in the late 1980s.
Dylan also fathered a son named Wolfgang “Lonnie” Dylan, who was born in 1969 to an unnamed Minnesota woman with whom Dylan had an affair that year. Lonnie’s paternity was proven through DNA tests in the early 1990s.
Summary of Bob Dylan’s marriages and children
Wife/Partner | Child | Birth Year |
---|---|---|
Sara Lownds | Jesse Byron Dylan | 1966 |
Sara Lownds | Anna Dylan | 1967 |
Sara Lownds | Samuel Dylan | 1968 |
Sara Lownds | Jakob Dylan | 1969 |
Joan Baez | Maria Lownds | 1961 |
Carolyn Hester | Isaac Dylan | 1968 |
Unnamed woman from Minnesota | Wolfgang “Lonnie” Dylan | 1969 |
Carolyn Dennis | Desiree Gabrielle Dennis-Dylan | 1986 |
In total, Bob Dylan has 8 recognized children from 4 different relationships spanning from 1961 to 1986.
Dylan’s relationship history and controversies
Throughout his life, Bob Dylan has been relatively private about his personal and romantic relationships. However, his affairs and children born out of wedlock were controversial at the time, given Dylan’s popularity and marriage to Sara Lownds.
In a 1975 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Bob Dylan stated about his past relationships:
“I’ve made a study of it, and it’s my series of relationships that have enabled me to learn.”
Some other insights into Dylan’s views on relationships and women include:
- He had a reputation as a heartbreaker and womanizer in his younger days.
- Dylan valued his freedom and did not like to be tied down.
- He acknowledged making some mistakes with women.
- Dylan admitted he could be selfish in relationships.
Sara Lownds was Bob Dylan’s longest relationship. They married in 1965, although Dylan was already involved with Joan Baez at the time. Their marriage ended in 1977 after Dylan had multiple affairs.
Dylan met Carolyn Dennis in 1978. She toured with Dylan’s band for several years and they began a secret relationship, marrying in 1986. They kept their marriage hidden from the public until the 2001 publication of Howard Sounes’ Dylan biography Down the Highway.
Overall, Bob Dylan did not have a conventional approach to relationships. His complex romantic history and children with multiple women caused controversy during the 1960s and 1970s when he was at the peak of his career.
Dylan’s children and their careers
Although Bob Dylan did not originally acknowledge some of his children publicly, several have gone on to have careers in the arts and entertainment industry:
- Jakob Dylan – Lead singer and songwriter for the rock band The Wallflowers. Has released several solo albums.
- Jesse Dylan – Film director, businessman. Directed music videos and films. Founded media companies.
- Desiree Dennis-Dylan – Actress with roles in several films and TV series.
- Maria Lownds – Actress and model. Has appeared in movies and TV shows.
Bob Dylan did not push his kids into the limelight or encourage them to follow in his footsteps necessarily. But it’s clear that his musical talents and passions have carried down to the next generation.
In a rare interview together in 2009, Bob Dylan and his son Jakob expressed mutual admiration for one another’s work but downplayed notions they set out to collaborate together musically.
Conclusion
Bob Dylan, one of the most influential musicians of all time, had a complex personal life with many romantic relationships and children both in and out of marriage. His two wives Sara Lownds and Carolyn Dennis bore him 5 children. He also fathered 3 other children with Joan Baez, Carolyn Hester, and an unnamed Minnesota woman. While controversial at the time, several of Dylan’s kids went on to have successful careers in the arts and entertainment industry, carrying on his creative legacy.