Being a music fan means knowing Bob Dylan, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters of all time. And yet there is no doubt that the film A complete unknown has brought the legendary singer back into the conversation in 2024 in a way he hasn’t in years. The film is based on the 2015 book Dylan goes electric! by Elijah Wald and starring Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook and Scoot McNairy.

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A complete unknown focuses on Dylan from the beginning of his career to the controversy over his use of electric instruments at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The film was already a success, receiving three nominations at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Actor for Timothée Chalamet and Best Supporting Actor for Edward Norton.

Undoubtedly, the film has left fans wanting to know more about Dylan, a famous figure whose career has spanned 60 years. And one of the most common questions about Bob Dylan concerns his dating life. Who did Bob Dylan date? Was he married? Here’s everything we know about the legendary singer’s love life.

Bob Dylan’s Dating History

Suzie Pullen (rumored since 1998)

Dylan hasn’t had a public relationship in years, but rumor has it that not only is he in a relationship, but he’s also married to longtime advisor/assistant Suzie Pullen.

Carolyn Dennis (1978-1992)

Carolyn Dennis was Dylan’s second wife. They met in 1978 when she was chosen as a backup singer for Dylan’s album Street legal. The two had a child together, Desiree Gabrielle Dennis-Dylan, in 1986 and married that same year. They divorced in 1992.

Sally Kirkland (70s, 80s and 90s)

Bob Dylan dated actress and producer Sally Kirkland briefly in the ’70s, then in the late ’80s, and then again in the late ’90s. Talk about the relationship you can’t end! “We kept coming back to each other,” Kirkland told Closer Weekly in 2016. “I always sent him birthday letters and saw his last concert in LA.”

Ruth Tyrangiel (1975-1994)

Another of Dylan’s occasional girlfriends was Ruth Tyrangiel. The two are believed to have started dating in the mid-1970s, although the relationship was on and off for years. Tyrangiel is a former lawyer.

Chris O’Dell (1974)

Dylan was reportedly dating O’Dell in 1974, shortly after he separated from his wife. O’Dell was an employee of Dylan’s manager at the time. She has worked extensively in the music industry, including with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones alongside Bob Dylan. In 2009 she wrote a memoir titled Miss O’Dell.

Sara Dylan (1964-1977)

Sara, born Shirley Marlin Noznisky, was Dylan’s first wife. The two met in late 1964 after Noznisky tragically lost her husband. The two had four children together and their marriage is said to have been the inspiration for Dylan’s famous work Blood on the tracks Album. They divorced in 1977.

Dana Gillespie (1965)

Gillespie, a British actress and singer, briefly dated Dylan in the ’90s. The two famously met while Dylan was on tour.

Mavis Staples (1963)

Acclaimed American gospel and R&B singer Staples had a relationship with Dylan in the early 1960s after the two met at a folk festival and bonded over their shared love of music. Staples told The Guardian: “I often think about what would have happened if I had married Bobby. If we had had a few little plum busters, what would our lives have been like? The kids would be singing now and Bobby and I would be supporting each other.”

Joan Baez (1963-1965)

Perhaps Dylan’s most famous relationship outside of his marriages: The two met at the Monterey Folk Festival in 1963 and sparks immediately flew. They frequently performed together and greatly influenced each other’s music careers. However, their relationship ended in 1965.

Suze Rotolo (1961-1963)

Dylan’s first known love, Rotolo, met the singer in the early 1960s and the two dated on and off for a few years. She is said to have inspired many of his protest songs. However, his increasing fame is said to have gotten in the way of their relationship.

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