In 1974, Ronnie Wood became a guitarist for The Rolling Stones, and he played a part in creating their 13th British and 15th American studio album, ‘Black and Blue,’ which came out on April 23, 1976. He went on tour with The Rolling Stones before the album’s release and joined the band permanently in 1976. Despite his new role, he pursued his solo career and collaborated with other artists like Prince, David Bowie, and Eric Clapton. Additionally, Wood had an unforgettable live performance with Bob Dylan that was a little cringe-worthy.
Live Aid was a charity concert held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia on July 13, 1985. It aimed to raise funds for the 1983-1985 famine in Ethiopia and became one of the most iconic events of its time, with an estimated global audience of two billion people.
Numerous famous musicians such as Sting, Phil Collins, Queen, The Who, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, and more performed legendary sets to support the cause. Among these musical greats, The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards, together with Bob Dylan, took to the stage and performed three Dylan classics: ‘Ballad of Hollis Brown,’ ‘When The Ship Comes In,’ and ‘Blowin’ in the Wind.’
During their rendition of ‘Blowin’ in the Wind,’ originally released on Dylan’s second studio album, ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,’ on May 27, 1963, Dylan encountered a problem when his guitar strings broke. Wood quickly came to the rescue and offered his own guitar, leaving him to play air guitar, which was a somewhat embarrassing moment for a musician of his stature.
Nevertheless, Wood’s gesture of lending his guitar without hesitation showed his admiration and respect for Dylan, and the incident became an unforgettable memory for both artists and their fans. Finally, a crew member brought a replacement guitar, putting an end to Wood’s air guitar performance.
Watch the performance below: