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The producer died on Friday in a Nashville hospice, said
Charlie McCoy, a veteran studio musician who often worked with
him.
Johnston worked with Dylan on several albums in Nashville, most
notably "Blonde on Blonde." The 1966 album's opening track,
"Rainy Day Women #12 & 35," achieved notoriety for its repeated
phrase: "Everybody must get stoned."
Rolling Stone magazine ranks "Blonde on Blonde" as the ninth
greatest album of all time.
McCoy, 74, said Johnston's priority was making sure musicians
had fun. The music, including "Rainy Day Women," reflected that,
he said.
"All that noise you hear on it, it was happening as he recorded.
He wanted us to have a party. We were shouting and screaming the
whole time," said McCoy, who played the trumpet and more in
countless sessions for Johnston.
Johnston had been working with Dylan in New York in 1965 and the
young singer/songwriter's appearance in Tennessee spurred
interest in Nashville and created opportunities for younger
musicians, as top session players were already booked solid,
McCoy said.
"After he brought Dylan here, the floodgates were opened," McCoy
said in an interview. "There suddenly was a need for more
studios and more musicians."
Johnston also produced Simon and Garfunkel's hit 1966 album
"Sounds of Silence," and worked with other musicians including
Leonard Cohen, the Byrds, Flatt and Scruggs and Marty Robbins.
(Reporting by Tim Ghianni; Editing by David Bailey and Peter
Cooney)
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