Bob Dylan breaks silence on 'ridiculous' rumour as he addresses ex-backup dancer

Bob Dylan has cleared the air on a 'ridiculous' rumour making the rounds following a performance at the 1998 Grammy Awards and whether people were allowed to look at him

Legendary songwriter Bob Dylan has cleared the air on a "ridiculous" rumour.

In a post to Twitter/X, the 83-year-old replied to a woman claiming to be a former dancer who worked with Dylan in the 1990s. She alleged Dylan had told people not to look him in the eyes and that she was booted from being a part of his 1998 Grammy performance.

But the veteran musician, who recently concluded his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour at London's Royal Albert Hall, has rubbished the claim and says people are free to look him in the eye.

Dylan shared his thoughts on a recent gig he attended in Paris, with the songwriter heading to the French capital watch Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds perform live on November 19. He wrote: "Saw Nick Cave in Paris recently at the Accor Arena and I was really struck by that song Joy where he sings 'We’ve all had too much sorrow, now it the time for joy.' I was thinking to myself, yeah that’s about right."

While the post delighted many fans, one reply from Cheryl Henry reads: "My Joy was taken away after rehearsing as one of the Backup dancers for your set on the Grammys in NYC 1991. We all had to walk single file to exit thru the backstage area, past the dressing rooms where you were standing wearing a hooded black robe, kinda like the boxers used to wear & you said to me as I passed you 'Now don't you go cutting that long red hair of yours before tomorrow night'.

"By the time I reached the exit door at Radio City I had been told not to return Nadine (who was running things) had told us all before NOT to make eye contact with you! I guess I snuck a peek as I passed you! I had a letter with me also from an old friend of yours Katherine Perry who knew you in your West Village days. It wasn't meant to be Gemini Man...."

But Dylan has rubbished the rumour, replying: "Saw your reply. Just want you to know I’ve never told anybody not to make eye contact with me. That is just ridiculous. And the next time you see me please look straight into my eyes."

The dance in question is the 1998 Grammy Awards performance, where the Mr Tambourine Man singer picked up three awards. He also performed Love Sick from his album, Time Out of Mind, which picked up the Best Album award that same night. Dylan also won best rock and best folk album that night.