Bob Dylan’s former keyboardist Barry Goldberg has died aged 83.

Blues rock musician Goldberg pᴀssed away in hospice care after a 10-year battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

His wife of 53 years, Gail Goldberg, and son, Aram, were at his bedside, the musician’s spokesman confirmed to Variety.

Goldberg’s time with the Paul ʙuттerfield Blues Band led to his fateful performance with Dylan at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival – which saw Dylan shock the crowd when he debuted a new electric sound and iconic song Like A Rolling Stone.

The controversial performance was dramatized in Oscar nominated biopic A Complete Unknown, starring Timothee Chalamet with Justin Levine playing Goldberg.

Goldberg forged a connection with Dylan, with the rock legend producing his 1974 Barry Goldberg album alongside Jerry Wexler.

Bob Dylan’s former keyboardist Barry Goldberg has died aged 83

In 1990 Goldberg would return the favor by producing Dylan’s version of Curtis Mayfield’s People Get Ready, which was featured on the soundtrack for film, Flashback. 

Golden also co-produced albums by Percy Sledge, Charlie Musselwhite, James Cotton, and the Textones.

Born on Chicago, Goldberg got his start in music with Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, and Howlin’ Wolf before joining the Paul ʙuттerfield Blues Band – leading to his backing of Dylan at Newport.

In 1967 he formed The Electric Flag with Mike Bloomfield followed by the Barry Goldberg Reunion in 1968.

Artists including Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker and Gladys Knight have recorded his songs. 

He also played on albums including Leonard Cohen’s Death of a Ladies’ Man and the Ramones’ End of the Century.

His final album Into The Groove was released in 2018. 

Goldberg wrote about the Newport 1965 experience for the Forward in 2022, saying: ‘The 1965 Newport Folk Festival started out like a wonderful dream for me — and then it became a nightmare, and then it became a wonderful dream again. When I met up with the ʙuттerfield Band to rehearse our set, Paul Rothschild — the Elektra Records A&R guy who was going to produce the band’s debut album — took one look at me and said to Paul ʙuттerfield, ‘I don’t hear keyboards with the band. I don’t want him here.

Goldberg’s time with the Paul ʙuттerfield Blues Band led to his fateful performance with Dylan at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival – which saw Dylan shock the crowd when he debuted a new electric sound and iconic song Like A Rolling Stone – pictured far right

Blues rock musician Goldberg pᴀssed away in hospice care after a 10-year battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma – pictured 1970 

The controversial performance was dramatized in Oscar nominated biopic A Complete Unknown, starring Timothee Chalamet with Justin Levine playing Goldberg

Goldberg’s self-тιтled first album – produced by Bob Dylan – was released in 1973

‘And that was it. In one minute, I went from having the greatest time to being completely alone and having no gig. It just destroyed me. I wanted to go home, but I couldn’t.’

On Saturday night, he writes: ‘I found myself at a party with Michael Bloomfield and Bob Dylan. Bob had done a short acoustic performance at the festival that afternoon, which was what everybody expected from him, but now he was talking to Michael about getting a band together for his festival-closing performance Sunday — something people were definitely not expecting.

‘I don’t know if anyone’s going to show up to play with me tomorrow night,’ I overheard him saying to Michael. ‘Al Kooper was supposed to come, but I don’t know for sure that he’ll be here, and I might need a band.’ Michael called me over and introduced me to Bob. ‘Barry’s a great keyboard player,’ he said. ‘Hey, why don’t you use the ʙuттerfield Band to back you up?’ ‘That’s a great idea,’ 

‘Bob responded… Bob Dylan, on the spur of the moment, had decided to form a gang, and decided that Michael and I had what it took to be part of it. And as soon as he invited me to play with him, it was like Newport went back into ‘wonderful dream’ mode for me.’ When Dylan put an end to the mix of cheers and boos by playing an acoustic encore, Goldberg packed up and left. ‘I walked offstage that night feeling like a hero, and I didn’t want anything to break that spell.’

Goldberg is pictured with wife Gail who he wed in 1971

The couple share one son Aram – pictured 

Born on Chicago, Goldberg got his start in music with Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, and Howlin’ Wolf before joining the Paul ʙuттerfield Blues Band – leading to his backing of Dylan at Newport – pictured 1997

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Dylan’s performance at one of folk’s biggest showcases – in front of some of the purest of folk purists – caused a sensation.

Exactly what happened at the festival on July 25, 1965, has become enshrouded in legend, and debate persists over whether those who booed were angry over Dylan’s electric turn or were upset over the sound quality or the overly brief set.

Backed by a rock band that included Goldberg on live organ, Mike Bloomfield on guitar and Al Kooper on organ, Dylan played such songs as Maggie’s Farm and ‘Like a Rolling Stone. He returned for an acoustic encore with It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.

Legend has it that Pete Seeger, one of the elder statesmen of the folk movement, was so angry that he tried to pull the plug on the electric performance or threatened to cut the cable with an ax.

But years later, Seeger said he had nothing against Dylan going electric — he was upset over the distortion-filled sound system.