Robert Neuwirth's contributed to the catalog of American folk music in myriad ways, serving not only as a solo artist, but also as Bob Dylan's tour manager and Janis Joplin's co-writer on the iconic song "Mercedes Benz." He was born in Arkon, Ohio, on June 20, 1939, and later relocated to Massachusetts, where he began involved in Cambridge's folk music revival. He met Dylan in 1961 and soon became his road manager, accompanying Dylan on his tour of England in 1965, his controversial performance at the Newport Folk Festival later that year, and eventually his Rolling Thunder Revue during the mid-1970s. Meanwhile, Neuwirth also established himself as a songwriter in his own right, co-writing Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz" in August 1970 and moving to Los Angeles soon after to launch his solo career. The self-titled album Robert Neuwirth marked his debut in 1974, featuring appearances from Kris Kristofferson, the Byrds' Chris Hillman, the Mamas and the Papas' Cass Elliot, and Dusty Springfield. Despite the high-powered guest list, Robert Neuwirth failed to generate much buzz, and Neuwirth didn't release another record until 1988's Back to the Front. The folk-record 99 Monkeys followed in 1990, and he teamed up with John Cale for the collaborative album Last Day on Earth in 1994 before resuming his solo career with 1996's Look Up and 1999's Havana Midnight. Active well into his later years, he produced albums by The Kropotkins and Vince Bell during his 70s before passing away at 82 years old, succumbing to heart failure on May 18, 2022, in Santa Monica, California.
