Bob Dylan regrets ‘error in judgment’ in selling machine-signed special edition books
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By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Iconic singer-songwriter Bob Dylan issued a rare public statement Friday night after it was revealed that “hand-signed” copies of a $600 special edition of his new book, “The Philosophy of Modern Song,” were not individually inscribed.
Dylan, 81, said that he “regrets” making “an error in judgment” by using machine technology to affix duplicate signatures to artwork and books that were advertised and sold as hand-signed copies during the past three years, Variety reported.
Dylan said the autopen signatures were used when he had vertigo in 2019 and continued during the COVID-19 pandemic when he did not have enough staff members to assist him, the entertainment news website reported.
“Using a machine was an error in judgment and I want to rectify it immediately,” Dylan said in his statement, which was posted to his official Facebook account. “I’m working with Simon & Schuster and my gallery partners to do just that.”
Dylan’s signed art prints routinely sell for $3,000 to $15,000, Variety reported.
Simon & Schuster, the publisher of the special edition book, is offering refunds, The Associated Press reported.
The 2016 Nobel laureate’s book has 66 chapters about 66 of his favorite songs by artists including Nina Simone, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, the Clash, the Who and his childhood hero, Little Richard, according to the Los Angeles Times. Only 900 of the $600 limited editions were available in the U.S., and each arrived with a letter from Jonathan Karp, CEO of Simon & Schuster, that served as “confirmation that [each] copy has been hand-signed by Bob Dylan.”
Some of the books have already been refunded this week by Simon & Schuster, Variety reported.
A gallery that has specialized in selling Dylan art prints, British-based Castle Galleries, issued a statement Saturday and said it was “reaching out to each and every one of our collectors who purchased any print from the (pertinent) editions to offer a solution to fully rectify the matter.”
1961 NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 1961: Bob Dylan wearing a motorcycle hat playing harmonica into a microphone in Columbia Recording Studio for a session in September 1961 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
1961 NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 1961: Bob Dylan poses for a portrait in this headshot from September 1961 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
1961 NEW YORK - 1961: Bob Dylan performs at The Bitter End folk club in Greenwich Village in 1961 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Sigmund Goode/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images) (Sigmund Goode/Getty Images)
1962 NEW YORK CITY - SEPTEMBER 1962: Bob Dylan plays acoustic guitar and smokes a cigarette in this headshot from September 1962 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
1964 JANUARY 1964: Bob Dylan poses for a portrait to promote the release of his album 'The Times They Are A-Changin'' in January 1964. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
1964 UNITED STATES - JULY 01: NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL Photo of Bob DYLAN, performing live onstage (Photo by Gai Terrell/Redferns) (Gai Terrell/Redferns)
1965 UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 01: BBC TV CENTRE Photo of Bob DYLAN, performing on TV show (Photo by Val Wilmer/Redferns) (Val Wilmer/Redferns)
1965 NEW YORK - JANUARY 13-15: Bob Dylan sing in to a microphone with a harmonica around his neck to record his album 'Bringing It All Back Home' on January 13-15, 1965 in Columbia's Studio A in New York City, New York. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
1965 NEW YORK - SUMMER 1965: Bob Dylan plays piano with a harmonica around his neck during the recording of the album 'Highway 61 Revisited' in Columbia's Studio A in the summer of 1965 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
1965 LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 16: Bob Dylan holds court at a press conference on December 16, 1965 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
1966 UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 03: Photo of Bob DYLAN; posed, looking to camera at Mayfair Hotel (Photo by Cummings Archives/Redferns) (Cummings Archives/Redferns)
1969 NAHSVILLE, TN - JUNE 7: Bob Dylan appearing on "The Johnny Cash Show" ABC/TV Taped at Ryman Auditorium, June 7, 1969 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
1969 Bob DYLAN retuning his guitar, on stage at the music festival on the Isle of WIGHT. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images) (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
1975 SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 23, 1975: Singer/Songwriter Bob Dylan performs at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, California, March 23, 1975. (Photo by Alvan Meyerowitz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Alvan Meyerowitz/Getty Images)
1975 SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 23, 1975: Singer/Songwriter Bob Dylan performs at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, California, March 23, 1975. (Photo by Alvan Meyerowitz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Alvan Meyerowitz/Getty Images)
1984 (GERMANY OUT) Bob Dylan, 1984. Undatiertes Foto. (Photo by Siemoneit/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images)
1990 US poet and folk singer Bob Dylan is photographed 30 January 1990 in Paris, after being awarded with the Commandership of Arts and Literature. AFP PHOTO JEAN-PIERRE MULLER (Photo credit should read JEAN-PIERRE MULLER/AFP via Getty Images) (JEAN-PIERRE MULLER/AFP via Getty Images)
1998 UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 01: Photo of Bob DYLAN; Bob Dylan performing on stage, sunglasses (Photo by Keith Baugh/Redferns) (Keith Baugh/Redferns)
2002 UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 05: Photo of Bob DYLAN; performing live onstage, wearing Stetson hat (Photo by Harry Scott/Redferns) (Harry Scott/Redferns)
2003 Composer / actor Bob Dylan (Photo by Fred Hayes/WireImage) (Fred Hayes/WireImage)
2004 Bob Dylan (Photo by M. Caulfield/WireImage for NBC Universal Photo Department) (Michael Caulfield Archive)
2004 LONDON - JUNE 20: Singer Bob Dylan performs on stage at The Fleadh 2004 at Finsbury Park June 20, 2004 in London, England. The Fleadh 2004 doubles as the London stop of the UK leg of his European tour. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images) (Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
2009 ROTHBURY, MI - JULY 05: Bob Dylan performs during the 2009 Rothbury Music Festival on July 5, 2009 in Rothbury, Michigan. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic) (Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
2010 Singer Bob Dylan at "In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement". (Photo by Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images) (Brooks Kraft/Corbis via Getty Images)
2012 HOLLYWOOD, CA - JANUARY 12: Bob Dylan performs on stage at the 17th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards at Hollywood Palladium on January 12, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage) (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
2012 Musician and rock legend Bob Dylan, after receiving a 2012 Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President Barack Obama, at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House . (Photo by Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images) (Brooks Kraft/Corbis via Getty Images)
2012 PADDOCK WOOD, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 30: Bob Dylan performs on stage during Hop Farm Festival at Hop Farm Family Park on June 30, 2012 in Paddock Wood, United Kingdom. (Photo by Gus Stewart/Redferns via Getty Images) (Gus Stewart/Redferns via Getty Images)
2012 US legend Bob Dylan gestures as he performs on stage during the 21st edition of the Vieilles Charrues music festival on July 22, 2012 in Carhaix-Plouguer, western France. AFP PHOTO / FRED TANNEAU (Photo credit should read FRED TANNEAU/AFP/GettyImages) (FRED TANNEAU/AFP via Getty Images)
2015 LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 06: Honoree Bob Dylan speaks onstage at the 25th anniversary MusiCares 2015 Person Of The Year Gala honoring Bob Dylan at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 6, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. The annual benefit raises critical funds for MusiCares' Emergency Financial Assistance and Addiction Recovery programs. For more information visit musicares.org. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/WireImage) (Kevork Djansezian/WireImage)
2019 LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 12: Bob Dylan performs as part of a double bill with Neil Young at Hyde Park on July 12, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images for ABA) (Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)