Highway Of Diamonds Explores Bob Dylan Through Black Voices

Ace’s compact but ever-evolving Black America Sings… series returns in strong form with Highway Of Diamonds, a compelling second journey into the Bob Dylan songbook as interpreted by some of the most influential African American artists of the 20th century. From the earliest moments of his career, Dylan’s songwriting struck a deep chord within Black American music. Songs such as Blowin’ In The Wind spoke directly to a still-segregated America. They quickly transcended genre, race, and culture to become a shared anthem of conscience, faith, and resistance.

As Dylan’s stature grew, so did the breadth of artists drawn to his work, many coming from musical traditions not typically associated with folk rock. Soul, gospel, jazz, blues, and R&B performers found their own truths inside his lyrics, reshaping them through lived experience and cultural context. The 20 tracks collected on Highway Of Diamonds build directly on the groundwork established by the earlier How Many Roads compilation, while avoiding repetition by presenting an almost entirely new lineup of artists and a largely fresh selection of songs. The lone overlap is Blowin’ In The Wind, which serves as a deliberate connective thread between the two releases and reinforces Dylan’s lasting influence on Black American interpretations of some of the 20th century’s most important songwriting.

Track by track, the album reveals how elastic and emotionally durable Dylan’s writing can be. The Staple Singers open with a gospel-powered transformation of A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, turning apocalyptic folk prophecy into a church-rooted call for justice and endurance. Bettye LaVette brings grit and hard-earned wisdom to Everything Is Broken, her weathered voice transforming irony into lived experience. Nina Simone’s stark reading of Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues replaces road-worn detachment with political tension and controlled intensity, while Natalie Cole’s polished yet forceful take on Gotta Serve Somebody emphasizes moral choice, faith, and accountability.

Elsewhere, Maxine Weldon reframes It Ain’t Me Babe as an introspective soul statement, Billy Preston injects funk and urgency into It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding), and Solomon Burke turns The Mighty Quinn into a joyful, communal soul celebration. Cassandra Wilson’s smoky, jazz-inflected Shelter from the Storm offers intimacy and emotional refuge, while Merry Clayton’s gospel-charged Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 balances joy, defiance, and resilience. Collective voices also shine, particularly on The Times They Are A-Changin’ by The Brothers & Sisters of Los Angeles, which transforms the protest anthem into a shared, almost spiritual declaration.

Veteran performers add further depth and historical weight. Harry Belafonte delivers Tomorrow Is a Long Time with warmth and restraint, Odetta brings tenderness and folk authenticity to Baby I’m in the Mood for You, and Aaron Neville’s fragile falsetto makes Don’t Fall Apart on Me Tonight feel painfully intimate. Jazz elegance emerges through Sarah Vaughan’s If Not for You, while political urgency resurfaces in J.P. Robinson’s reading of George Jackson. Jimmy Scott’s ethereal performance of When He Returns becomes a reverent spiritual meditation, and The Bo-Keys with Percy Wiggins ground I Threw It All Away in classic Memphis soul. Johnny Jenkins adds Southern grit to Down Along the Cove, and Lizz Wright’s serene, inward-looking Every Grain of Sand reveals the song’s deep spiritual core.

The collection closes where Dylan’s connection to Black American music began for many listeners. The Caravans’ gospel interpretation of Blowin’ In The Wind brings the album full circle, carrying Dylan’s most enduring anthem forward through harmony, faith, and collective memory. As a complete listening experience, Highway Of Diamonds stands as an essential and thoughtfully curated companion to How Many Roads, expanding the story rather than repeating it.

For collectors and longtime fans, the release is further elevated by Ace’s beautifully illustrated packaging and Tony Rounce’s detailed, track-by-track liner notes. Together, they provide historical insight and cultural context, reinforcing Ace Records’ reputation for archival excellence, careful curation, and deep respect for the music and its legacy.