Sara Dylan, born Shirley Noznisky in Wilmington, Delaware, changed her name to Sara Lownds after marrying magazine photographer Hans Lownds. The change was prompted by the fact that Hans’ first wife was also named Shirley, as detailed in Howard Sounes’ 2001 biography, Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan. During her marriage to Hans, Sara welcomed a daughter, Maria, in October 1961. After the couple parted ways, Sara crossed paths with Bob Dylan in 1964. At the time, she was working as a secretary for the film production division of Time Life, collaborating with notable filmmakers Richard Leacock and D.A. Pennebaker. Her introduction to Dylan, as chronicled in Andy Gill and Kevin Odegard’s 2004 biography A Simple Twist of Fate: Bob Dylan and the Making of Blood on the Tracks, would mark the beginning of a significant chapter in both her life and Dylan’s.
A Look Back at Bob Dylan's Marriages: Insights Into His First Wife Sara Dylan and Second Wife Carolyn Dennis
- Celebrity
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- UPDATED DECEMBER 27, 2024
by Tasha Mayberry
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Bob Dylan penned 1997’s “Make You Feel My Love” after navigating the complexities of his two marriages. The legendary musician, portrayed by Timothée Chalamet in the upcoming biopic A Complete Unknown, was first married to Sara Dylan from 1965 to 1977. Together, they had four children — Jesse, Anna, Sam, and Jakob — and Dylan also adopted Sara’s daughter, Maria, from a previous relationship when they tied the knot. Nearly a decade after his divorce from Sara, Dylan quietly married Carolyn Dennis, a backup singer in his band. The couple welcomed a daughter, Desiree, but kept their marriage and child out of the public eye. It wasn’t until 2001 that the relationship, which ended in divorce in 1992, came to light.
Sara Dylan
Carolyn Dennis
Carolyn Dennis, born on April 12, 1954, is a gifted vocalist best known for her work as a backup singer. She lent her remarkable voice to legends like Stevie Wonder as part of his band Wonderlove and performed with Bruce Springsteen. Beyond her music career, Dennis also graced the Broadway stage, appearing in the original cast of Big River in 1985 and later in the 2005 production of The Color Purple. Dennis and Bob Dylan welcomed their only child, Desiree Dennis-Dylan, on January 31, 1986. The pair married five months later but divorced in 1992. Despite their separation, the marriage and their daughter’s existence remained a closely guarded secret until Howard Sounes’ 2001 biography revealed the details. In response to claims in Sounes’ book that Dylan had been an absent father to Desiree, Dennis publicly refuted the allegations.