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This Just In: London calling

The 'secret wives' of Bob Dylan

By Dan Kennedy

This week's news of the weird comes from the Sunday Times of London, which reports that Bob Dylan -- thought to have been single since his divorce, from Sara Lowndes, in 1977 -- has actually been married three times (twice more than anyone realized) and has "at least" nine children (four more than he's ever acknowledged).

The allegations will reportedly show up between the covers of a forthcoming book by Susan Ross, who claims to have been involved in a romantic relationship with Dylan for the past decade. What lends her tale some credibility is that Ross says she is still involved with Dylan, who, the Times says, is reading the manuscript and may give it his imprimatur.

"Susan wants to set the record straight about a lot of misinformation put out about Dylan," a source told the Times. "It's not a nasty kiss-and-tell book, but it doesn't shy away from the truth. She began dating him when he was still married, so she knows he is no altar boy. But, of course, she doesn't want to offend Bob, either."

The Times story appears to have had its genesis in a Page Six gossip item in the New York Post of February 27. (Both papers, not coincidentally, are owned by Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch.) Oddly, the Times apparently is the first news organization to pick up on the Post item. Now, though, it seems likely that the story will spread: the London Mirror ran it the day after the Times, as did the South China Morning Post, of all papers.

Dylan's spokesman, Elliott Mintz, cautions that Ross's story may not be quite what it seems. "I do not know if there is any book or if there is any plan for a book, and I do not have any reason to believe that Bob is reading the manuscript of such a book," Mintz says. "I just think it's another one of those Bob Dylan-type stories." Asked whether Dylan plans to respond publicly to Ross's claims, Mintz said: "He has no intention of making any comment or issuing any statements."

But the story, if true, will clearly spur some rethinking about one of the century's great poet-songwriters. Dylan, 56, has obviously not lost his capacity to surprise -- as he did with last year's Time Out of Mind, which, despite coming out some two decades after his prime, ranks among his finest albums. It may turn out that's not all he had up his sleeve.