Bob Dylan is full of surprises—even at 83. The legendary singer-songwriter left fans in awe when he stepped on stage and performed ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ live for the first time in 15 years during a recent stop on Willie Nelson’s ‘Outlaw Music Festival Tour’.

The song, one of Dylan’s most iconic tracks from 1965, made a grand return to the setlist—bringing a wave of nostalgia and reverence for fans who never thought they’d hear it live again.

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But Bob Dylan wasn’t over there. As the night came to a close, the folk icon delivered a heartfelt cover of The Pogues’ ‘‘A Rainy Night in Soho’’, wrapping up a carefully curated 13-track setlist.

Adding to the evening’s rarity-packed vibe, he also played ‘‘Forgetful Heart’’—a song he hadn’t performed since 2015.

Longtime followers got a treat to a set filled with deep cuts and surprises, a Dylan trademark for those lucky enough to catch him live.

This latest appearance comes on the heels of a big year for Dylan in more ways than one. Earlier in 2024, the singer made headlines for a jaw-dropping memorabilia auction held by Julien’s Auctions in Nashville.

Over 60 items from Dylan’s career—including personal photos, handwritten lyrics, musical instruments, and original artwork—were up for grabs.

The collection fetched nearly $1.5 million in total, with one item alone stealing the spotlight: two yellow sheets of typewritten lyrics for ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’, filled with Dylan’s handwritten notes and revisions. That piece alone sold for a staggering $508,000.

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The story behind those lyric sheets is just as poetic as the song itself. They were in the archives of the late Al Aronowitz, a music journalist who had long claimed that Dylan wrote the original drafts of ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ in his home in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey.

According to Aronowitz, the song was composed on a portable typewriter, with Dylan smoking furiously and listening to Marvin Gaye’s ‘Can I Get a Witness?’ on repeat.

Aronowitz’s son, Myles, unearthed the pages while combing through 250 boxes of his father’s belongings. Among those boxes were crumpled, tossed-aside drafts—ones that were nearly lost forever.

“He never threw anything away,” Myles told The New York Times.

Another gem from the auction was a 1968 oil painting by Dylan himself, which went under the hammer for $260,000. And a custom 1983 Fender guitar, once owned and played by the ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ singer, fetched $225,000.

Of all the items auctioned, only 10 didn’t sell.