Suze Rotolo, the woman best known for appearing arm-in-arm with Bob Dylan on the cover of the singer's 1963 breakthrough album has died aged 67.
Suze Rotolo, an early girlfriend of Bob Dylan who was said to have strongly influenced the singer's early works, has died at her home in Manhattan aged 67, reports the New York Times. Rotolo passed away on Friday (25th February 2011) after a long battle with lung cancer, her husband Enzo Bartoccioli confirmed. Ms Rotolo first met Dylan in New York in July 1961 at a church folk concert where she was performing. The legendary singer songwriter wrote about Suze in his 2004 memoir, saying, "Right from the start I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was the most erotic thing I'd ever seen. She was fair skinned and golden haired, full-blood Italian. The air was suddenly filled with banana leaves. We started talking and my head started to spin". The pair began dating each other and soon moved into an apartment in Greenwich Village. In the song 'Ballad in Plain D', Dylan blamed their eventual breakup on Suze's mother and sister who disapproved of him.
Suze Rotolo appeared with Dylan on the cover of his 1963 breakthrough album 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan', which featured the tracks 'Blowin' in the Wind' and 'A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall'. The photograph was taken by Don Hunstein and features Rotolo arm-in-arm with Dylan as they wander down a blustery New York street.