Bob Dylan has been confirmed to have recorded a cover of ‘Don’t Fence Me In’ for the upcoming Ronald Reagan biopic – find out more below.
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The upcoming film, Reagan, has been in the works for several years, dating back to its announcement in 2020. The film is set for release in late August in the US – a UK release date has yet to be set – and will star Dennis Quaid as Ronald Reagan.
For the film, Dylan has recorded a cover of Cole Porte’s 1934 song ‘Don’t Fence Me In’. The song was later popularised in the 1940s by Gene Autry, who Dennis Quaid is a third-cousin to.
Speaking to Spin, Quaid revealed Bob Dylan’s attachment to the film, saying: “I was honoured to have Bob join our film. “We gave him the freedom to do any song he wanted to do, whether an original or a cover, and he chose ‘Don’t Fence Me In.’ That was extra special since it was a song that Gene made famous.
“Bob is a great lover of the American Songbook and we were delighted with the way he delivered the song. He’s a national treasure and was the perfect addition to the film,” Quaid continued.
Bob Dylan isn’t the only music legend to be contributing music to Reagan; KISS‘ Gene Simmons has recorded a cover of ‘Stormy Weather’, country icon Clint Black covers John Denver’s ‘Country Road’ (which will close the film), and Tanya Tucker has reportedly recorded a song for the film as well, though details haven’t been made public.
Besides Dennis Quaid, Reagan will also star Creed frontman Scott Stapp, who was cast to play Frank Sinatra in 2020. The film was initially set for a 2021 release but was delayed.
Ronald Reagan isn’t the only one getting a biopic; Bob Dylan’s own biopic, A Complete Unknown, is set for release in the US on Christmas Day, while it receives a UK release sometime in January.
A Complete Unknown stars Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan, and will feature performances from Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz and Scoot McNairy.
The biopic is set to explore Dylan’s transition to using the electric guitar in the ’60s, his rise to fame, and his subsequent achievement of icon status in the folk-rock music industry.