It has some weak spots but considering the time and what grew out of it that has to be forgiven. And a lot of it really does live up to the hype.

I went to see one of the shows they played during the 50th anniversary tour for the album. They played the entire album plus songs from various Byrds albums and some covers they used to play back in the day. A lot of banter between songs, explaining the history and circumstances behind a lot of the songs they were playing. Phenomenal musicianship and sound. Probably the show of that year for me.

Certainly the type of music that older dudes can pull off well but who filled in for Gram?

The band was made up of Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman with Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives.

Having Marty Stuart is the next best thing to having Clarence White. He was fortunate to come into possession of Clarence's Telecaster, the original "B-Bender." If you got to see McGuinn and Stuart play together, then you're the luckiest man on Earth in my book. I only got to see them play together on YT.

I posted The Byrds' version a while back. You can see Marty holds his own. I still prefer way Clarence plays though.
Roger McGuinn and Marty Stuart - You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

Thanks for posting that clip, Neapolitan. You, and Roger McGuinn in his introduction, have cleared up a mis-apprehension that I have harboured for about 40 years!

When I heard Dylan sing...

Pick up your money and pack up your tent, McGuinn
You ain't goin' nowhere

...I not unreasonably took that to be a huge put down of McGuinn and his poppy covers of Dylan songs. I'm pretty sure plenty of others in the UK read it that way too. Good to know that Bob had given Roger the song, and then inserted a friendly reprimand when he sang it himself. Unfortunately, Bob didn't realise how that little in joke might sound to the rest of the world. :(

I didn’t know about that. Just read about it on wiki.