Country & Roots Artists Coming Together to Celebrate Bob Dylan’s 75th
Iconic American songwriter Bob Dylan will be celebrating his 75th birthday on May 24th, and country and roots artist, including many songwriters who cite Dylan as a primary influence on their music, will be coming together to pay tribute to the man in numerous events across the country.
On Friday, May 20th, at the historic Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, OK, some of the state’s most noted songwriter will be lending their voice for a concert called “On A Night Like This.” John Moreland, John Fullbright, J.D. McPherson, Elizabeth Cook, Jimmy LaFave, and other artists will performing the songs of Dylan backed by an all-star house band.
The Cain’s Ballroom shindig is being produced by legendary Oklahoma musician Steve Ripley. “I’ve been fortunate to have worked with a lot of great people in the music business … but, for me, all of that pales in comparison to having played guitar with Bob,” Ripley says. “The show at Cain’s will be an evening of celebrating Bob’s music. We’ll be there to serve those songs. I can’t imagine any other thing that would have pulled me ‘out of retirement’ from down on the farm.”
The event in Tulsa holds special importance after The University of Tulsa acquired an archive of 6,000 Bob Dylan artifacts through the George Kaiser Family Foundation recently. The archive includes film, video, photography, artwork, manuscripts, memorabilia, and other items.
The event begins at 7:00 p.m. on May 24th, and tickets can be purchased at cainsballroom.com.
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Not to be outdone, Nashville is throwing its own shindig at another historic venue—the Ryman Auditorium. On May 23rd and 24th, artists such as Emmylou Harris, Jason Isbell, Kacey Musgraves, Holly Williams, Nikki Lane, John Paul White, and Langhorne Slim, will come together to celebrate the life and music of Bob Dylan in an event being dubbed “Dylan Fest.”
Tickets will go on sale through Tickerbastard on April 16th, meaning they will sell out immediately.
The full lineup for Dylan Fest at the Ryman includes: Emmylou Harris, Jason Isbell, Boz Scaggs, Kurt Vile, Kesha, Kacey Musgraves, Moon Taxi, Ann Wilson, Wynonna and the Big Noise, City & Colour, Brothers Osborne, Dhani Harrison, John Paul White, Nikki Lane, Brendan Benson, Rayland Baxter, Holly Williams, Langhorne Slim, Eric Pulido (Midlake), Ruby Amanfu, Karen Elson, Amanda Shires, Danny Masterson, Bijou Phillips, The Whigs, Cory Chisel, Adriel Denae, Jonathan Tyler, Robert Ellis, Shelly Colvin, Tommy Emmanuel, Nashville Cat Charlie McCoy, and “surprise guests.”
Other Bob Dylan birthday parties will be observed elsewhere around the country, but it appears the shows in Tulsa and Nashville will set the bar for bringing together talent to celebrate the legendary songwriter.
April 13, 2016 @ 7:16 pm
There’s Kesha, as well as surprise guests?
Color me intrigued.
April 13, 2016 @ 10:17 pm
i’d like to hear a Boz Scaggs and/or Emmylou Harris album of Dylan covers
April 14, 2016 @ 12:52 am
That’s a nice list of artists there, it will be interesting hearing some of them cover Dylan.
Also, I just realized I share the same birthdate is him.
April 14, 2016 @ 1:21 am
I would love to make it to both events. Nashville is much closer to me, and the roster there is top-notch, but Tulsa looks great as well, especially being headed up by the leading force behind the amazing Tractors. Steve indeed was Bob’s guitarist during his “born-again” phase in the early ’80s and he’s a top-notch talent.
Happy 75th to Bob!
April 14, 2016 @ 5:57 am
Pretty sure rayland baxters dad was Dylans pedal steel player for some time as well
April 14, 2016 @ 10:11 am
Bucky? Sure was!
April 14, 2016 @ 5:06 am
So great to see. Sometimes we forget just how different the music world today would be if “Bob Dylan” had never happened. Thanks to Bob and to all these artists for celebrating a true music revolutionary.
April 14, 2016 @ 6:22 am
“Bob Dylan” … I like the quotation marks!
Yes it would be great to go to one of these festivals.
April 14, 2016 @ 6:39 am
A note about Charlie McCoy… I was listening to “Desolation Row” and was just blown away by whoever was playing the incredible Spanish tinged acoustic guitar lead. Much to my amazement I discovered that it was that Nashville Cat Charlie McCoy! Yes the same cat everyone knew as THE Nashville harmonica player. To my mind it is one of the very best guitar lead parts ever. Charlie is throwing down one knock out lick after another during the 11 plus minute epic and it never sounds over-bearing or repetitive just shear perfection.
April 14, 2016 @ 12:37 pm
In not quite related news, in September in downtown Tulsa there will be a multi day folk festival called the Mother Road Revival. The main event will be a show at the BOK Center featuring Lucero and Shaky Graves and headlined by Jason Isbell. Gonna be a good one.
April 15, 2016 @ 10:50 am
Really great to see all this talent honoring Mr. Dylan.
It might interest some people to note that Dylan has always expressed a great appreciation for two great cover versions of his vast song catalog: “Tomorrow Is A Long Time”, which Elvis Presley recorded in 1966; and “She Belongs To Me”, which Rick Nelson recorded with his Stone Canyon Band in 1969 (and which became a #33 pop hit for RN in January 1970).