We have lots of exciting events planned as part of the World of Bob Dylan and there will be a rich social program alongside the academic one. Over the next two months, we’ll provide more details about keynote talks,listening parties, public concerts, an exhibition of never-before-seen materials, and a deep dive into THE BOB DYLAN ARCHIVE® collection available exclusively to registered conference attendees. Keep an eye on this site as well as on our Facebook page.
Bob Dylan: Face Value and Beyond
The Cob Dylan Center, in partnership with Gilcrease Museum, presents Bob Dylan: Face Value and Beyond, the first regional showing of Dylan’s renowned Face Value portrait series and the debut of drawings, filmed performances, writings, personal effects and ephemera exclusive to THE BOB DYLAN ARCHIVE® collection. The exhibition opens May 10 and runs through the fall. Part gallery exhibition, part exploration of the texture and nature of THE BOB DYLAN ARCHIVE® collection itself, the works on display show how the public and private nature of Dylan’s art are often closely linked and part of the same furtive, exploratory mind. For more information visit: bobdylancenter.com
Special Appearance: Roger McGuinn of the Byrds
The Bob Dylan Center℠ welcomes Byrds founder Roger McGuinn to the World of Bob Dylan conference on Saturday, June 1 at 8 p.m. McGuinn will share stories of his long and influential career, from the creation of folk-rock and his work with Bob Dylan to his acclaimed Folk Den Project and triumphant, sold-out“Sweetheart of the Rodeo” tour with Chris Hillman and Marty Stuart.
Keynote:”Kill Everybody Ever Done Me Wrong”-Blues and Bob Dylan
We’ll be joined on the evening of Thursday May 30 by one of the world’s great rock critics and music writers, Greil Marcus. A special reception for all registered participants will follow. Marcus has written extensively about Bob Dylan and operates his own website where he collects fragments of his own writing in an ever-expanding cyber universe. His widely regarded books about Dylan include Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads and Old Weird America: The World of Bob Dylan’s Basement Tapes.
Keynote: NPR’s Music Critic Ann Powers
Ann Powers will speak on Saturday afternoon, June 1st at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Tulsa as part of our multi-day event centered on Dylan’s life and work. Powers is an American writer and pop music critic who currently works as NPR’s music critic and correspondent. She also writes for NPR’s music news blog The Record. Powers is the author of several books including Weird Like Us: My Bohemian America and Piece by Piece, co-authored with Tori Amos. Her latest book, Good Booty: Love and Sex, Black & White, Body and Soul in American Music.
Shakespeare’s in the Alley: A Tribute to Bob Dylan
Wisconsin-based visual artist Skye pays homage to some of Dylan’s greatest lyrical achievements in her large-scale installation entitled “Shakespeare’s in the Alley” The text-based art installation features some of Dylan’s most loved songs, reproduced on large banners that will hang from the ceiling of Helmerich Hall at Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, OK.