It’s been about ten weeks since this virus made everything go haywire, and we’ve all been trying to cope in any way we can. One of my coping mechanisms has been to read more books. And, in my case, reading more books generally means reading more music biographies, such as Robbie Robertson’s Testimony, which I wrote about for the WUMB community a while back.

Today, I am here to praise a book that is not only one of the best about one of the biggest musical artists of all time, it’s also seen as one of the first serious music biographies written about a rock star. The writer, Anthony Scaduto, worked for the New York Post when he decided to start researching Dylan (published in 1972), leaving behind his work as a police reporter who also covered organized crime. The ability to do investigative research turned out to be critical for a journalist trying to uncover the story of the inscrutable Bob Dylan. He talked to Joan Baez, Jack Elliott, and many others; read diaries and other source material, and ultimately uncovered loads of previously unknown aspects of the Dylan story, especially his early years, growing up in Minnesota and later arriving in Greenwich Village. Read More…

I want to put in a good word for Charlie Monroe. Everyone knows and loves the music of his younger brother, Bill Monroe, a.k.a., the Father of Bluegrass. But I want you to know that Charlie was a formidable musician in his own right, even though his career was not as ground-breaking as Bill’s. Read More…

I hope that the times of preventive action to keep from getting COVID-19 will be over soon, and that everything I write for this particular column will be obsolete as you read it in the hopefully merry month of May. Read More…

Time to reflect on the advent of spring, at last warming the air and ushering in relief from the chilly winds from the North. Read More…

well, needless to say, April was probably the oddest month of our respective lives, and hopefully May will bring both better health and better weather…and it is certainly nice to be able to proclaim that amidst all this we’re going through, H61 continues stronger than ever…it’s the little things as they say…

so…lets get to the business at hand there being five (!) Saturdays in May, one of them quite possible my favorite of the year… Read More…

Except for coming to WUMB to host the midday program, and occasional visits to the grocery store, I’m hunkered down. It can be stressful and at times lonely.  One day, I came across a short video posted on social media that lifted my spirits and has become my quarantine soundtrack. The video was Steve Martin (actor, writer, comedian, musician) in the woods, playing a beautiful banjo interlude. It would turn out to be one of many banjo balms he would post on his social media sites. Already being a big fan of his songwriting and banjo playing, I was so happy to feel this connection to music I love but has seemed so far away with our current circumstances.  Read More…

Not that I will hear your answer through the computer, but, how are you?

I sincerely hope you and everyone you know is safe, and healthy.

Last year, I was reading a psychology article which explored the idea of people looking to artists to make sense of the world in a way that they can’t. As these days are going, I often hear (in my mind) Nick Drake quietly singing about when the “armies of emotion go out to fight”. Even though “Cello Song” was written in 1968-69, I’m finding it to be one of the more comforting songs as of late. Read More…

On Sunday, May 24th Bob Dylan will turn 79 years old! (I had to double-check that info. Yes, somehow Dylan is 79.) In those years Dylan has catapulted the humble ’50s/’60s folk revival to international fame and recognition, sold over 100 million records, won 10 Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award. Read More…

At the beginning of May we made the difficult decision to cancel both of our Summer Acoustic Music Weeks in July and August 2020. Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of our SAMW community, and we are certain that this is the best course of action to take this summer.

But our instructors and campers are still making music, and we are committed to doing whatever we can to help us all stay connected. Read More…