BOB DYLAN CENTER PRESENTS
“SOONER OR LATER,” ALL-STAR CONCERT CELEBRATING SIXTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF
DYLAN’S CLASSIC ALBUM BLONDE ON BLONDEThe McCrary Sisters, Natalie Merchant, Exene Cervenka and John Doe among artists to perform the 1966 masterpiece and other selections from the Bob Dylan songbook at Cain’s Ballroom on Friday, February 20, 2026
January 13, 2026—In celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of Bob Dylan’s classic album Blonde on Blonde, Tulsa’s Bob Dylan Center will present a major multi-artist concert featuring an exciting array of musicians for whom Bob Dylan and his 1966 double-disc landmark remain marvels of omnivorous musicality and lyrical brilliance. This one-night-only event will take place on Friday, February 20, 2026 at Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa’s 100-year-old honky-tonk where Dylan himself has performed.
With Emmy-winning “The Daily Show” co-host and senior correspondent Jordan Klepper serving as emcee, the concert will highlight all of the songs on “Blonde on Blonde,” including “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35,” “Visions of Johanna,” “I Want You,” “Just Like a Woman” and “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands,” as well as an assortment of other Dylan songs from across his expansive discography, all performed by a house band and a rotating cast of featured artists. The concert title is inspired by the album track “One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later).”
Confirmed participants include (in alphabetical order): singer-songwriter brothers duo The Cactus Blossoms; singer-songwriters and founding members of X and The Knitters Exene Cervenka and John Doe; singer-songwriter Fantastic Negrito; singer-songwriter Craig Finn (The Hold Steady); Bob Dylan Center inaugural artist-in-residence and former three-term U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo; La Santa Cecilia lead singer La Marisoul; singer-songwriter and The Walkmen founder Hamilton Leithauser; gospel trio and former Dylan accompanists The McCrary Sisters; singer-songwriter and Broadway performer Nellie McKay; singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant; New York City rock ‘n’ roll mainstay Willie Nile; and singer-songwriter Chuck Prophet.
As with the “Blood on the Tracks” fiftieth anniversary show presented by the Bob Dylan Center in Jan. 2025, event co-curator Doug Keith will serve as music director and lead the house band featuring accomplished musicians including (in alphabetical order): indie-rock band Chatham County Line (Greg Readling, John Teer, Dave Wilson); solo artist and in-demand session musician and producer Phil Cook; Ben Folds Five drummer Darren Jessee; and bassist Michael Libramento, all fixtures of the North Carolina music scene.
“Sixty years on from its initial release, ‘Blonde on Blonde’ still sounds like the future,” says Steven Jenkins, senior director of the Bob Dylan Center. “Dylan’s pursuit of what he called ‘that thin wild mercury sound’ led him to create this extraordinary double album, which our amazing roster of guest artists will transform anew.”
"It’s been a blast to dig deep into the endless complexities and surprises of ‘Blonde on Blonde’ and rework the songs with our house band and featured vocalists,” says music director Doug Keith. “We’re tackling other songs from the Dylan songbook as well. I’m really looking forward to sharing the results on what is going to be a spectacular evening of music at Cain’s Ballroom."
“’Blonde on Blonde’ is an obvious high-water mark in a singular career full of them,” says Craig Finn, who has covered Dylan in the past. “I’m thrilled to be heading to Tulsa to celebrate these songs and the legacy of Bob Dylan with such a talented group of artists.”
An exclusive presale begins on Wednesday, January 14 at 10 a.m. for Bob Dylan Center members in good standing as of last Friday, January 9. As with the "Blood on the Tracks" fiftieth anniversary concert presented by the center in Jan. 2025, tickets are expected to sell quickly. Due to limited supply, membership does not guarantee the opportunity to purchase tickets. Any remaining tickets following the members-only sale will go on sale on Friday, January 16.
“Sooner or Later” is generously supported by the Presenting Sponsor Harper House Music Foundation.
The "Sooner or Later" concert is a major fundraising event for the Bob Dylan Center. Premium table seating and sponsorship opportunities supporting the Bob Dylan Center's education initiatives and public programs are available. Interested parties may reach out to support@bobdylancenter.com for more information.
For more information about the event, to become a member and to keep up to date on special events and ticket releases, visit bobdylancenter.com and subscribe to the newsletter.
About “Blonde on Blonde”
Bob Dylan’s seventh studio album was released on June 20, 1966, and in the ensuing 60 years has been cited regularly as one of the most groundbreaking and influential releases of the rock ‘n’ roll era, ranking at number 38 in Rolling Stone’s 2020 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Recording sessions began in New York in October 1965—yielding the track “One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)”—and continued through March 1966 at CBS Studios in Nashville, TN, where all other tracks were completed under the guidance of producer Bob Johnston. From the Salvation Army–style horns that kick off opener “Rainy Day Women #12 and 35”—with its famous “Everybody must get stoned” refrain—to the epic-length ode to then-wife Sara Lownds on closer “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands,” the double album is a beguiling collection of songs, sounds and stories, twisting narratives and unforgettable characters, insistent rhythms and timeless melodies.
About the Bob Dylan Center
The Bob Dylan Center, located at 116 E. Reconciliation Way in Tulsa, Oklahoma, inspires and celebrates fearless creativity by exploring the music and artistry of the Nobel Prize–winning singer-songwriter as a catalyst for personal expression and cultural change. As the primary public venue for the Bob Dylan Archive® collection, the center curates and exhibits a priceless collection of more than 100,000 items spanning Dylan’s career, including handwritten manuscripts, notebooks and correspondence; films, videos, photographs and artwork; memorabilia and ephemera; personal documents and effects; unreleased studio and concert recordings; musical instruments and many other elements. The center presents a full roster of public programs including concerts, film screenings and author talks. Since opening in May 2022, the Bob Dylan Center has welcomed visitors from all 50 states and some 40 countries. The center has garnered numerous design awards and accolades from publications including the New York Times, Vanity Fair, Variety, Uncut and Mojo.
No comments:
Post a Comment