MINNESOTA MUSIC SCENE
Billy Peterson Facebook Kevin Odegard kevinodengard.com
inger, songwriter, author, artist; Bob Dylan has dabbled in many of the expressive arts. Born in little Hibbing, Minnesota, and yet will go down as one of music’s most influential all-time figures. He’s received numerous awards including 11 Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award. Dylan has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Minnesota Music Hall of Fame, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Pulitzer Prize jury in 2008 also awarded him a special citation for his impact on popular culture and American culture. As a Minnesota native, many folks around here have been fans dating back to his earliest days. Some from when he was known only as Robert Zimmerman. Now with a little over 50 years of popularity under his belt, it was an interesting turn of events when it was announced that a few new artists will be recognized for their work on one of Dylan’s most popular albums, Blood on the Tracks. It was in 1974 that Bob Dylan recorded an album in New York, but was dissatisfied with the results and decided to seek out a slightly different sound. Some of the original sessions were already set to release, yet he chose to set up at his brother’s production studio in South Minneapolis, Sound 80. It was in these recording sessions
4
Rian-Dicke Michels, can be reached at editor@southernminnscene.com.
Chris Weber Facebook Bill Berg sabrewery.com
New Credits
S
RIAN-Dicke MICHELS
on an
Iconic Album
that six artists were hired to work with Dylan. According to the personal accounts by these gentlemen, Dylan was experiencing a lot of angst due to a failing marriage and struggling with issues of the heart; which in turn fed the music. All in their 20s at the time, what started as a little jam session turned into Dylan’s most popular album, as determined by results of a 2012 poll released by Rolling Stone Magazine. It is 44 years later that we’re officially hearing the names of the men behind the music. 1 Billy Peterson, guitarist - One of Minnesota’s most recorded bass players. 2 Kevin Odegard, guitarist – Co-authored the book “A Little Twist of Fate: Bob Dylan and the Making of Blood on the Tracks.” Advocate for songwriter’s rights. 3 Chris Weber, guitarist - Ran a guitar shop in
Dinkytown and now does guitar repairs in California. 4 Bill Berg, drummer – Later he worked with Disney as an animator for movies such as Beauty and the Beast. 5 Gregg Inhofer, keyboardist – Has released a couple solo albums and is still an active performer. 6 Peter Ostroushka, mandolin – Became a
regular on Prairie Home Companion, but suffered from a stroke in January 2018.
The rerelease features the sessions unedited, since a couple of them were recorded in one cut. In fact, you
D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 | w w w. s o u t h er N m I N n SCENE. c o m
Gregg Inhofer gregginhofer.com
Peter Ostroushka Wikipedia
Follow us on
can actually hear Dylan’s buttons on the back of his guitar as he plays. Many agree that the Minneapolis sessions truly feature the raw sound Bob Dylan’s pain and struggle with harsh realities of love. Although, he swears that the album had nothing to do with the personal turmoil he was living in at that time. Dylan had a knack for songwriting and a love for poetry, but these musicians had the pleasure of working with him on the album, even suggesting some of the changes that made those songs successful. Just one of many reasons why they also wanted their names on the album. To be recognized for their work and what they helped to create. At the time, these men were young and wide eyed at playing with Bob Dylan himself. They had no idea what they were in for when they entered the studio that day and it brings pleasure to know that credit is being given where it’s due ... perhaps one could say overdue. The only disappointing truth about the re-release is that some of the original recordings from the Minneapolis session have been lost in time. Still, as of Nov. 2, the album has been re-released under the title More Blood, More Tracks and contains six CDs, a booklet with the original, handwritten song lyrics, among other unreleased materials. But what’s greatest about learning the names of the guys behind the music? We can lovingly claim them as ours, and Minnesota is finally able to acknowledge musicians that have added value to our musical history. SMS
A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent