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“Bob Dylan: The 30 th Anniversary Concert Celebration” Returning to PBS on THIRTEEN’s Great Performances in March
A veritable Who’s Who of the music scene includes Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, Kris Kristofferson, Tom Petty, Tracy Chapman, George Harrison and others
Great Performances presents a special encore of highlights from 1992’s star-studded concert tribute to the American pop music icon at New York City’s Madison Square Garden in Bob Dylan: The 30 th Anniversary Concert Celebration in March on PBS (check local listings). (In New York, THIRTEEN will air the concert on Friday, March 7 at 9 p.m.) Selling out 18,200 seats in a frantic, record-breaking 70 minutes, the concert gathered an amazing Who’s Who of performers to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the enigmatic singer- songwriter’s groundbreaking debut album from 1962, Bob Dylan . Taking viewers from front row center to back stage, the special captures all the excitement of this historic, once-in-a-lifetime concert as many of the greatest names in popular music—including The Band , Mary Chapin Carpenter , Roseanne Cash , Eric Clapton , Shawn Colvin , George Harrison , Richie Havens , Roger McGuinn , John Mellencamp , Tom Petty , Stevie Wonder , Eddie Vedder , Ron Wood , Neil Young , and more—pay homage to Dylan and the songs that made him a legend. Dylan, heralded as the definitive voice of the turbulent 1960s, brought to rock and roll the traditions of poetry, protest and personal confession. Each performer offers personal interpretations of Dylan favorites, revealing the indelible impression he has made on American music from folk to alternative rock, from country to gospel. Tracy Chapman, heralded as the folk revivalist of the 1980s, sings a haunting rendition of “The Times they Are A-Changin’,” Dylan’s authentic, prophetic call to arms of a generation in the throes of imminent and irrevocable revolution. The nostalgia continues with Stevie Wonder’s heartfelt version of “Blowin’ in the Wind,” another inspired Dylan tune that galvanized America’s youth as the most compelling anti-war protest song of the day. Richie Havens, who first met Dylan at the folk clubs and coffee houses of Greenwich Village in the 1960s, sings the lyrically irreverent “Just Like A Woman.” John Mellencamp’s highly-charged performance of “Like a Rolling Stone” and George Harrison’s rollicking version of “Absolutely Sweet Marie” are other highlights of the tribute. The final set features Dylan himself. In addition to the performances, Bob Dylan: The 30 th Anniversary Concert Celebration features rare archival performance and interview footage of Dylan on the road and off-the-cuff, and behind-the-scenes interviews with many of the artists.
Song Listing
Like a Rolling Stone (John Mellencamp) Blowin’ in the Wind (Stevie Wonder) Masters of War (Eddie Vedder) Absolutely Sweet Marie (George Harrison) Just Like a Woman (Richie Havens) Seven Days More (Ron Wood) You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (Shawn Colvin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Roseanne Cash) Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (Eric Clapton) When I Paint My Masterpiece (The Band) All Along the Watchtower (Neil Young) Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Tom Petty) Mr. Tambourine Man (Roger McGuinn) My Back Pages (Bob Dylan and ensemble) Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan and ensemble)
On March 4, “Bob Dylan - The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration - Deluxe Edition” will be released on CD, DVD, and Blu-ray by Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings with previously unreleased material including rehearsal footage, interviews and more. Bob Dylan: The 30 th Anniversary Concert Celebration was directed for television by Gavin Taylor and produced by John Diaz; Jeff Kramer, Jeff Rosen and Kevin Wall are executive producers. For Great Performances , Bill O’Donnell is series producer; David Horn is executive producer. Great Performances is funded by the Anne Ray Charitable Trust, the Irene Diamond Fund, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Rosalind P. Walter, The Agnes Varis Trust, The Starr Foundation, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, and PBS. Visit Great Performances Online at www.pbs.org/gperf for additional information about this and other programs.
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