Cottonwood AZ (May 13, 2015) – You’re invited to a special birthday concert. Bob Dylan turns 74 on May 24th and he’ll be celebrated in song at the 10th Annual Bob Dylan Birthday Concerts on Friday, May 22nd and Saturday May 23rd, both at 7:00 pm, at the Old Town Center for the Arts in Cottonwood.
No, Bob may not be there, but this year’s program once again features about 20 of the best musicians in the area, (most veterans of previous Dylan shows and some newbies, too), all performing the music of Bob Dylan.
“This concert has become a tradition for the Verde Valley and Sedona,” remarked William Eaton, co-director at Old Town Center for the Arts. “Each year there are some surprises, with some of your favorite Dylan tunes and some you may have never heard.
Joe has done a fantastic job of producing this event. It will be a great Memorial Day weekend attraction for locals and visitors.”
“It’s hard to believe that I’ve been putting on this tribute to Bob Dylan for ten years now,” says Joe Neri, the show’s producer. “Bob Dylan has been one of the most influential figures in American music and has endured for over 50 years. I’m continually amazed and appreciative of just how popular our annual tribute shows have become.”
This year’s concert features some of the best musicians in the area, all performing the music of Bob Dylan – Alexander, Tyler Barrett, Rick Cyge, William Eaton, Dan Engler, Gary Every, Gregg Gould, Starr Hall, Shondra Jepperson, Mike McReynolds, Dan Rice, Dave Rice, Chris Seymour and Gary Simpkins.
The Mystery Tramps, the official backing band of the concerts, consist of Joe Neri (guitar), Bo Wilson (guitar), J.J. Corcoran (harmonica), Don Whitcher (steel guitar), Hutch Hutchinson (bass) and Matt Fabritz (drums).
What started out in 2006 as a small acoustic show in Sedona’s Well Red Coyote bookstore to commemorate Bob Dylan’s birthday, officially on May 24, became enormously popular and quickly outgrew the bookstore venue. Beginning in 2009, Neri and Eaton have collaborated to bring the show to the Old Town Center for the Arts.
“The venue is perfect for this kind of show – large enough for us to have a big and enthusiastic audience, and small enough to be intimate and personal,” Neri says.
As an added bonus, the hardcover book “Bob Dylan Lyrics 1962 – 2001”, in mint condition, will be raffled off on Friday night to a lucky winner. This book sells on Amazon.com for $75 – $145. Come join the fun!
Don’t miss this opportunity to take part in this nostalgic tradition at Old Town Center for the Arts, located at 5th Street & Main in Old Town Cottonwood. Tickets for either of the Bob Dylan Birthday Concertsare $18 in advance, $20 at the door, and $25 priority. Tickets are available online at showtix4u.com. Ticketsare also available in Cottonwood at: Desert Dancer and Mt. Hope Foods and in Sedona at Crystal Magic. For upcoming events, visit www.oldtowncenter.org. For further information, contact Elena Bullard at 928-634-0940.