Carnegie Chapter Hall 4 Nov '61 Program

Date:    Mon, 7 Aug 1995 15:41:52 +0500
From:    xyx 
Subject: Carnegie Chapter Hall 4 Nov '61 Program

  I just returned from the wilds of Oregon (more on that in another post)
where "New Morning", "Planet Waves" and the Unplugged Sessions will be
remembered as the "theme" music of the trip, & "One Too Many Mornings" from
"Hard Rain" the theme song.
   Due to time constraints prior to departing, I could'nt post this ten days
ago. Anyway, what follows is the entire contents of the program for BDs first
NYC concert, at Carnegie Chapter Hall on November 4, 1961. The original
program is a 6x9, 4 page foldout w/a great, boyish shot of our man on the
front page above the concert info. Dylan self-penned his biography on the
inside,  and it is uproariously funny. Read on:

Front Page:              PICTURE OF BOB
                   THE FOLKLORE CENTER PRESENTS
                            BOB DYLAN
                   In His First New York Concert
SAT. NOV. 4, 1961                                              8:40pm
                     CARNEGIE CHAPTER HALL
            154 West 57th Street    New York City
                         All seats $2.00
         Tickets available at:      The Folklore Center
                                    110 Macdougal Street
         GR7 - 5987 (??)            New York City 12, New York
                                     or at the door

Page 2&3:                    Bob Dylan
         Bob Dylan was born in Duluth, Minnesota in 1941. He was raised in
Gallup, N.M. and before he came to NY earlier this year, he lived in Iowa,
S. Dakota, N. Dakota and Kansas. He started playing carnivals at the age of
14, accompanying himself on guitar and piano. He picked up the harmonica about
2 years ago.
        The University of Minesota gave him a scholarship. He went there for
some five months, attended some dozen lectures and left. He learned many blues
songs from a Chicago street singer named Arvella Gray. He also met a singer,
Mance Lipscomb, from the Brazos River country of Texas, through a grandson
that sang rock and roll. He listened a lot to Lipscomb. He heard Woody Guthrie's
album "Dust Bowl Ballads" in South Dakota. In fact, Bob Dylan has sung old
jazz songs, sentimental cowboy songs, top 40 Hit Parade stuff. He was always
interested in singers and did'nt know the term "folk music" until he came to
New York.
       "People have to name it something so they call it folkmusic-now very
few people singing that way. Being taken over by people who don't sing that
way. It's all right but don't call it folk music. Stuff I do is nearer to
folkmusic. Now singing old blues and Texas songs. I don't want to make a lot
of money, want to get along...I sing the kind of music I sing... people have
to be ready and have seen me once already. People often say first time that
this isn't folkmusic. My songs are'nt easy to listen to. My favorite singers
areDave Van Ronk, Jack Elliott, Peter Stampfel, Jim Queskin (sic), and Rick
VonSchmidt. I can offer songs to tell something of this America., no foreign
songs - the songs of this land that are'nt offered over Tv and radio and very
few records."
        "Groups are easy to be in. I've always learned the hard way. I will
now, too. I dress the way I do because I want to dress this way and not
because it is cheaper or easier."
         "I started writing my own songs about four or five years ago. First
song was to Brigit Bardot, for piano. Thought if I wrote the song I'd sing it
to her one day. Never met her. I've written hillbilly songs that Cal (sic)
Perkins from Nashville, Tenn. sings. I write talking blues on topical things.
"California Brown Eyed Baby" has caught on. Noel Stookey gave me the idea for
the "Bear Mountain Song" I wrote it overnight but I was'nt there. Never sing
it the same way twice because I never wrote it down.
         "No one is really influencing me now - but actually everything does.
Can't think of anyone in particular now."

  The rest of page 3 announces a new LP and autograph party for Molly Scott
on Nov 11 where apples, cider and cheese will be offered. Page 4 is a
newsletter with news on Martha Schlamme, Odetta's schedule in Europe, Pete
Seeger's "How to Play the 5-String Banjo," a new Alan Lomax collection of
English Folk Music is offered, plus various sundry Folklore Center news about
an Oscar Brand "Folk Song Report" featuring Artie Traum, Jon Lipsky, etc,...

   That's it. If that don't entertain you, you need to find another list.
FYI, I paid $700 for this program a few years ago, in case anybody was
wondering. One went for a grand at a Sotheby's auction awhile back.

    Glad to be back, missed you.                            Peace - xyx