Bob Dylan: Electric

American Writers Museum
Chicago, Illinois

Bob Dylan has been a colossal presence in American culture and music. His songs like “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are A-Changin’” are a part of the soundtrack to the early 1960s. On July 25, 1965, Dylan rocked the music world at the Newport Folk Festival, plugging in a 1964 Fender Stratocaster and playing electrified versions of “Maggie’s Farm” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” The audience, full of folk music purists, booed and jeered. There was no going back.   

The year 1965 would prove pivotal in Dylan’s career. He began the year by co-headlining folk concerts with Joan Baez and saw a gradual transition of his music from acoustic to entirely electric. The Newport Folk Festival’s concert, one of the most renowned performances in music history, and the tour of England captured in D.A. Pennebaker’s acclaimed documentary Dont Look Back came in between. 

Using unique artifacts—like the recently rediscovered lost Fender Stratocaster, plus original manuscripts, photography, film, and recordings, “Bob Dylan: Electric” explores the artistry of Dylan. It celebrates the work and career of this now Nobel prize-winning poet and musician.

Exhibit Fabrication: Chicago Scenic Studios, Chicago, IL