farmdoc's blog post number 18

Decade by decade in my life, music has become more important to me. How could it not: I am the father, and self-proclaimed number one fan, of Emily Ulman. Every now and again I come across some music that spellbinds me. A year or two ago it was The Folkways Collection – a series of 24 podcast programs sampling the unique collection of music, spoken word, and sound on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. And last week I found a radio series – titled Theme Time Radio Hour – hosted by my hero Bob Dylan in his new role as disc jockey. Predictably given the series’ title, each programme is devoted to a different theme including weather, baseball, coffee, divorce, trains, even doctors. Nowadays Dylan – born Robert Zimmerman in May 1941 – has almost no speaking voice let alone singing voice. Yet his raspy delivery is somehow perfect for the monologues linking the music tracks. The series is on a paid satellite radio service; also it’s free on the BBC but only if you’re in the UK. However in the iconoclastic spirit of the internet, one aficionado has it on free download. Each 1-hour episode, though about 80 megabytes, is a gem. My life is richer for this discovery. Keep up the great work, Bobby. You’re a dazzler.