Sour note: Wife of Bob Dylan collaborator loses bid for $7.25M

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticWith its grand opening less than two weeks away, the Bob Dylan Center has announced Steven Jenkins as its director. He’s moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to oversee the museum’s exhibitions, public programs and daily operations, following more than three decades of work with nonprofits in the San Francisco Bay areaThe hiring announcement comes as the BDC prepares for an opening weekend May 5-8 that will include a gala invitational dinner and celebratory concerts by Elvis Costello, Mavis Staples and Patti Smith.Said Jenkins in a statement, “As an avid listener and fascinated follower of Dylan’s every surprising and illuminating turn, his work has brought me a lifetime of aesthetic pleasures, confounding challenges and profound joy.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSome 57 years ago, Bob Dylan famously enraged folk purists by strapping on an electric guitar and performing with a rock band.What might those purists might have said upon learning that he’d sold his precious song catalog — including such timeless, era-defining classics as “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Masters of War,” “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “Hurricane” and “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” — to a multinational conglomerate for nearly $400 million?On a purely emotional level, selling one’s songs can seem uncomfortably close to selling one’s soul: After all, what is a song if not an expression of its writer’s spirit? But in practical terms, these deals make sense for both sides.

Steven Gaydos Executive VP of ContentThe first time Bob Dylan was mentioned in Variety was 60 years ago on March 28, 1962. The article’s thesis was that the indie labels were more adept at breaking new music acts.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticThe question of whether and when Bob Dylan will go further west in his concert dates was resolved Monday morning, as the artist’s website revealed a run of 14 new shows, all of them along the west coast, commencing not much more than a month from now.The first of the newly announced shows is May 28 in Spokane, Washington, and the last is June 18 in San Diego. In-between will come concerts in Seattle, Eugene, Redding, Oakland and Los Angeles.

Bob Dylan has announced a number of new West Coast tour dates in North America this summer – see the full list below and pick up tickets here.The dates, an extension of the ‘Never Ending Tour’ that Dylan is currently out on the road for, come behind his lauded 2020 album ‘Rough And Rowdy Ways’.The current set of dates began at the start of March in Arizona and finished up last week (April 14) in Oklahoma City.The new run of dates began in late May in Washington state, running through until mid-June when Dylan will play a host of Californian dates.Get tickets for the new shows here and see the full schedule below.MAY 202228 – Spokane, First Interstate Center for the Arts29 – Kennewick, Toyota Center31 – Portland, Arlene Schnitzer Concert HallJUNE 202201 – Seattle, Paramount Theatre02 – Seattle, Paramount Theatre05 – Eugene, Hult Performing Arts Center07 – Redding, Civic Auditorium09 – Oakland, Fox Theater10 – Oakland, Fox Theater11 – Oakland, Fox Theater14 – Los Angeles, Pantages Theatre15 – Los Angeles, Pantages Theatre16 – Los Angeles, Pantages Theatre17 – San Diego, Civic TheatreIn other Dylan news, Sony Music has acquired all of his back catalogue in a new deal.The agreement, which was concluded last year and announced in January, will see everything from Dylan’s self-titled debut to his last album ‘Rough And Rowdy Ways‘ jump over to Sony in a deal that’s reportedly worth millions.Speaking about the deal, Dylan said: “Columbia Records and Rob Stringer have been nothing but good to me for many, many years and a whole lot of records. I’m glad that all my recordings can stay where they belong.” Later this year, Dylan is set to release a collection of more than 60 essays in a new book.

APPOINTMENTSTalent agency WME has announced a stack of promotions in its music division, including the promotion of seven agents across its LA, Nashville, New York and Sydney offices to the position of partner, they being: Cristina Baxter, Michael Coughlin, Ryan Jones, Richard Lom, Ben Schiffer, Peter Schwartz and Sam Wald.————————————————–RELEASESAnna Calvi has announced a new ‘Peaky Blinders’ themed EP called ‘Tommy’, having written and performed the score for series six of the TV show, which concluded last weekend. The EP features two tracks written specifically for the programme – ‘Ain’t No Grave’ and ‘Burning Down’ – plus covers of two other songs that appeared in the show: Bob Dylan’s ‘All The Tired Horses’ and theme song ‘Red Right Hand’ by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds.

Jim Sclavunos, the drummer from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, has shared a solo cover of Bob Dylan‘s ‘Lay Down Your Weary Tune’ with The National‘s Scott Devendorf. Check out the charity single below, along with our interview with the musician.The Bad Seeds drummer’s second solo release, following from last year’s ‘Holiday Song’ to benefit the Music Venue Trust, sees Sclavunos team up with Devendorf on bass and Dave Sherman (Valerie June, Nicole Atkins) on piano – with all money raised from the BandCamp sales going to the DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal and Ellis Park Wildlife Sanctuary.

Thania Garcia A New York appeals court has rejected the lawsuit including Bob Dylan that claimed the singer-songwriter was in debt to the estate of one-time collaborator, Jacques Levy, for a portion of his Universal catalog sale.Dylan sold the rights to his song catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group in December of 2020 for a price sources place at nearly $400  million.A month later, Claudia Levy — the widow of songwriter Jacques Levy — claimed Levy’s estate was entitled to a $7.25 million share of the UMG deal under an agreement dating back to 1975. The late Levy contributed as a co-writer of “Hurricane” and nine other songs on Dylan’s 1976 album, “Desire.” Last August, a judge ruled that Levy had signed away his co-ownership rights under an employee-for-hire situation that had granted complete ownership to Dylan; Levy asked the courts to overturn that ruling late last year, arguing that this was “the ultimate attempt to rewrite Levy out of Dylan’s history.” Dylan’s attorneys responded to the request to overturn by describing the case as an “opportunistic attempt” at an “unjustified windfall.”On Tuesday, New York’s Appellate Division affirmed the judge’s original ruling, stating: “The parties’ agreement is unambiguous, and does not entitle plaintiffs to proceeds from the sale of the copyrights of the compositions cowritten with Dylan.”Dylan’s attorney, Orin Snyder of the law firm Gibson Dunn, told Billboard: “Today’s decision puts the nail in the coffin of this opportunistic lawsuit.

Bob Dylan from the widow of a former collaborator was rejected by a court yesterday (April 5).Universal purchased the rights to Dylan’s songs back in December 2020 for a reported $300million (£221million) which in turn triggered a lawsuit from the widow of Dylan’s former collaborator Dan Levy.

Peaky Blinders, Anna Calvi has now announced details of the ‘Tommy’ EP with new songs recorded for the show. Check out the single ‘Ain’t No Grave’ along with our interview with Calvi below.Following on from the weekend’s epic season six finale, the Mercury-nominated Calvi today announced details of an EP comprising two original songs inspired by lead character Tommy Shelby (played by Cillian Murphy), along with covers of show staples by Bob Dylan and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

Bob Dylan‘s ‘All The Tired Horses’, which soundtracked the end of the Peaky Blinders finale on Sunday (April 3).The Irish singer-songwriter’s rendition appeared at the end of season six of the hit BBC drama series, which bowed out at the weekend after nearly a decade on screens.O’Neill said: “It is not an overstatement to say that it was beyond my wildest dreams to be ‘Ordered by the Peaky Fucking Blinders’ to cover this beautiful song from Bob Dylan.“We recorded this version of ‘All The Tired Horses’ in an old horse stables in Cabinteely, South Dublin over the space of two days,” she continued.“We recorded by constant candlelight as a dear friend was dying at the time. This all contributed to the energy and the charge of the final track.

Cameron Whitcomb understood the assignment when it came to the “American Idol” showstopper round.

Musical stars lined up to pay homage to Joni Mitchell in Las Vegas on Friday evening, with the tireless artist and activist being named Person of the Year at the 2022 MusiCares gala.

Emmerdale fans were left unimpressed with Bob Hope during recent scenes despite him sticking up for his daughter Cathy. The cafe owner was enraged during Thursday night's trip to the Dales when he returned to find his daughter in tears with former partner Brenda.

Moving on. Joe Exotic officially filed for divorce from Dillon Passage one year after putting their split on pause.

Joe Exotic has filed for divorce from husband Dillon Passage.