THROUGH THE LENS: 2025 In Review - The Best of Everything

Of the making of many books about Bob Dylan there is no end. Casual fans likely own a few of them; ardent fans have shelves groaning under the weight of tomes such as Michael Gray’s The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. Sean Wilentz’s new book, Bob Dylan: Through the Open

This week the column stays in California for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, held in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park (October 2-4, 2026). Since its creation in 2001, by local venture capitalist, and banjo player, Warren Hellman, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (HSB) has remained free and open to everyone. Despite numerous

Too often lately, I’ve been writing about artists who have passed — Dolly Parton, Glen Hansard, Cassandra Wilson, and Raul Malo. But I want to dedicate this week’s column to those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, so that musicians like them and others could perform at their best.