Almanac Travel: Col’s USA trip – The Bob Dylan Centre Tulsa Oklahoma

 

The Bob Dylan Centre

 

Tulsa

 

The next stage of our American musical travels was to Tulsa Oklahoma to visit The Bob Dylan Centre and The Woody Guthrie Centre.

 

Arriving at our hotel in Downtown Tulsa, on an extremely hot day of 100F, there were very few people, understandably, out and about on the streets. Only the homeless were noticeable, and like many major USA cities it is a problem that is, sadly, massively escalating.

 

The Bob Dylan Centre and The Woody Guthrie Centre are both situated in the same building in the Greenwood Arts district of Tulsa and a ten minute walk from our hotel. After checking in I could not help myself and went for a walk to have a quick look at the centre which was closed at the time. With tickets for both venues on Wednesday and Thursday both Brian and myself were excited at the prospect of finally visiting both of these acclaimed centres.

 

 

Interestingly, our hotel is on the corner of Boston St and Fourth St – Positively 4th Street indeed,
so very apt for our Bob visit!
(For non-Bob fans, ‘Positively 4th Street’ is one of Bob’s greatest songs)

 

The George Kaiser Family Foundation acquired Bob’s archive of around one hundred thousand items in 2016. Bob retained items related to the cultural treasures he created, and other odds and ends of all descriptions he collected over a seventy year period, of which Dylan fans salivate at the thought of viewing. These incredible artefacts  provide a detailed account and history of the creative processes of one of the greatest songwriters/ performers ever.

 

 

Bob’s image and sculpture greet Brian and Col at the entrance

 

 

Like two young kids unwrapping their presents on Christmas Day, Brian and I excitedly entered the centre and there to greet us is a huge floor to ceiling image of Bob, and a steel creation gifted by Bob to the centre. Nothing small here, all reflecting position and greatness.

 

 

Bob’s leather jacket he wore at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 when he went electric

 

 

Some of Bob’s many notebooks on display

 

 

The centre is a revelation, and probably the best of its type I have visited. I was completely blown away by the breadth and the amount of the detailed articles on view. From the small notebooks used for jotting down lyrics and notes, to the leather jacket he wore at Newport when he first went electric, and to the many witty cards and letters George Harrison sent to Bob. Scraps of paper with names, addresses, and phone numbers of people he met during his travels is an eye-opener indeed. As you would expect, many famous names, and perhaps not so famous names are included. To witness his writing process through his documents is to witness a genius at work. To view old home movies and previously unseen concert footage is unbelievable.

 

 

George Harrison to Bob

 

 

Names and addresses including one well known Aussie

 

 

The upright piano Bob used in the creation of ‘Like A Rolling Stone’

 

 

The centre is set out around themes displaying images, recordings, notes etc related to the particular theme, usually associated with selected songs or an album. What is on display is only a fraction of the items the centre holds in its archives. These are changed on a regular basis.

 

 

One of thematic displays

 

We spent most of the entire day there, stimulated, intrigued, and enlightened by everything we saw. It was mind-blowing!

 

 

Outside the Woody Guthrie Centre

 

Next day was spent next door at the Woody Guthrie Centre. Again this was another magical  venue to visit, and  like Dylan Woody kept his writings, notes and jottings, and in particular his drawings to provide a treasure trove of artefacts reflecting the creative processes employed by him throughout his life. He was very prolific in both areas.

 

 

One of Woody’s many drawings on display

 

 

 

 

A much older Woody Guthrie

 

One of the highlights for me were the many unseen photographs of Woody later in his life. Most images of Woody in the public domain are from the early to middle stages of his career, and it was interesting to see photos of an old Woody not long before his death. I thought I had a good knowledge about Woody Guthrie but the displays and information on view here at the Woody Guthrie Centre made me realise I did not. A fascinating insight into the man.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma with a population of just over 400,000 residents. Much of the architecture in the city reflects the art deco style exemplifying the prosperous local oil industry boom in the 20thC.  Many buildings have ornate fittings and additions and usually a penthouse is at the top of each building for the wealthy oil barons when in town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tulsa is very clean, with wide streets, predominately a white population, and reflects the conservative Christian nature of the city with its many churches around the Downtown precinct.

 

 

 

 

Things were quiet at night but fortunately we found a couple of good eateries particularly with Mexican fare.

 

As with many large cities the homeless are very noticeable here, mainly middle age to older African American.

 

Our time in Tulsa quickly came to an end and it was time to head to Austin.

 

 

More from Col Ritchie can be read HERE

 

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