The Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame, in partnership with the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, recently presented a collaborative symposium at the Arrow Street Arts Center in Cambridge, MA. The event, “Wasn’t That a Time: The Boston Folk Revival, 1958-1965,” shined a light on Boston’s integral role in folk music history through discussions with artists, academics, and those who were there.
Melissa Ziobro, curator for the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music and adjunct professor of public history, moderated a panel, “Origins of Boston and Greenwich Folk Scenes,” at the symposium. Featuring Jim Brown, Jim Rooney, Mitch Greenhill, and Tom Paxton, the panel discussed the artists, venues, and cultural currents that gave rise to one of the most influential movements in American music.
In the afternoon session, Bob Santelli, founding executive director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, moderated a discussion with musician Peter Wolf. Santelli was also a featured speaker on “Dylan Goes Electric at Newport ’65,” an exploration of how Bob Dylan forever changed folk music when he performed with an electric guitar at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.
Additional panels at the event included a firsthand account from Woody Gutherie’s granddaughter of Bob Dylan’s early days meeting with Gutherie; a spotlight on Joan Baez’s career transformation; and a deep dive into the post-revival folk scene.
This was the first in a series of events between the affiliate organizations designed to honor the past, celebrate the present, and nurture future artists and academics. Ziobro’s panel discussion is available to watch now on YouTube; additional panels will be shared on the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame channel when available.