Local Musician Jamie Ness Is Also Part of Tonight's Show: A Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan

It's Saturday morning and it won't be long. Show starts tonight at seven. Sacred Heart Music Center. A good night to make some memories.

Jamie Ness is one of the local performers who will be part of this extravaganza. His group The Freewheelers has become nearly a fixture on the annual Blood on the Tracks Express each year during Duluth Dylan Fest and this year is no exception.

Here's a brief snapshot of "the other Ness" (and we don't mean Eliot.)

EN: Who is Jamie Ness?

Jamie Ness: A long time local musician.

EN: How did the Boomchucks come into existence? 

JN: The Boomchucks got our start as the Thursday night band at Fitgers Brewhouse for two years. Every year in May we do a show as "The Freewheelers", an all Dylan bar band. Here's a link to our album of Dylan songs. There's a special edition CD of this album for sale at our gigs.

EN: What are some of the other groups you perform with? 

JN: I don't have any other active groups right now.

Jamie Ness and The Freewheelers

EN: How did you first get interested in music? 

JN: I grew up around a lot of good musicians, folk, country, and blues. fingerpicking, people singing together.

EN: How did you come to be involved in A Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan? 

JN: John Bushey asked me to do it.

EN: How has Dylan’s music (and history here) influenced the local music scene?

JN: Hmmmmm, a lot of musicians are interested in Dylan's work. It's a great way to learn about music and life, about our culture and history. It's like a people's history. You could spend years listening to Dylan, or reading his autobiography and looking things up on Wikipedia that you never heard of. Of course a lot of people want to make their own path musically. I think both approaches are great.

EN: Do you have a favorite Dylan album? Who else did you like to listen to?

JN: My favorite Dylan album right now is Nashville Skyline. I also like the recent albums, 1996 to present. We haven't started learning that material yet though.

EN: What advice would you give to up and coming musicians from our region?

JN: My advice for young musicians is "be really good."

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EdNote: This blog entry and others like it have the aim of raising awareness for the tonight's Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan concert which will kick off the 2014 North Country Dylan Celebration in Duluth and Hibbing. Sacred Heart Music Center, May 17, 2014. For tickets to this event visit dulutharmory.org/events.

Visit the Salute Facebook page and share with your friends by clicking the Invite button. 

A Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan is a presentation of the Armory Arts and Music Center and Magic Marc Productions.