Reviews
 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
It’s So Hard To Tell Who’s Going To Love You The Best
Karen Dalton
Transfiguration of Vincent
M. Ward
Muswell Hillbillies
Kinks
Christmas in the Heart
Bob Dylan
Glitter and Doom Live
Tom Waits
Let It Roll: The Best of George Harrison
George Harrison
Secret, Profane & Sugarcane
Elvis Costello
Playing for Change
Songs Around the World
Another Country
Caroline Doctorow
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Live solo performances by legendary artists can be a sketchy affair. Usually, the audience brings with it expectations that could never be matched by a performer who is now decades older than they were at the peak of their fame. With a sold-out performance at Huntington’s IMAC Theater on Friday, April 4, Roger McGuinn has proven himself to be a pleasant exception to this axiom. McGuinn has enjoyed a multifaceted career, famous mostly for his work with the Byrds, but with an iconoclastic presence that transcends his status as a rock and roll legend. His roots in the folk scene has always informed his sensibility, and this dedication to roots music aids him immeasurably as he reaches back to present a lifetime of recordings that are both definitive and timeless.
Even McGuinn’s cover versions have become definitive, and that is really saying something, since he has earned unchallenged status as the #1 interpreter of Bob Dylan songs. I counted eight Dylan songs in this evening’s performance, including “My Back Pages,” Chimes of Freedom,” “All I Really Want to Do,” “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere,” and of course, “Mr. Tambourine Man,” which McGuinn performed in a fashion more akin to Dylan’s original version than his own. One could easily argue that McGuinn’s versions (with the Byrds) of the above-listed songs are more familiar than Dylan’s. Whether or not you agree with that assessment is irrelevant, because McGuinn has grown into these songs and is clearly identified with them, as attested by the audience reaction.
In a sense, McGuinn has been aided by the passage of time, since his own songs have aged so well and fit snugly within the timeline of folk music lineage. The first portion of the program consisted of a semi-chronological synopsis of his career, starting with songs dating from his time with the Chad Mitchell Trio and Bobby Darin (!). Along the way, I was surprised to discover that he had written “You Showed Me” (a hit for the Turtles) and “Drugstore Truck Drivin’ Man (as performed at Woodstock by Joan Baez). He then launched into a time-tripping fantasy to connect various phases of his career, including latter-day Byrds classics such as “Ballad of Easy Rider” and “I Want to Grow Up to Be a Politician.” Both still sound poignant, while “Chestnut Mare” and “Lover of the Bayou” shone out as mid-career highlights that have grown better with age. In many ways, the same can be said for Roger McGuinn. For those who wish to relive the experience (and for fans who were unable to gain attendance), a live recording from Spain in 2004 is available on Roger McGuinn’s website.
 
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