Bob Dylan, like the Grateful Dead, has a loyal and dedicated fanbase who follow his tours, exchange bootleg recordings, and analyze his lyrics and music. Called “Bobcats,” “Bobheads,” or “Dylanologists,” these Dylan fans have created a unique and supportive worldwide community who stay connected through various networks, meet up at shows, and share their love and appreciation for the art Dylan has created. In 2014, David Kinney chronicled the history and stories of some of the most passionate fans in his book The Dylanologists. In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Cantalamessa, professor, scholar, and Dylan fan, talks about her work and her experiences on tour with Dylan.
Elizabeth is a philosopher whose research focuses on the intersection of social philosophy, philosophy of language, and value theory. She is an Emerging Scholar with the Mark Twain Circle of America and was a Quarry Farm Fellow with the Center for Mark Twain Studies. Elizabeth has written and presented on Dylan, Taylor Swift, aesthetic vocabulary and disagreement, democratic deliberation, and copyright law. In August 2024, she will begin her tenure as an assistant professor in the philosophy department at St. Bonaventure University.
Links:
Secondhand Thoughts | lizzybeth c | Substack
S1E29 - Elizabeth Cantalamessa on Wyoming, Adjuncting, and Humor (philosophersnest.com)
Interview with Elizabeth Cantalamessa (by Erin Callahan) (substack.com)
Note: This is episode actually episode five.
Bobcats, Bobheads, and Dylanologists