Item World: Forever Billy
Billy Hallquist
Forever Billy
It started in 2000 as a way for the Twin Cities musicians who played on Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks” album to get some local recognition. It has evolved into an annual summer salute to Dylan’s music by a bunch of Minnesota music long-timers that doubles as a benefit for Guitars for Vets, a Milwaukee nonprofit helping veterans suffering from PTSD. One of those Dylan stalwarts and organizers, singer-songwriter Billy Hallquist, is battling colon cancer. His friends have set up a Give Forward campaign, http://gfwd.at/1zuj6Da, and will pay tribute to Hallquist on July 29 at Town Green in Maple Grove and Aug. 1 at Wolfe Amphitheater in St. Louis Park. Kevin Odegard, Gary Lopac, Bobby Z, Jeff Dayton, Patty Peterson, Mary Jane Alm, Lonnie Knight and others are hoping Hallquist will be strong enough to join them.
JON BREAM