An introduction to our volunteer discussion leaders for The Philosophy of Modern Song,
with links to their work and contributions

Henry Bernstein
In 2022 a New York Times article opened with "Henry Bernstein has seen Bob Dylan 27 times in concert (now 38) and owns three items autographed by Dylan: a copy of “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’ album, a photograph of the singer and a “John Wesley Harding” songbook. His favorite song is “Tangled Up in Blue.” 
Henry says being the first words of a New York Times article and about Bob Dylan, is a double crowning achievement in life. When he's not obsessing over Dylan, Henry works in Operations for a local Jewish Day School in Chicago. His other great loves besides his family & Bob Dylan are Superman, Star Trek, Taylor Swift and the White Sox. In 2018, Henry along with his friend Rabbi Brandon Bernstein (no relation) took their love of Judaism and Comic Books and started a podcast called "Funny They Don't Look Jewish." Henry describes the podcast as a deep dive into explicit Jewish content within superhero comic books. Henry also co-hosts a podcast with Dr. Sam Brody called Superman & Lois & Pals, an episode by episode review of the popular CW tv show.  In the spring of 2024, Henry finally launched "Songs of Experience: A Bob Dylan Podcast." The show follows roughly the same format as Pod Dylan, where he's appeared several times and credits his dear friend Rob Kelly with introducing him to the Bob Dylan Twitter community and giving him a platform to be a voice in that group. Henry lives on the Northside of Chicago with his wife—a guitar playing rockstar Rabbi—and his two young children, all of whom enjoy Bob Dylan and tolerate his obsession.
Henry’s Bob Dylan/Taylor Swift mash ups:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F90klUhi2fM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFccWDiCPag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzvGxx-gMAU

Christopher Vanni is the 2007 recipient of the Pell Award for excellence in U.S. History, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Providence College. He's the creator of a Bob Dylan Quiz, and writes about Bob Dylan. As an advisor for the Bob Dylan Book Club he's helping to cultivate a positive space to discuss books about Bob Dylan's artistic creation, his cultural context, and his artistic expressions in all forms. He's an ardent supporter of the music of Gene Clark. Christopher is also passionate about golf, classic films, and cats. He lives in Massachusetts, USA. You can follow him on  X.

Brian Walsh
It's alright Ma...I'm only buying another Dylan book! I have been listening to Dylan since I was a teen. As I get older the Dylan world continues to open up further. It seems endless. My Dylan explorations started with his music from early 60s, then jumped to the late 90s and 2000s, then black to the 70s, and early 80s. RARW stopped me in tracks and I’ve been listening to all the podcasts and bootlegs ever since.

Jim Salvucci has published several articles on Dylan, most recently in The Politics and Power of Bob Dylan’s Live Performance, edited by Erin Callahan and Court Carney. He has presented on Dylan on three continents and taught a college course for several years on Dylan and his art. He is also the founder and keeper of the The Dylantantes podcast on Substack and FMPods.
The Dylantantes: https://thedylantantes.substack.com/
Dylan Review articles: 
On “Key West (Philosopher Pirate): https://thedylanreview.org/2021/07/25/bob-dylan-and-wallace-stevens-in-conversation/ 
On The Philosophy of Modern Song:  https://thedylanreview.org/2023/08/26/world-of-bob-dylan-the-future-for-me-is-already-a-thing-of-the-past-the-philosophers-nostalgic-dilemma-in-the-philosophy-of-modern-song/

Daniel A. Singer, is the Cantor at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in Manhattan. He has built has built a reputation as one of the most renowned Reform cantors in the United States. In addition to performing with the world’s leading cantors and popular Jewish artists, he developed a revolutionary new vision of worship and programming that helped to revitalize the historic Stephen Wise, which grew and developed for the past eighteen years. He edited and published two songbook anthologies of his original compositions and recordings, Tapestry of Prayer and Aleph Bet Bop. He won national recognition for his rich bass voice in competitions and festivals and has sung lead roles with regional opera companies. He grew up immersed in the folk music scene of Duluth-Superior, so he is as comfortable singing grand opera as he is singing Broadway, Yiddish theater, pop, jazz, folk, and children’s music. He is an accomplished recording artist, multi-faceted guitarist, pianist and composer of new music for the synagogue and stage. He is also a voice actor with national credits for radio, television, and animated films. He performs internationally and produces parodies and viral videos with the award-winning Jewish pop acapella group, Six13. He has performed for President and First Lady Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and other Supreme Court Justices in the White House. He publishes articles regularly to his blog on Times of Israel and has been featured in PBS documentaries. He is the cantorial voice and music advisor for J’Accuse, a documentary film by Michael Kretzmer on the Lithuanian Holocaust that has won over 120 awards at film festivals across the globe. He hosted the US premiere of another Holocaust film, Baltic Truth, and performed at live at the screening with the renowned cantor, singing actor, and host of the film, Dudu Fisher.

Daniel writes: I’m continuing the research of my father and am exploring genealogical history and Jewish identity of Bob Dylan’s and John Hammond’s families as they converge historically in my hometown of Superior, Wisconsin. I explore the musical and genealogical histories of where I have found myself at the “Crossroad of the North” at the corner of Hammond Avenue and Highway 61.

Peter White is a retired professor in plant ecology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also served as the Director of the North Carolina Botanical Garden, which he helped shape as a conservation-themed garden. He lives in Carrboro, a town that now includes the childhood home of Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten (1893-1987, nee Nevills) who, as a young teenager, wrote a song now know the world over, "Freight Train" (she said that the trains that still roll by her house made her house “tremble”). Peter bonded with the work of Bob Dylan when he was 15 and has followed Mr. Dylan ever since. He hosts an annual Bob Dylan Party during which he and his musical buddies play 6+ hours of Dylan songs (we are up to 266 songs played at least once, a feat that he challenges other Dylan-enthused musicians to match!). In 2023, he was a cofounder of the Bob Dylan Book Club because of the intriguing, delightful, stimulating, and deeply researched books that have been written on Dylan, his songs, his art and performance, and more! Peter believes that Bob Dylan knows about Peter’s party (and is tempted to join us one year) because Peter was interviewed on the front page of the Durham Herald the day Dylan played the minor league Durham Bulls ballpark. His 3 most fun books are A World Atlas of Trees and Forests (translated into French and German), The Little Book of Trees, and Wildflowers of the Smokies. Peter can be reached through the “Email Us!” button on bobdylanbookclub.com and @peterwhite217 on X.