‘Music to Your Ears’ Preview: Bob Hinkle

Hosted by the Asheville Guitar Bar, a discussion series provides deeper understanding and greater enjoyment of classic albums from rock, soul, blues and jazz. Led by Asheville author and music journalist Bill Kopp, Music to Your Ears is an interactive experience that shines a light on important music and people. Music to Your Ears is a 90-minute conversation, held at the Guitar Bar, a music magnet in Asheville’s historic River Arts District. The June 7 event is a conversation with beloved WNC music impresario BOB HINKLE.

Perhaps more than any other group, the musical outfit known as The Band bridged rock ‘n’ roll with what today is know as Americana. From their earliest days as Levon and the Hawks through their work with Bob Dylan to their string of acclaimed albums, the Canadian-American group captured what was special about both forms, blurring the lines between them. And a high point of The Band’s catalog is the 1972 double album Rock of Ages, a live document of their residency at NYC’s Academy of Music.

A discussion of Rock of Ages will serve as the starting point for a lively conversation with Western North Carolina’s own Bob Hinkle. Founder of the White Horse Black Mountain music hall in Black Mountain, Hinkle is a longtime music industry figure whose experience reaches most every corner of the business, including working closely with The Band during the era that yielded Rock of Ages.

But that’s merely one of many historically significant pieces of Hinkle’s work in music. He got his start as a musician here in WNC, eventually forming a group; recording an album; going solo and releasing another album; working for Dylan’s notorious manager Albert Grossman; serving as head of A&R for a record label; becoming an artist manager himself, and managing several high-profile artists including Harry Chapin, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, The J. Geils Band and more. And even all that is only part of the story; Bob Hinkle went on to a VP position at a major label, overseeing one of its popular divisions.

After he did all that, Bob Hinkle could have moved back to the mountains and taken a quiet retirement. Instead he did half of that – leaving New York City – and soon after settling in WNC, he opened White Horse Black Mountain, hosting some of the most compelling local, regional and nationally touring musical artists and developing a solid reputation as one of the Carolinas’ best venues to play and hear music.

Those who have met Bob or seen him onstage introducing shows at White Horse may know bits and pieces of his background. But this special installment in the popular Music to Your Ears presents an opportunity to hear much more about Hinkle’s fascinating life in music, from Black Mountain to The Band to beyond and back again.

Join host and music journalist Bill Kopp for an evening in discussion with Bob Hinkle about his life in music. We’ll listen to key tracks that figure into his story, and invite questions from the audience.

ABOUT THE DISCUSSION SERIES
Music to Your Ears is Bill Kopp’s monthly discussion series hosted by Asheville Guitar Bar and sponsored by AshevilleFM. On the first Wednesday of each month, music enthusiasts gather to discuss an important album, artist or musical movement. An interactive evening, Music to Your Ears isn’t a lecture; it’s a discussion led by experts and designed to enrich the listening experience.