LIFE Bob Dylan

“I have dined with kings, I've been offered wings. And I've never been too impressed.” – Bob Dylan

In the space of just a few years, Bob Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, rose from the obscurity of a small Minnesota town to a position of royalty atop the folk music landscape of the 1960s, with a universal esteem and status on a par with Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Not content to remain for long within that niche, however, he went on to conquer rock with elements of blues, jazz, pop, country, Gospel, rockabilly and ethnic music of the British Isles, not to mention authoring several books, working in film soundtracks, acting, and holding international art exhibits of his work along the way. He even developed a fondness for old school rap, such as Public Enemy. In the 1960s, “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are A’ Changing” “became anthems of the anti-war and civil rights movements,” but long after the transition from the ‘50s to the late ‘60s and ‘70s was accomplished, the initially baffling young folk singer who appeared out of nowhere was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize for “his profound impact on popular music, and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.” Over the span of his career, he has received Grammy Awards, Golden Globes, Academy Award Oscars, and he has been inducted into the Rock Roll Hall of Fame, the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, not to mention the Pulitzer Prize and Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Like other artists who depended on the skill of their texts, ideas or vocal interpretation, such as Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin, Dylan never possessed a conventionally beautiful voice, and as a pure vocalist, he did nothing out of the ordinary, as he once admitted, “Nothing can affect my voice, it’s so bad.” However, in an era of pure vocal timbres, lilting phrases and a throwback to the quasi-classical genres brought from the British Isles during the British Invasion, he overcame and broke down the universal idea of the voice being the first priority with the music and text coming second. Even for those in the audience that did not follow such a belief, the works of Bob Dylan could be heard anywhere within the industry at the height of his fame, and his charisma and mythologized image did the rest. Numerous friends and colleagues made his songs famous, and well into his career, over 3,000 artists have undertaken them on stage and recording, with over 100 covers of “Blowin’ in the Wind” alone. Included among the many artists who enjoyed hits with Dylan songs are Sonny and Cher, The Hollies, and Herman’s Hermits.

Throughout a thriving and energetic career that has continued into his 70s, the man who served as “the voice of a generation,” “the voice of protest,” and “the Bard” during the years of the American youth revolution has refused to remain where fans, colleagues and record companies can easily identify and market him, and he has similarly defied becoming an artist confined to the nostalgia of one generation. Through the decades, Dylan has found himself on more than one side of the youth movement; with an intense drive to explore and produce, he has, at times, rebelled against the rebellion, and he refuses to be commanded by his present audience or industry, even if it alienated many along the way.

American Legends: The Life of Bob Dylan examines the life and career of America’s most famous folk artist and one of its most iconic musicians. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Dylan like never before, in no time at all.