Bob Dylan

The Man of the 1960s

The 1960s was a decade that made Bob Dylan the famous person he is today. Being one of the greatest singers and songwriters Bob Dylan is recognized worldwide for the impact he has had on rock music. Bob Dylan has managed to maintain his popularity among fans and critics all over the world for decades. Many people ;believe that it was the change in the world after World War II, Kennedy's assassination, and the civil rights movement that made Dylan want to start a music career.

Bob Dylan born Robert Allen Zimmerman was born on May 24, 1941; in Duluth, Minnesota, to Abraham Zimmerman, a furniture and appliance salesman and Betty Stone Zimmerman. In 1947, at the age of six Robert and his family had to make a sudden decision and were forced to move to the small northern town of Hibbing, Minnesota. Robert Zimmerman spent a typical childhood. At the age of ten Robert Zimmerman took an interest in writing poetry. He was a very talented boy; by his teenage years he taught himself to play the piano, harmonica, and guitar. As a teenager Robert had a great musical taste including his appreciation for the talents of a variety of country music and rock-n-roll performers, such as Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Little Richard, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Robert was an active member in bands during his high school years, including the Golden Chords and Elson Gunn and his Rock Boppers. Robert enrolled at the University of Minnesota in 1959 (American 1).

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While attending the college Robert began performing as a folk singer and musician under the name Bob Dylan at some of Minneapolis' popular night clubs. As Dylan's music career started to grow he became less interested with his studies, so he dropped out of school in 1960, and hitchhiked straight for New York City to meet the legendary singer Woody Guthrie (Encyclopedia 1). Woody Guthrie was in an east coast hospital suffering from Huntington's disease. The young performer quickly gained the respect and approbation of his peers in the folk music scene with his ability to compose his own melodies and lyrics at an astounding pace (American 1).

In 1961, he was well known outside the folk music in New York City. One night at a club the New York Times critic Robert Shelton witnessed Bob Dylan's performance and declared that Dylan was "bursting at the Seams with talent." At the age of twenty Dylan released his self-titled debut were primarily his version of blues and folk songs by artists Jesse Fuller, Bukka White, and Blind Lemon Jefferson, but the album included two original Dylan compositions, "Song to Woody" which was a tribute to Woody Guthrie, and "Talkin' New York." Bob Dylan and his album had little success. Bob Dylan published another album in 1963 with The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, which contained more original songs that shared a common theme protest. In 1964, Bob Dylan released his third album, The Times They Are-A- Changin'(Contemporary 2). After publishing this album, Bob Dylan was introduced to more folk music fans through his love life with Joan Beaz . However, Bob Dylan was ready to move beyond folk music and after sometime his relationship with Joan Baez faded away.

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By 1965, Bob Dylan enraged his folk music by performing on an electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival. In 1965, he released Highway