The Iconic Bob Dylan

A short career summary on one of the greatest singers-songwriters of all time

The legendary Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman in 1941) is an American folk/blues/country singer-songwriter and musician whose songs reflected the counterculture generation as well as social and political unrest during the 1960s.

His songs became anthems of the American civil rights and anti-war campaigns. Dylan’s inclusion of the electric instruments such as electricguitars and performing with rock bands earned him admiration from his fans and criticisms from folk purists – therefore defying the old musical conventions.

 

Dylan’s famous and signature songs include “The Times They Are A-Changin’”, “Subterranean Homesick Blues”, “Like A Rolling Stone”, “Positively 4^th Street”, “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35”, “Lay Lady Lay”, “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” and “Tangled Up In Blue” – he has amassed 50-plus charting singles in his career. His songwriting is his greatest legacy, whose style he culled form a variety of political, social and literary influences, as well as his music that has been seen and felt by a variety of artists and in an array of musical genres. Dylan brought musical and lyrical sophistication and intellect in folk music.

The impact and influence of Bob Dylan

In both songwriting and music, the influence of American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan is immeasurable and inestimable. Especially during the 1960s, he was a very potent force in changing the face of music by sparking other genres as well as bravely defying the old conventions that were then associated with the music industry. Much of his most distinguished work comes from the 1960s where the introspective, confessional style of his songwriting became a big influence on the other artists and musicians that followed him, including the Beatles. His political and social-themed songs became anthems for US civil rights and anti-war movements and are now esteemed standards and classics. Dylan changed the face of folk music from the traditional style to something more with a personal, reflective approach. Even though he is now well past his prime, his legend is now completely assured.

Making a name for himself

For all of his big and important contributions to music, especially during the 20th century, Dylan came from a humble background. Bob Dylan was born Robert Zimmerman on May 24, 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota. Like many kids in his generation, Zimmerman was influenced by other legends such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. As he grew up he began to form his own bands, including The Golden Chords, and also performed on his own using the pseudonym Elston Gunn. By the time Zimmerman moved to Minneapolis and entered university, folk had taken precedence in his musical interest. Zimmerman chose the name Bob Dylan as an acknowledgment to Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.

After Dylan dropped out of college, he went to New York and began performing in several local clubs, particularly in Greenwich Village. His most pivotal moments came when he regularly visited legendary folk singer-songwriter and musician Woody Guthrie at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital. Guthrie was then suffering from Huntington’s disease, complications of which would be the cause of his eventual death in 1967. He was a major influence on Dylan as well as the rest of the younger generation of “folk revivalists” in the 1960s.

Rising to become one a known folk artist and musician

One of Dylan’s performances gained a rare positive review from the New York Times, that led to signing his first recording contract with Columbia Records in October 1961. His first self-titled LP contained only two originally-written tracks; the rest were covers of folk, blues and gospel standards. Nevertheless, it demonstrated his unique musical and vocal style – this disproved the notion that one had to have a conventionally good voice to be successful in his/her singing career.

Much of Dylan’s sophomore LP The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (released in 1963) this time, contained songs that he wrote himself. Through this album and its songs, such as the outstanding “Blowin’ In The Wind” (which later became a hit by Peter, Paul and Mary) Dylan rose to become one of the most original folk artists at the time.

Dylan as the prime force behind “protest anthems”

His third album, The Times They Are A-Changin‘ (released in 1964) was the first album to feature all original, self-penned material. It firmly established Dylan as the prime force behind those “protest anthems,” with songs that touched on topics ranging from racism to poverty. The title track captured the spirit of the major social and political movement during the 1960s, and is also one of Dylan’s most renowned songs. As time went by, Dylan’s reputation only grew as one of the most definitive singer-songwriters in his era.

Dylan’s reputation was only enhanced when he encountered another folk singer-songwriter/musician, Joan Baez, during the early 1960s. Their affair was brief, but it benefited both of them career-wise; Baez, already a star on her own right, introduced Dylan to fans through her concerts. Dylan penned Baez’s most well-known songs, such as “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” and “Farewell Angelina”.

Dylan had become one of the most in-demand performers, but soon became weary of his reputation as one of the voices of the protest movement. He released his fourth studio LP Another Side Of Bob Dylan which, as the title suggests, featured more thoughtful, introspective songs.

He instigated a “scandal” in 1965 through his fifth studio album Bringing It All Back Home where he introduced the use of electric guitars, something which was unheard of in the normally acoustic-based folk music. Dylan’s approach was welcomed by many of his fans, but at the same time criticized by his purist folk followers. In the summer of 1965 Dylan played an electric guitar for the first time at the Newport Folk Festival, which was met by outrage from his alienated folk fans.