Bob Dylan: Epic Poet of His Age

by Marjorie Dorfman | More from this Blogger

Robert Allen Zimmerman was born on May 24, 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota, and was raised in Hibbing, Minnesota, northwest of Lake Superior. His grandparents hailed from Lithuania, Russia and the Ukraine and his parents, Abraham Zimmerman and Beatrice Stone Beatty, were part of the area's small, but tightly knit Jewish community. Bobby spent much of his youth listening to the radio, mesmerized by the musical strains of country and early rock and roll. On Christmas Eve, 1956, he made his earliest known recordings with two friends in a department store booth, in which they sang the songs made popular by the top recording artists of the day, notably, Carl Perkins, Lloyd Price, the Penguins and Little Richard. He also formed several bands during his high school years and in 1959, toured briefly under the name of Elston Gunn before moving to Minneapolis and attending the University of Minnesota.

His musical focus became Gaelic-inflected American folk music as performed with an acoustic guitar. Much of his best-known works are from the 1960s, where they came to symbolize American commentary, counter-culture and unrest. Two of his songs, "Blowing In The Wind" and "The Times They Are A Changin," became anthems of the anti war and civil rights movements that so predominated the age. His status in popular culture is unique because it is just as strong today as it was then. His enduring contributions to music are often compared to the likes of Stephen Foster, Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams and Irving Berlin.

Dylan performs with three instruments: the guitar, harmonica and keyboard, and he has continued to tour steadily since the 1980s. He is much more regarded as an esteemed songwriter, albeit performing and recording have been the focus of his career. He has recently performed with Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell and Eric Clapton.

What are some of YOUR favorite Bob Dylan tunes? Please share.

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Learn more about Marjorie Dorfman

Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York.

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