Bob Dylan: A Legend

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Bob Dylan: A Legend

"An artist inoculates his world with disillusionment," said the

infamous writer, Henry Miller. Robert Allen Zimmerman, grandchild of

Welsh-Jewish immigrants, was born on May 24, 1941 in Hibbing,

Minnesota, near Duluth. About fifteen years later, he took on the name

Bob Dylan unknowingly stamping himself and his name in folk music

history forever.

Dylan began writing poetry and song lyrics at a young age and came to

the name of Bob Dylan after the poet Dylan Thomas. In 1959, Dylan

attended the University of Minnesota emphasizing folk music but soon

dropped his education to pursue his interest in music, his obsessions

with Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. (www.top-success.com.) Dylan

apparently started three prior bands to his own, "The Gaden Chords,"

"Elston Gunn," and "His Rock Boppers."

At eighteen, Dylan was eager to join Little Richard and soon followed

his heart straight on into New York City. By the beginning of the year

1961, he was renowned throughout Greenwich Village, the artist

district of New York City, to play at coffeehouses throughout the

area. (www.angelfire.com.) He could impressively learn songs simply by

hearing them once, and soon, offers came flying from small nightspots

such as "Ten Scholar Café" and "St. Paul's Purple Onion Pizza Parlor."

After local hearings and his simplistic way of playing the harmonica

from albums from Harry Belafonte and Carolyn Hester, he was auditioned

by John Hatmond in 1961 and eventually signed to Columbia Records.

At the March of 1963 in Washington, D.C., Dylan voiced his opinion on

the issues of civil rights in America by the power and magic of song.
...

... middle of paper ...

...evity. Bob Dylan sums

himself and his thoughts and his religion up by saying, "After all, an

artist is a seeker of truth. When an artist believes he has found the

truth, the art suffers." He knows he has a lot figured out. He knows

he stands as a legend. But he knows there is more to it than just

singing poetry from generation to generation to generation.

WORKS CITED:

Yudelson, Larry. "Dylan: Tangled Up In Jews." Washington Jewish Week.Online

http://www.radiohazak.com/Tangled.html

"Israel's Wars and Dylan's Muse." Dylan and the Jews.

http://www.radiohazak.com/Peace.html

"Bob Dylan at 60."

http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/writer/bobdylanat60.html

"Bob Dylan - Top Success Story."

http://www.top-success.com/SFS/BobDylan/index.html

Another Side of Bob Dylan. Poetry in album slip. Columbia Records.

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