Looking back on the dazzling and male-dominant world of music in the Sixties and Seventies, there stood a petite woman who was especially eye-catching. Janis Joplin, the female icon of the Sixties’ counterculture, conquered millions of audiences with her confidence, sexiness, straightforwardness, hoarse voice, and electrifying on-stage performance. To this day, no one can ever compare with her. She is thus known as the greatest white female rock and blues singer. Not only has her flabbergasting singing style innovated the music in the Sixties and Seventies, Janis Joplin herself is also character with most controversial and interesting characteristics.
One artist that was extremely influential in the time of crisis was Bob Dylan. He was born on May 24, 1941 as Robert Allen Zimmerman. When he began to perform in college, he adopted the stage name that he is known for today, Bob Dylan. He got his last name from the poet Dylan Thomas, who was one of his major motivations along with Hank Williams and Woody Guthrie. He wrote songs about real occurrences like his song, “Hurricane” which was about the renowned African American boxer Rubin Carter, who was wrongly accused of murder even though he was all the way across town at the time the murder took place. Throughout his musical career, he was awarded an abundance of awards for his lyrics and song writing that inspired and moved many struggling people all across the troubled country.
In 1961, Dylan would make his way to New York City. Immediately, Greenwich Village folk community would embraced his presence. After, he would visit his own idol, Guthrie, in the hospital. Returning to performances in the coffee house. Dylan’s gruff charm would win him an impressive fanbase. He’d open for John Lee Hooker in April and five months later, he’d perform at another concert in Gerde’s Folk City. John Harmond found Bob Dylan and signed him in the fall of 1961. Together they would release his first album, the following year. The a...
In 1965, Bob Dylan released an album to the public titled Bringing it all Back Home and within, it contained one of his more popular songs entitled “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” (USF P:7). In the Seagull Reader, it states the dedication ‘for Bob Dylan’ that Joyce Carol Oates placed before the short story Where are you Going, Where have you Been? and many have wondered why (Oates 337). This short story is based upon a realistic situation in Tucson, Arizona about a serial killer who seduced and murdered teenaged girls, much like Arnold Friend was in the process of doing so with Connie, our main character (336). In an interview, Oates stated when asked about
Dylan Marlais Thomas was born in Swansea, Wales on October 27, 1914. The name Dylan came from his father who that “son of the sea” would be the perfect name for his son. His mother thought he would get bullied and called “Dull one” so she changed the preoccupation to Dullan. (“Dylan Thomas” < http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/Dylan-Thomas > ) Thomas was born into middle class family. His father David John Thomas was an English Literature professor and his mother Florence Hannah was a seamstress. He only had one sibling, which was his sister Nancy Marley who was nine years older. David and Florence spoke welsh but wanted their children to speak English. (“Dylan Thomas” )
Dylan Thomas was born Dylan Marlais Thomas on October 27, 1914 in Sawansea, South Wales. He was born to David John Thomas and Florence Williams Thomas, and had only one sister, Nancy Marles Thomas. Although, Dylan Thomas went to school at Swansea Grammar School, he only attended for six years (1925-1931). In the years he went to school, he showed great interest in extracurricular activities that were related to school work. He spent many of his summers visiting his maternal aunts at Carmarthenshire. Town life and country life, or life o...
...um and Luhrssen). Dylan’s music was a factor in the revolution that took place in the 1960s for thousands of people. Not only was Dylan a major influence on American society, but also on other musicians of that era (the Beatles, Eric Clapton, and the Rolling Stones) and eras to come.
Music has often played a role in political and social events; however, those events were usually focused on a smaller population (i.e. Swing low, Sweet Chariot for slaves1 and We Shall over Come for African American civil rights). Folk singers had become active in the civil rights movement with songs like “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” by Bob Dylan and “Birmingham Sunday” by Joan Baez.2 The Vietnam War affected the masses and music became a method to unite the public and express disapproval to America’s involvement in Vietnam.
Robert was born on April 16, 1945 in St. Ann Jamaica (Stambler 442). When Robert was four, his father told his mother that they both were going to live with his nephew in Kingston. Eighteen months later, his mother found out that Robert was not going to school and he was living with an elderly couple. His worried mother went and got him. His mother moved on and married a more stable man named Edward Booker and had to leave Robert behind. Robert was homeless when he was eighteen years old. In 1963, he started living with his friend, Vincent Ford. Both were very poor. They would sing so their minds wouldn’t be on food (Bob Marley).
in Staten Island, New York. Baez, a singer in the folk tradition, was a crucial
Bob Dylan is and will be one of the most inspirational singer-songwriters to live. “His songs are known for social and political issues” (B0b Dylan-Wikipedia). “Bob Dylan was born with the name Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota” (Bob Dylan Biography). Bob Dylan got his name Bob which is short for Robert and Dylan from the tv series Gunsmoke (Marshal Matt Dillon). Dylan started singing and writing songs while attending college at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. During College he performed folk and country songs at local cafes. Bob Dylan later dropped out of college in his first year and moved to New York to proceed with his folk singing career in 1960. Dylan’s icon and favorite folk singer Woody Guthrie
After seven years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter sent a copy of his autobiography The Sixteenth Round, to Bob Dylan. After reading it, Dylan came to visit Carter in prison. Despite having moved away from his “voice of the people” role and writing very few protest songs in the 70’s, the meeting had tremendous impact on Dylan.
Lauren are in the same form we have to walk right to the top of the
On November 7th, 1943, Joni Mitchell was born as Roberta Joan Anderson in Fort Macleod, Canada. Her family eventually moved to North Battleford and then Saskatoon; both of which are cities in the Saskatchewan providence of Canada. She considers Saskatoon, Canada to be her hometown. At the young age of nine years old, Mitchell contracted polio, but she managed to recover and regain her ability to walk after a stay in the hospital. Joni Mitchell’s interest in folk music began in her adolescent years. She was self-taught on how to play the ukulele and ultimately, the guitar. Mitchell started performing at parties and among the folk songs sang were some original ones she wrote herself. Thus, Joni Mitchell’s songwriter and singer career began. She, however, was more interested in pursuing art at the time.
Bob Marley was born in St. Ann’ Parish, Jamaica. He was born on February 6, 1945. He grew up in a mixed family which at the time was frowned upon. He was introduced to music at an early age due to his family’s ability to play instruments. With his family's reputation with music Marley was given the reputation he was a good singer in his local community ("PART TWO: Historical