Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota, United States) is an American musician, poet and artist whose position in popular culture is unique.
Although Dylan started his musical odyssey in 1959, much of Dylan’s best known work is from the 1960s, when he became an informal documentarian and reluctant figurehead of American unrest. Some of his songs, such as “Blowin’ In The Wind” and “The Times They Are A-Changin’”, became anthems of the anti-war and civil rights movements.
His song “Like A Rolling Stone”, released in July of 1965, was named “The Greatest Song of All Time” by Rolling Stone magazine in 2004, placing #1 in a list of 500 titles. Dylan remains an influential and popular artist; his most recent album of new songs, 2009’s Together Through Life, reached #1 on the charts in the US, Britain, France and several other countries.
Bob Dylan’s strong influence over the past few years are becoming even more prominent amongst a growing group of younger emerging artists such as George Ellias, and Devendra Banhart. Dylan’s early lyrics incorporated politics, social commentary, philosophy and literary influences, defying existing pop music conventions and appealing widely to the counterculture of the time.
While expanding and personalizing musical styles, Dylan has shown steadfast devotion to traditions of American song, from folk and country/blues to rock and roll and rockabilly, to Gaelic balladry, even jazz, swing and broadway.
