The Life and Times of Bob Dylan Dont

The Life and Times of Bob Dylan

“Don’t know how it all got started…. ” l l Born: Robert Zimmerman May 24, 1941 Duluth, Minnesota Moves to Hibbing, at age 6 Video Clips: Rock Around the Clock; Ozzie & Harriet; History of Rock, Vol 4.

Timeline Zimmerman family moves to Hibbing, MN 1945 RZ turns 10 – starts playing piano 1950 RZ graduates – registers for college 1955 Kennan’s Sputnik “Long Telegram” The Russian H bomb Berlin Airlift USSR negates N. Korea Yalta and attacks Potsdam agreements. Cold Mc. Carthy War begins. arises 1959 U-2 Incident

“Talking New York City Blues…” l l l Leaves for college In St. Paul /Minneapolis 1959 Plays clubs in Dinkytown Drops out Hitchhikes to NYC, December, 1960

Music in 1961 • Running Bear • Chain Gang • Teen Angel • Save the Last Dance for Me • Ally Oop • Stay • Polkadot Bikini • Shop Around • Cathy’s Clown

“Don’t know how it all got started…. ” l l l Meets Woody Guthrie Plays coffeehouses At the same time as Roger Mc. Guinn, Dave Von Ronk, Tiny Tim…. Woody Guthrie

“Don’t know how it all got started…. ” l A review gets him noticed. John Hammond signs Dylan for an album of folk songs –

Bob Dylan Sold all of 5000 copies originally

News topics - 1961 • Peace Corps • Birth Control • Soviets Orbit Earth • TV a “vast wasteland” • Bay of Pigs • Freedom Riders attacked • Berlin Wall Built • First military troops sent to Viet Nam

Music in 1962 • The Twist • Breaking Up is Hard to Do • Locomotion! • Shelia • Sherry • Puff the Magic Dragon • Duke of Earl • Hey Baby! • Johnny Angel • I Can’t Stop Loving You

Times (They are a-changing!) Kennedy U-2 shot defeats down over Nixon Russia 1960 1961 Dylan hits NYC October 15: Space Race The Cuban begins Missile Crisis 1962 1963 August: Confrontation in Berlin; “ 13 days in the Wall which the world April: Bay of held its breath. ” Pigs ‘Invasion’ Pres. Kennedy Dec: Authorizes Assassinated 16, 000 for Saigon

Quoting Bob… “The news was all bad. It made me nervous. I liked old news. 24 hours news would have been hell. ” ---Chronicles, Vol. 1

Voice of a generation, 1962 1969 l l l l Bob Dylan 2/1962 The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan 5/1963 The Times They Are A-Changin‘ 1/1964 Another Side Of Bob Dylan 8/1964 Bringing It All Back Home 3/1965 Highway 61 Revisited 8/1965 Blonde On Blonde 5/1966

The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan Video: Blowin’ in the Wind

The Times They Are A Changin’

Another Side of Bob Dylan

Bringing It All Back Home Video: Subterranean Homesick Blues

Highway 61 Revisited

Blonde on Blonde

News Flash! l Bob Dylan is “seriously injured” in a motorcycle accident, July 26, 1966 – another James Dean?

No news at all… Recuperates in Woodstock, NY with new wife, kids, new friends – turns reclusive But the new friends are Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm. The results? Some of the most traded bootlegs ever….

Rebirth 1968 - 1970 Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits released, 3/1967 l John Wesley Harding 1/1968 l Nashville Skyline 4/1969 l Self-Portrait 6/1970 l New Morning 11/1970 l Video: (w/ Johnny Cash) North Country Girl

“Advice from Bob…” "stay in line. people are afraid of someone who is not in step with them. it makes them look foolish t' themselves for being in step. it might even cross their mind that they themselves are in the wrong step. Revenge will set in. they will start thinking about how t' get rid of you. " ---Advice for Geraldine on Her Miscellaneous Birthday

Timeline 1960: NYC 1962: 1 st Album 1963: Attends first Civil Rights meeting; meets Baez in Monterey; and sweeps the world 1964: Meets the Beatles 1965: Breaks with folkies; marries Sara Lowndes 1966: Injury, rejuvenation

Missing in Action, 1970 - 1973 Dylan, 1973 l Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, 1973 l Still, no major album from Dylan since New Morning, 4 years before….

Spotted! l “I’d like to introduce a friend to us all … Mr. Bob Dylan. ” The Concert for Bangladesh, 8/1/1971 (Movie released 1972) Video Clips: (from the concert)

Timeline 1967: Begins ‘country’ era 1973: Films Pat Garret and Billy the Kid 1975: Blood on the Tracks, The Basement Tapes both open to acclaim. Rolling Thunder tour! (clip) 1976: Desire is released and remains number 1 on the charts for 35 weeks. 1977: Divorce granted.

Timeline 1980: Grammy for “Gotta Serve Somebody” 1981: Shot of Love final gospel album 1985: New album, plays Farm Aid with Petty, and Biograph scores 1986: Petty and the Heartbreakers backing band for new tour

Timeline 1988: The Traveling Wilburys: Volume One, the result of a collaboration of Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison is released. Best Dylan work in years.

Timeline 1989: Oh Mercy is a great album. Undercut by the fact Dylan and the Dead is not. Dylan begins relentless touring schedule. 1991: Columbia releases The Bootleg Series 1 -3 to fan raves; also Lifetime Achievement award at the Grammys.

Timeline 1992: 30 th Anniversary Concert knocks ‘em dead in Madison Square Garden 1993: Performs at Clinton Inaugural 1994: MTV Unplugged a big hit.

Timeline 1997: Nominated for, but does not win, Nobel Prize in Literature; • hospitalized with a potentially serious heart infection; • recovers, performs before the Pope in November, and accepts a Kennedy Center award

Timeline 1998: Time Out of Mind wins new generation of listeners for Dylan 1998: Again nominated for Nobel Prize in Literature, and again, does not get it. 1999: Again, no go on Nobel Prize

Timeline 2000: Golden Globe award, and Oscar, for “Times Have Changed” from the Wonder Boys movie. Performs via satellite from down under!

Timeline 2001: Love and Theft debuts… on September 11. 2000 -2005: Bootleg Series continues. Live 1966, Live 1964, and Live 1975 have appeared since. 2005: No Direction Home, Chronicles, Vol. 1 2006: Modern Times huge hit. And the Never Ending Tour continues.

“No, no, it ain’t me, babe…” l l l l Folkie – 1961 -1965 Electric – 1965 - 1968 Country – 1969 - 1971 Torch singer / Rolling Thunder – 1972 - 1978 Senior Statesman – 1979 - 1989 Lost Soul / Side Man – 1990 - 1996 River Boat Gambler / Never Ending Tour – 1997 - 2007

Dylan on Idols… Woody Guthrie was my last idol He was the last idol Because he was the first idol I'd ever met That taught me Face t' face That men are men Shattering even himself As an idol An' that men have reasons for what they do An' what they say

Dylan on Idols… Woody never made me fear And he didn't trample any hopes For he just carried the book of Man An' gave it t' me t' read for awhile An' from it I learned my greatest lesson You ask "how does it feel to be an idol? ” It'd be silly of me t' answer, wouldn't it. . ? --- 11 Outlined Epitaphs

Dylan on the Sixties… The Sixties, it’s like the Civil War days. But, I mean, you’re talking to a person who owns the Sixties. Did I ever want to acquire them? No. But I own the Sixties – who’s going to argue with me? I’ll give’em to you if you want’em. You can have’em” --- Rolling Stone interview, 2006

“May your song always be sung…” l l l Dylan turned 65 in 2006 He has published over 40 albums Created the boxed set market with the release of Biograph in 1986 Has influenced countless musicians And has had hit records in 5 decades.

“May your song always be sung…” And, as of 2006: 5, 000 different cover versions of songs by Bob Dylan.

“May your song always be sung…” As someone once said, “Time will tell who has fell And who’s been left behind…”

“May your song always be sung…” Questions: Hype or Real Thing: Was Dylan important?

“May your song always be sung…” Questions: And – is Dylan still important? Why?