May 24th, 2012 is Bob Dylan’s 71st Birthday
Bob Dylan greeting President Obama and First Lady Michelle
Bob Dylan turns 71 today and he’s still on the road entertaining audiences.
On May 29th, he will be receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the US.
If you don’t have much Dylan in your music collection, try some of the suggestions at the bottom of the page, with a special treat being the 30th Anniversary Concert DVD.
Dylan slid into New York on one of the coldest January days in 1961. He was 19 years old.
The one man Woody Guthrie jukebox listened, learned, soaked up blues, folk and poetry influences to create one of the most distinctive artist repertoires of the last century.
His voice was a studied mixture of snarl, growl, whine and raspy. He can’t sing, people said. But sing he has for five decades creating a style like no other. What Dylan does have is an expressive style that communicates emotions as well as the words.
He stole, borrowed and pinched words and melodies to create a song book that has been the springboard for millions of other singer songwriters.
I’ve been writing record reviews and stories about Bob Dylan since 1963 and he has intrigued me by his talent, breadth and the fact he never stops changing and growing.
There are hundreds of Dylan stories on NJN Network, along with a few exclusive videos, spanning 2005 until today.
You can find them easily – “Dylan” has a place on the menu at the top of the screen at NJN Network.
After a low period in his career during the mid-80s, he sprang back with Oh Mercy, one of his best albums, produced by Canadian Daniel Lanois.
Then Dylan hit the road, performing around the world on the never-ending-tour. The past winter he played South America with a his last stop in Mexico.
Bob Dylan keeps on performing, entertaining and challenging his audiences with a creative output that astounds.
Thanks Bob. Have a Happy Birthday.
External links
Bob Dylan selected discography
It’s virtually impossible to select from the studio albums, compilations, box-sets, tributes and other Bob Dylan items but here are a few of my favorites –
If you want a DVD, keep your eye peeled for the full 2-DVD version of the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert. I snagged a copy this winter but now see it’s unavailable. Very rare and awesome. Update – just found it on Amazon.co.uk
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