Bob Dylan Biography
Bob Dylan Biography
Bob Dylan is the pre-eminent poet, lyricist, and songwriter of his time. He re-energized the folk music genre; brought new lyrical depth to rock and roll and when he went electric he combined the worlds of rock and roll and country. His lyrics captured and defined the mood of a generation.
Bob Dylan was born Robert Zimmerman on May 24th, 1941, in Minnesota. He learned to play the harmonica and piano by the age of ten and taught himself to play the guitar. Influenced by rock and roll Dylan form bands with other youths. When only 19 Dylan moved to New York City and started off in village coffeehouses. After playing harmonica on a session for folk singer Carolyn Hester, Dylan impresses the producer at Columbia records he is signed to a 5-year contract. His first album, which featured only two originals and an assortment of blues and traditional songs, sold very poorly. At the beginning of his career Dylan was heavily booed. Fortunately his second album, which was almost entirely self-composed, sold quite well. Over all Bob Dylan has wrote hundreds of songs, more than 500 and counting, forty three albums, and more than 57 million copies sold.
Bob Dylan has also made it through hardships as a devastating motorcycle accident, which made him drop out of sight for a year and a half. However during that time he continued to make music at his home studio. Also in 1997 Dylan is diagnosed with Histoplasmosis, a potentially fatal fungal infection. Only one month out of the hospital he continued to tour North America. Two months out of the hospital Dylan performed at the World Eucharist Congress and meets Pope John Paul II face to face.
He has contributed his talent and music to many causes including anti-war songs, civil rights rallies, memorial for Woody Guthrie, who was a folk singer that Dylan considered his mentor, a benefit for Bangla Desh, a benefit for the Friends of Chile, he visited Hurricane Carter who inspired Dylan to write the song Hurricane and to perform 2 benefits for Carter’s defense fund, an AIDs benefit, a Martin Luther king birthday celebration, a benefit for handicapped children, Bill Clinton’s first inauguration, Frank Sinatra’s birthday tribute, a tribute to Frank Sinatra, a crossroads benefit, and recorded...