The Life and Career of Bob Dylan

An Interest in Folk Music

Robert Allen Zimmerman was born on May 24th, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota. His interest in folk music began in university, when he performed in coffeehouses under the name Bob Dylan.

Early Records

After a move to New York City in 1961, Dylan’s harmonica skills caught the attention of Columbia Records. His self-titled debut consisted mainly of folk and blues standards, and sold poorly. However, Dylan’s politically-inspired sophomore effort, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, highlighted his singing and song-writing abilities.

Politics

As other performers recorded his songs, Dylan’s international fame grew. His political beliefs developed as he joined the civil rights movement, and this was reflected on the top-twenty album The Times They are a-Changin’.

Less Folk and More Pop

Disillusioned by the protest movements, he released Another Side of Bob Dylan a few months later. The lighter, more personal record was criticized by the folk scene that believed Dylan was moving toward a more folk-rock-pop style.

With A Rock and Roll Band

On both Bringing it All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited, Dylan coupled poetic lyrics with a rock and roll backing band. The latter featured the pop culture milestone “Like a Rolling Stone,” and is now considered one of the most influential albums of all-time.

An Accident

The European tour that followed the blues-rock double album, Blonde on Blonde, was his last for several years. A motorcycle accident led him to reclusiveness.

Back to the Roots and Experimenting with Country

1967’s John Wesley Harding was notable for Dylan’s return to traditional roots and acoustic music. Two years later, he found success with the country record, Nashville Skyline, which introduced the world to his softer singing style.

Acting and Touring

Dylan then starred in the 1973 film, “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.” Its score featured several of his compositions, including the often-covered “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” Dylan’s next effort, 1974’s Planet Waves, was his first number-one album. He resumed touring that year, and this resulted in the live album, Before the Flood.

"Blood on the Tracks" and The Rolling Thunder Revue

Though it initially received mixed reviews, 1975’s Blood on the Tracks is now considered one of his greatest albums. The Rolling Thunder Revue came next, and this was a concert tour that featured numerous performers. Dylan then released the best-selling record, Desire, which comprised lengthy, narrative-style songs.

Movies and Music

In 1978, Dylan directed and starred in the poorly-reviewed film, “Renaldo and Clara,” embarked on a worldwide tour and released Street-Legal. The album was a departure for Dylan, as it included a pop-rock band and female backup singers.

Born-Again Christian

Despite Jewish roots, Dylan embraced born-again Christianity at the end of the decade. His evangelical beliefs were reflected in his next three records, including the Grammy-winning Slow Train Coming. He returned to recording non-religious material with 1983’s Infidels.

Traveling Wilburys and More Touring

During the 1980s, several of Dylan’s albums received mixed reviews. However, he found some success with the super-group the Traveling Wilburys, and was critically praised for the 1989 record, Oh Mercy. He also toured with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and The Grateful Dead. In 1988, he began The Never Ending Tour, which continues to this day.

More Music

The 1990 record Under the Red Sky was criticized for being overproduced. But, he received more favorable reviews with the folk and blues sounds of the albums, Good as I Been to You and World Gone Wrong. He also achieved commercial success with the live compilation, MTV Unplugged.

Grammy and Oscar Awards

After recovering from serious health problems, Dylan came out with the Grammy-winning record, Time Out of Mind in 1997. He won his first Oscar in 2001 with the song, “Things Have Changed,” which he wrote for the film soundtrack of “Wonder Boys.”

More Music and More Movies

That same year, Dylan experimented with jazz, swing and rockabilly on the well-received disc Love and Theft. In 2003, Dylan contributed to the tribute album Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan and co-wrote and starred in the film, “Masked & Anonymous.”

A Documentary and Another Number-One Album

His well-received 2004 autobiography, “Chronicles: Volume One,” was followed by the biographical documentary, “No Direction Home” in 2005. After making his DJ debut in 2006, Dylan had another number-one record with the Grammy-winning Modern Times.

A Number-One Debut at 67 Years of Age

The 2007 film biography, “I’m Not There,” featured numerous Dylan-inspired characters. Two years later, the album, Together Through Life, made the sixty-seven-year old Dylan the oldest artist to premiere at the top of the Billboard chart. This was followed by the holiday charity effort, Christmas in the Heart.

A Musical Icon

Bob Dylan is a musical icon who revolutionized pop music and became a spokesperson for the counterculture generation along the way. Thanks to his lyrics, music and art; he is one of the twentieth century’s most influential personalities.