Legends of Rock & Roll: Bob Dylan

"It's All About the Music!"

This is, like the others, really a mini-biography of Bob Dylan which emphasizes the music that he has created. The author has had a lifelong passion for the music of the Fifties and Sixties and Pop music in general. He enjoys listening to the music of rock and roll and enjoys writing about the people who created it. This series is his way of honoring the people that have brought so much joy to our lives over the years.

Bob Dylan has been performing since about 1960. Born and raised in Minnesota, he left college to travel to New York to follow his dream of becoming a singer and songwriter. Today after more than 30 studio albums, plus singles, live albums and compilations, Bob Dylan is definitely a super star.

Bob Dylan has been and remains one of the most influential performers of the 20th Century. He was included in a Time Magazine article called “The Time 100: The most important People of the Century” where he was called "master poet, caustic social critic and intrepid, guiding spirit of the counterculture generation".

The Chapters include:

Introduction - Remarks about Bob Dylan in general and a kick-off for the book.
A Boy in Minnesota - Bob Dylan's birth and childhood up to the time he leaves for college.
University of Minnesota - His college year (yes, just one) and where he got his name
Following His Dream to New York - Leaving college, traveling to New York and getting started
"The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" - His first successful album
"If Sandpaper Could Sing" - He has a really unusual style of singing, most liked it, some didn't
The Civil Rights Movement - Joining Joan Baez and singing for the cause
Another Side - Leaving the acoustic life behind and turning to electric instruments
“Bring It All Back Home” - The first time he uses electric instruments
“Highway 61 Revisited” - Another important album
Marriage and Children - A discussion of his personal life in the Sixties
The Bike Accident - The motorcycle accident that sent him into seclusion for several years
“John Wesley Harding” - A move toward country music
“Nashville Skyline” - The move to country music is complete, at least for the moment
The Seventies - Bob slows down a little in the Seventies
“Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” - Bob appears as an actor in his first motion picture
“Blood on the Tracks” - Divorced, his personal life in turmoil, Bob records a very personal album
“The Rolling Thunder Revue” - A discussion of a tour that lasted over a year
Conversion to Christianity? - Born Jewish, Bob converts to Christianity for a time
The Eighties - Still working hard in the Eighties
The Traveling Wilburys - A project involving five of the greatest stars of Rock & Roll
Coming Into The Twenty-First Century - The albums Bob releases after 2000 are some of his best
The Last Few Years - Catching up to the present
Legacy of Bob Dylan - Every Legends book has a Legacy section where we review awards and distinctions accomplished by the artist
Afterword - My closing thoughts
Discography - A list of the major work by Bob Dylan