Dylan

Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet and painter. He has been a major figure in music for five decades and has had immense influenceon popular music.[1][2] Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly reluctant figurehead of social unrest. A number of his early songs suchas "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changin'" became anthems for the US civil rights[3] and anti-war[4] movements. Leaving his initial base in the culture of folk music behind, Dylanproceeded to revolutionize perceptions of the limits of popular music in 1965 with the six-minute single "Like a Rolling Stone".[5]
His lyrics incorporated a variety of political, social,philosophical, and literary influences. They defied existing pop music conventions and appealed hugely to the then burgeoning counterculture. Initially inspired by the songs of Woody Guthrie,[6] RobertJohnson,[7] Hank Williams, and the performance styles of Buddy Holly and Little Richard,[8] Dylan has both amplified and personalized musical genres. His recording career, spanning fifty years, has explorednumerous distinct traditions in American song—from folk, blues and country to gospel, rock and roll, and rockabilly, to English, Scottish, and Irish folk music, embracing even jazz and swing.[9]
Dylanperforms with guitar, keyboards, and harmonica. Backed by a changing line-up of musicians, he has toured steadily since the late 1980s on what has been dubbed the Never Ending Tour. His accomplishmentsas a recording artist and performer have been central to his career, but his greatest contribution is generally considered to be his songwriting.[1]
Since 1994, Dylan has published three books ofdrawings and paintings, and his work has been exhibited in major art galleries.[10][11] As a songwriter and musician, Dylan has received numerous awards over the years including Grammy, Golden Globe,...