Fighting the British Invasion

Fighting the British Invasion • Bob Dylan, Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson and Frank Zappa of the Mothers of Invention created new personal styles that would have an enormous impact throughout the rest of the 60s. SOURCE: Shirley, 64.

Folk Music • The 1950s had been a difficult period for folk singers (e.g., The Weavers, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Woody Guthrie). • This changed in 1958 with the Kingston Trio’s “Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley.” • By 1960 Odetta, Theodore Bikel, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul and Mary had joined the Kingston Trio on the charts. • In 1961-1962 folk artists had some success with protest anthems. (Pete Seeger and Peter, Paul and Mary’s cover of his “If I Had a Hammer.”) SOURCE: Shirley, 64-65.

The Hero Bob Dylan

Dylan’s Childhood • Born Robert Allen Zimmerman in 1941 in Minnesota. • Started music career at a very early age. • Quote in high school year book was to “join Little Richard.”

Teenage Years • Attended the University of Minnesota till 1960 when he left for New York City. • Had the goal of meeting Willie Guthrie. • Instantly plugged into the New York City music scene. • By November of 1961, Dylan had a record deal.

Early Music Career • Mainly sung folk songs in the early sixties. • Inspired greatly by Woody Guthrie. • First began to write topical songs in the early sixties.

Early Music Career Cont. • Played at the Newport Folk Festival in 1963. • Performed at the March on Washington in 1963. • Was hailed as “the most important voice of the generation” when only 25.

Top 10 Political Protest Songs • “Blowin in the Wind” • Masters of War • Oxford Town • A Hard Rains a-Gonna Fall • The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll • With God on Our Side • Hurricane • Chimes of Freedom • Maggie’s Farm • The Times They Are a-Changin’ Click on Guitar for song

Fame • After 1963 Dylan became a pop star. • Began to lose his interest in music. • Almost quite touring until he wrote “Like a Rolling Stone.” • Click on picture for interview

“Like a Rolling Stone” • Highway 61 Revisited (1965) and Blonde on Blonde (1966) are considered “two of the finest recordings of the rock and roll era.” • Began touring with The Hawks (who later became The Band). • Was in seclusion for a year after a 1967 motorcycle accident. • The Rolling Thunder Revue was a concert tour by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan with a traveling caravan of notable musicians, including Joan Baez, Roger McGuinn, and Ramblin' Jack Elliott. SOURCES: Shirley, 68-69. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan_discography

“Like a Rolling Stone” • One of the first rock and roll songs. • Nothing had ever sounded like it • Rejuvenated Dylan’s love for music.

Newport Folk Festival (1965)Dylan's performance was innocent enough. Intent on showing off a pocketful of new electric songs, some from his just-released half-acoustic-half-electric album, Bringing it All Back Home, Dylan tore into his music with driven abandon, as he commonly did during acoustic performances. A mix of both cheering and booing started when Dylan launched into “Maggie's Farm,” but the situation continued to melt down as he wound onward through the as-yet unreleased single, “Like a Rolling Stone.” Finally, the hostility climaxed with chants of “Sellout!” as Dylan ran through “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, it Takes a Train to Cry.” He returned in 2002, performed and there were no problems

Distinguished Career 10 Grammy Awards 1 Golden Globe 1 Academy Awards 1990 Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame Minnesota Music Hall of Fame Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Songwriters Hall of Fame The Pulitzer Prize jury in 2008 awarded him a special citation for "his profound impact on popular musi.c and American culture.” In May 2012, Dylan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.

Personal Life Dylan married Sara Lownds on November 22, 1965. They had 4 children; Dylan adopted Sara’s daughter from a previous marriage. Divorsed in 1977. Dylan's son Jakob became well known as the lead singer of the band The Wallflowers.

Fighting the British Invasion