It is virtually impossible to overstate the influence Bob
Dylan has had on American music over the last 50 years. He holds the copyrights to more than 500
songs – including some of the most famous songs of the modern era.
He started, some thought, as a Woodie Guthrie wannabe, a
protest singer. And he was both of those things. When he sang “The Times They Are
A-Changing” in the early 1960s, he wasn’t kidding. Huge social upheaval was on
the way, in terms of the battle for civil rights, the protests against the
Vietnam War, and the rejection of materialism as an end in itself.
But he became so much more. He helped bring blues to modern audicences. He wrote love songs, both
bitter and sweet. And he could be funny
as hell.
Bob Dylan turns 75 on Tuesday, May 24. And The Big Fat WideAmericana Hour is taking the occasion to offer a tasty sampling of Dylan’s long
career – a whole bunch of of Dylan songs, some sung by the man himself, some
sung by those who took inspiration from him.
Join us, beginning Saturday, May 21, for some of the best American
music you can hear. And – I hope – for a whole big heck of a lot of fun.
As always, just one piece of advice – turn it up. I mean,
crank it!
No comments:
Post a Comment