Original name Robert Allen Zimmerman, (born May 24, 1941, Duluth, Minnesota, U.S.),

American folksinger who moved from folk to rock music in the 1960s, infusing the lyrics of rock and roll, theretofore concerned mostly with boy-girl romantic innuendo, with the intellectualism of classic literature and poetry. Hailed as the Shakespeare of his generation, Dylan sold tens of millions of albums, wrote more than 500 songs recorded by more than 2,000 artists, performed all over the world, and set the standard for lyric writing. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016.

Joan Baez & Bob Dylan- Washington- August 28, 1963. RowlandScherman-USInformationAgency
Bob Dylan at the White House - 2010- Peter Souza, Official White House Photo.

Awards and Honors

  • Pulitzer Prize Nobel Prize (2016)

  • Presidential Medal of Freedom (2012)

  • Grammy Award (2006,2001,1997,1994,1979,1972)

  • Academy Award (2001)

  • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (1988)

Written by: Al Kooper

Fact-checked by: The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica

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