American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan was given his legal name, Robert Dylan, and was born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941. With a career spanning more than 60 years and a reputation as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Bob Dylan has played a significant role in popular culture. His most well-known songs, such as “The Times They Are a-Changin’” (1964) and “Blowin’ in the Wind” (1963), became anthems for the civil rights and antiwar movements at this time. During this time, his songs broke pop music norms and catered to the rising counterculture by including a variety of political, social, philosophical, and literary elements.
In addition to having his work displayed in prestigious art galleries, Dylan has released nine books of drawings and paintings since 1994. He is one of the best-selling musicians of all time with more than 125 million recordings sold. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, 10 Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award are just a few of the honors he has won. The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have all recognized Dylan. He received a special commendation from the Pulitzer Prize Board in 2008 for “his significant impact on American culture and popular music, defined by lyrical compositions of exceptional poetic intensity.” Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, Dylan received it “for having developed new lyrical forms within the great American song heritage.”
