Bob Dylan 1961 – AP

Bob Dylan (Robert Allen Zimmerman) is a singer-songwriter, musician, painter, poet and one of the most influential pop and folk musicians of all time.

He is the recipient of numerous accolades and honors, highlights include Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1988; Grammy Awards winner (multiple times); Oscar for Best Song, 2001, and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016.

Dylan (then Zimmerman) was born in Duluth, Minnesota on May 24, 1941. His family moved to Hibbing, Minnesota about six years later. Hibbing is 75 miles northwest of Duluth.

In September 1959 Dylan left Hibbing to attend the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN. He was enrolled in classes, but rarely attended because of his late nights performing. He first lived at the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity house on University Ave., but then moved to a second floor apartment above Gray’s Drugstore in Dinkytown, U.S.A., a lively student community next to the University of Minnesota.

At that time, Dinkytown, USA had a coffee house by the name of the “10 o’clock Scholar”. This is where Bob met other local musicians, and “a folk-music scholar” by the name of Paul Nelson, who would have a huge influence on Dylan’s musical direction. Dinkytown is also where he was first introduced to the solo recordings of Woody Guthrie.

Robert Zimmerman began introducing himself as “Bob Dylan” during his Dinkytown days. In his autobiography “Chronicles: Volume One”, he mentions that he had considered the name Robert Allyn, but then read the poetry of Dylan Thomas and settled upon “Bob Dylan” because “it sounded better”.

Bob Dylan left Minneapolis in January 1961 (at the age of 20) and hitched a ride to New York City – with guitar and suitcase in hand – hoping to perform and also visit his musical idol Woody Guthrie, who was seriously ill with Huntington’s Disease. He became enmeshed in the New York City folk scene and the rest is musical history. In 2012 he was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Today, Dylan’s primary residence is in Malibu, CA, but he owns several properties around the world. He still owns property just northwest of Minneapolis which allows him to spend some private time with friends and family that are still in the Twin Cities area. View photos of a few of his noteworthy destinations in Minnesota.

Bob Dylan Fun Facts

Sources: Various, including the Bob Dylan documentary “No Direction Home: Bob Dylan”; film direction by Martin Scorsese and the book “Chronicles: Volume One” by Bob Dylan.

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