Bob Dylan is the greatest!!

[blueaguave]

He's been called a poet, a non-poet who throws words together, a hippie liberal, a right wing fundamentalist, an enigma wrapped in a riddle. One thing is sure, he is awesome. His songs need no introduction, I feel like I'm ready to die when I hear "Knockin on Heavens Door", "Tangled up in blue" I've hit the repeat button and listened to 20times in a row. There are so many awesome songs and albums by him. Even though he himself is one of the greatest artists ever, in the few interviews he's given he ALWAYS gives credit to the greats who inspired him. Hes always said how much he owes to Muddy Waters, Hank Sr, Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, etc. He's also praised contemporaries like Johnny Cash (who got him a record deal and hes worked with a lot), Haggard, George Jones, etc. Hes done blues, country, folk, gospel. He's a one man Americana movement. He said playing with Ralph Stanley was the greatest moment of his life. He's done just as much as anyone to preserve traditional blues and country, while at the same time expanding it. I even like Dylan and the Dead, supposedly his worst cd ever. Even when he sucks hes cool!

[Statchmo]

Bob Dylan, the first rapper----"Subterranean Homesick Blues"

One of my favorite Bob Dylan stories is how when he met Woody Guthrie, and played for him, Guthrie's comment to others was "His songs aren't very good, but that boy sure can SING!"

[AndersonGal]

that Dylan was the reason I *HAD* to have a brass bed when I was first married. ;^) (Lay Lady, Lay)
But then, I have a weakness for dark, curly headed men.

[Statchmo]

Andersongal, then you must have noticed Bob's blue-eyed son, Jakob, of the Wallflowers. Their newest album, Breach, is AWESOME, by the way.

[AndersonGal]

Oh my yes. I noticed him and thought there was *something* I liked about that boy. Then later I found out who his daddy was. Yummy!

[stking]

He is a great musician and songwriter. As far as his singing, I prefer those where I can understand what they're saying, tho!

Just my opinion! Don't y'all get mad now!

[Statchmo]

stking, that's why Woody Guthrie's comment was so funny. You know, I think Bob really can sing, he's just been doing that nasal thing for so long he can't remember any other way! He's almost become a caricature of himself. Maybe the heavy smoking has something to do with it as well.

If you want to check out some really amazing footage of Bob, go rent "Don't Look Back". It's a "fly on the wall" documentary film of one of his tours of England back in the early 60s. I think you'll find that he really COULD sing, and you can even understand what he's saying. He's also totally hilarious, especially when dealing with members of the press.

[stking]

That's true, Stachmo. I probably have never heard his really early stuff so my opinion is based on what he sounds like in more recent times! I may have to check that out!

[AndersonGal]

Hmmm... I saw that video not too long ago. I had a totaly different opinion though. I thought he came across as a real jerk. But when I was 21 I'm sure many people thought I was a cocky so & so too.

[Statchmo]

Absolutely. Yes, a jerk. But a brutally funny jerk. I never do seem to mind seeing someone tweak the members of the press. He was a bit rude to poor Joan Baez however. More than a bit.

But the musical performances in that movie are tremendous.

And his hair was tremendous too. In every sense of the word.

[blueaguave]

sounded different on Nashville skyline album where he worked with Johnny Cash and Charlie Daniels. This was his most popular album ever, they asked him if he was trying to sound more mellower and countryish, he said he didn't try to sound different but he had quit smoking for a while so his voice was better.
He might have been jealous, Joan Baez was paying a lot of attention to Roy Acuff in those days