Bob Dylan
American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, widely regarded as one of the greatest musical influences of the 20th century.
Dylan rose to fame in the 1960s with politically charged folk anthems. His evolution from folk to rock sparked controversy at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016 for poetic songwriting. Continues to tour and release albums since his 1961 debut.
- Changed name from Robert Zimmerman to Bob Dylan early in career, inspired by poet Dylan Thomas
- Survived near-fatal motorcycle crash in 1966, leading to an 8-year touring hiatus
- Provoked outrage by switching from acoustic to electric guitar at 1965 Newport Folk Festival
- Unexpectedly embraced evangelical Christianity in late 1970s, releasing controversial gospel albums
- First musician awarded Nobel Prize in Literature (2016), initially ignoring the honor before accepting months later
- Known for deliberately obscure interviews and intentionally misleading autobiographical claims