Bob Dylan wins a Pulitzer

Bob Dylan received a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for “his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.”

He is the first rock musician to receive the award. Previous musician recipients are John Coltrane, George Gershwin, and Thelonious Monk.

I didn't know the Pulitzer gave out this award. I thought it was all about journalism. News reporting. Dylan is one of the greats, but it seems odd for him to be put in this crowd. Words are words. Music is something different. Still, it's pretty cool, even though it seems the Pulitzer crowd needs Dylan more than he needs them.




Roland Scherman took a pretty good picture of Dylan, and he didn't get a Pulitzer.

Although he did win a Grammy for it. The shot was used for the cover of Dylan's greatest hits album.

Although the Grammy people spelled Scherman's name wrong.

He sent the statue back, asking that his name be spelled right.

They didn't do it, though...



Scherman also took some pretty good images of Dylan at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival.

Here's a young, scrawny Dylan arriving at the festival. Yes, that's a bullwhip he has slung over his shoulder. What's that all about. Obviously some sort of statement, but at a different venue other than a folk festival, say a honky tonk in the south or someplace like west Texas, young Bobby would have left with that thing knotted around his neck. Or ceremoniously hog-tied and flung out the door.

But the folkies were duly impressed....




And here's a really good up close and personal image of Dylan and Joan Baez on stage together.
















Finally, it's the early songs that still just resonate. If I wasn't going to be cremated, the words, "Hey Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me" would make some nice words on a tombstone.

I've loved this song from the moment I heard it. I would love to meet the Tambourine Man. What's weird is that voice coming out of that young face.