Friday, May 29, 2009

Bob Dylan Tribute


So I heard an interview a couple days ago with this guy in India who loved Bob Dylan so much that he has staged a celebration of music and poetry on Dylan's birthday, even though sometimes no one came, and it sometimes poured rain. He says it's because he admired Dylan so much for his lyrics and poetry (I wonder if he was aware of the plagiarism allegations). Dylan turned 68 this year and in honor of his birthday, this guy erected a stage on a local -rather weed-strewn- basketball court. He's been doing this for 37 years now, and at 60 some years old, this guy has yet to miss a year. That's dedication. Apparently, the people in this area of India (Shillong, I think?) are mostly Christians and are well-acquainted with English and, in turn, American music. This year, about 300-ish people showed up for this guy's Dylan party... and they stood in the rain, too.

2 comments:

Mark Jordan said...

Bob Dylan does not need to explain how he creates his art. People who think Bob 'steals' from other musicians or writers, may need to study folk music traditions more deeply.
I greatly admire the Indian musician for seeing how Mr. Dylan can touch emotions that are part of what it is to be human, no matter where in the world.
Please visit my site, moon's rock, to keep up with the latest Bob Dylan news:
http://www.moonsrock.com

penny said...

Well Mark, I'm sure yu know a lot more about Dylan than I do. And besides, even if Dylan was "inspired" by the work of other artists, personally, I'm all for creative license!