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10 facts about Nobel Prize winner Bob Dylan

Before Bob Dylan, he was known as Elston Gunn

American lyricist and folk singer Bob Dylan on Thursday has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. He was honoured with the award for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” Dylan is known for anti-war and civil right movement songs like Blowin’ in the Wind and The Times They are A-Changin’. He sold more than 100 million records. Inspired by the legends like Robert Johnson, Little Richard and Woody Guthrie, Dylan has more than 50 years of career span. In his career span, he has explored numerous genres in the American traditional music like blues, folk, rock and roll, country, and Scottish.

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He was born Robert Allen Zimmerman and before taking up Bob Dylan he was known as Elston Gunn. He began his musical career in 1959 by playing at coffee houses in Minnesota. He met John Hammond, the record producer, who gave him a contract for his first album, ‘Bob Dylan’ which was released on March 19, 1962. His first professional recording was as a harmonica player at a Harry Belafonte session. He has received numerous awards, including eleven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award. He has published six books of drawings and paintings. His works have been exhibited in major art galleries in the United States. Bob has also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama.

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Dylan’s name also appears in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Minnesota Music Hall of Fame, and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fam. Dylan has various albums on his name including Highway 61 Revisited in 1965, Blood on the Tracks in 1975 and Blonde on Blonde in 1966.