Bob Dylan was born Robert Allen Zimmerman. Growing up in Minnesota afforded Dylan lots of time to listen to the music of the day. He became engrossed in Elvis and Little Richard, even going so far as to imitate Richard on piano throughout his high school years.
Dylan got into music by high school, and was forming bands well before graduation. He used the pseudonym “Elston Gunn” to front one of his first bands before moving to New York in 1960. It so happened that one of Dylan’s idols was hospitalized in the city, and he visited with the legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie many times.
Guthrie helped him get into the music scene, where he became a regular folk singer at clubs in the Greenwich Village area. He also began writing songs at an astonishing rate, penning “Song to Woody,” a tribute to Guthrie.
A critic from the New York Times happened to spy one of Dylan’s shows and gave him a rave review. That review put Dylan on many fans radars and led to a record deal in the fall of 1961. His first release, a self-titled album, came in 1962. It introduced a generation of people to the gravelly vocals of a living legend.
Dylan embodies the “rock star” persona. He rarely gives interviews, and tours frequently across the nation. Most of his recent releases have been concerts and live recordings. Dylan was married to Sara Lowndes, but their relationship ended in a painful split. Though Dylan was unsuccessful in winning her back, he did adopt her daughter Maria.
About the Author: Phin Upham is an investor at a family office/hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media & Technology group. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website